I planted some peas (a nice long row in the bed behind the garage), more carrots and, as I forgot them last week, some radishes. I'll do more work tomorrow, but I've been thinking about how to grow cabbages etc without them being eaten. The picture is of the winter cabbages. Those protected by netting survived, everything else (the cauliflower) has been eaten by birds (I suspect the pheasants).

I think that I need a frame!

My plants survived a holiday. Mind you, it was rainy here. I put the peppers outside in a big tray of water. All but one (which has been a bit eaten) lasted well. I picked the last of this year's peas and broad beans. I used the peas and froze two bags of green beans. I think that I could have got more peas, but I suspect that Gill and Esther have been eating them. The green beans look about done, but I picked a whole load before we went on holiday and froze them. The old variety potatoes are not cropping that well, but they're ok.

The cabbages and cauliflower are being somewhat eaten by whitefly, but I've been spraying and watering them (and picking off caterpillars). I'm wondering what to plant as we slide into autumn.

Tags: blog, legumes

Here's Gill and Esther picking the peas. They taste lovely and we should have them for many weeks to come.

Tags: legumes

It's all happening in the garden. Clockwise from top left:
tomato
potatoes
green beans, peas, turnip
asparagus
turnip
strawberries
peppers
beetroot, shallots, parsnips, broad beans, carrot, onions

In the middle is garlic, onion, spinach and swede

Tags: root vegetables, legumes

The weather report said that there might be snow and here it is. I'm glad that I didn't plant out my beetroot and lettuce. Hope the peas are all right and that the little carrot seedlings are surviving under the cloche that I put back yesterday.

Tags: blog, root vegetables, salad, legumes

Lots of gardening jobs today:

Outside

Planted spinach seeds in the small bed.
Built cane supports for the peas (which are now starting to come through)
Planted first early potatoes ("Rocket")

greenhouse

Planted "slenderette" dwarf green beans
potted up Gardener's Delight tomatoes (next stop outside in the garden at the end of April)

propagator

Planted more Rocquencourt (here's hoping)
Added more basil, only one plant came up.
Planted chilli pepper ("Anaheim"), these came free with Gardener's World

Tags: salad, herbs, root vegetables, legumes

I've finished the bark chipping path, so now I can walk around the raised beds without getting all muddy (and it looks neater). Outside, after the easter snow, the asparagus is peeping through and the peas have started to sprout. Meanwhile, in the greenhouse, it's all systems go. I'm glad that I bought a propagator.

Tags: blog, legumes

It's been surprisingly dry, I've had to remove the cloches and water under them this weekend (as I did last weekend). Still no sign of any outdoor seeds sprouting (carrot, peas, beetroot). The greenhouse sown seeds are making a showing, but I'm disappointed in the green beans. Some just expired. One of the green beans that I sowed last week has sprouted - I wish the others would be more enthusiastic. I'm not too worried, I checked last year's blog and I finished the raised beds at the end of April and planted out bought seedlings at that time. If all else fails, I can still buy seedlings.

I've used about 2/3 of the soil that I had delivered on Thursday, I think that I over estimated how much I'd need. I've been filling up the raised beds (I didn't quite buy enough soil last year and my compost heaps are not producing enough (yet)). Maybe I'll get some of the paths done this weekend; I bought some weed membrane yesterday.

Tags: root vegetables, blog, legumes

I've planted out two rows of peas under another cloche. These are Feltham First.

Pea 'Feltham First'

This first early, round seeded variety gives early crops of large well-filled pods of sweet tasting, fine flavoured peas. It can be autumn or spring sown as the plants are winter hardy.