Veg Journal - 2010 April
We finished both of the new raised beds this month, which brings the total to 10; 2 for each veg grouping in the
5-year rotation. The Enviromesh cages were still being made, and, because of the generally warm and dry weather, lots
of seed sowing was done in the plot. As well as lots of seedlings coming through, there were the pests to deal with,
so the netting cage production was stepped up a notch!
Week ending 8th April
1st - Planted the 2nd lot of broad beans. Ordinary tomatoes coming through. Still a bit wet to plant the early
potatoes. Started making the netting for the onion bed.
2nd - First celery seedlings coming through. Rained heavily so nothing done in the garden. More done on the onion
netting. The first spinach seedlings could be coming up?!
3rd - All tomatoes and peppers through. Potted up the aubergines, using an improvised bench in the potting shed.
Put netting up for the 1st lot of peas to climb up, and sowed the 3rd batch. Planted 8 early seed potatoes in the new
raised bed (after adding compost and bonemeal) and gave the rest away to our neighbours.
4th - First leeks coming through. Moved the heap of soil covering where the 2nd new bed will be. Cut the last
vinyl strips from the 1st half meter bought.
5th - Did a bit of weeding and laid 3 slabs at the potting shed end of the latest new bed - two of them were
buried under the soil heap. Did some more on the onion bed netting.
6th - Sowed the 2nd batch of spinach - only 3 up so far from the 1st batch. Started double-digging the new bed.
More done on the onion bed netting.
7th - 2nd batch of radishes sown. Parsnips & turnips definitely coming up now. Nearly finished the onion netting.
Re-jigged the sowing plan a bit to fit in shallots. Rained on & off so nothing done on the new bed.
8th - More double-digging on the new bed, and more done on the onion bed netting. Sowed the 1st batch of globe
carrots, summer cabbages, lettuces & rocket. Moved the seedlings from the house into the greenhouse.
Click on a photo to see a bigger version:
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1st batch of peas & their support netting (3rd Apr)
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Enviromesh cage on the pea bed (3rd Apr)
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The 1st new bed planted up with new potatoes (4th Apr)
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Most of the soil heap removed from the 2nd new bed (4th Apr)
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Evening view of the plot (8th Apr)
Week ending 15th April
9th - Bought some shallot seeds from Pennells & sowed them - some in the bed in front of the greenhouse (where the
asparagus will go eventually). All the garlic cloves have taken & some spring onions are through. Put the completed
netting on the onion bed. Seedlings seem OK in greenhouse.
10th - More double-digging. Started the netting for the roots bed.
11th - More double-digging. Sewed more netting.
12th - More double-digging. Bought some cotton tape from Dunelm for attaching to the bottom edge of the netting,
for putting the pegs through, and did some more sewing.
13th - More double-digging. More done on the netting. Had to bring the aubergines back into the house as they had
wilted after the frosty night. OK now though.
14th - Nearly finished double-digging and nearly finished the netting. Could possibly be some lettuces coming
up.
15th - Double-digging and netting finished! Radishes from the 2nd batch coming through. Could be one summer
cabbage seedling coming up. Put netting over the turnips to try & stop birds pulling them out.
Week ending 23rd April
16th - A couple of broad beans from the 2nd batch coming through. Potted up the tomatoes and peppers. Sowed the
2nd batch of celery seeds and French marigolds for the borders in the greenhouse, also some herbs - all now under
propagators in house. Sowed sweetcorn in peat pots - under a propagator in the greenhouse.
17th - Sowed beetroot, sprouting broccoli, autumn cabbage, long carrots, kale, and the latest batches of spring
onions, peas and turnips. A couple of spinach seedlings out of the 2nd batch are coming up; only one surviving from
the 1st batch! Thinned out the parsnips and filled the gaps with the thinnings. Put net on the parsnip bed, and
asparagus seeds in to soak.
18th - Sowed asparagus in a seed tray & put them in the greenhouse. Lots of broad beans & summer cabbage coming up,
plus 2 peas from the 3rd batch. Did some digging in the soil where the new path round the final bed will be.
19th - Rained all day. Thyme & marigold seedlings coming through. Put wire mesh on the latest batch of broad beans
for bird protection.
20th - Sowed the 3rd batch of spinach (more coming through from the 2nd batch). Put canes & string in to support
the broad beans. Finished the digging for the long side of the path round the new bed. Started the next netting.
Oregano seeds coming through.
21st - More digging for the path done, & edges sewn on the netting. First potato, sweetcorn & more herbs coming up.
22nd - More digging & netting. First carrots & a shallot coming up. Planted some chives from our neighbours.
23rd - Digging for the path finished - hurrah! Lots of flowers on broad beans sown last year, and also one on the
batch of peas.
Click on a photo to see a bigger version:
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The assembled netting frame on the parsnip bed (17th Apr)
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The parsnip bed complete with its Enviromesh netting (17th Apr)
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1st batch of broad beans with their cane & string supports, and the 2nd batch covered with chicken wire
(21st Apr)
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1st two batches of peas, with the 3rd batch just coming through (21st Apr)
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Calabrese & leek seedlings (21st Apr)
Week ending 30th April
24th - Sifted through some of the spare soil from the path to put on the bed. Transplanted the 1st batch of celery
to a larger tray. Kale & sprouting broccoli coming up.
25th - Heavy showers, so nothing done outside. Soil in the greenhouse borders sifted and watered. More netting
done. First couple of radishes harvested.
26th - Path laid around the new bed. More netting done. Autumn cabbages and 2nd batch of celery coming up.
Seedlings from the 2nd batch of turnips showed through a few days ago (forgot to note when).
27th - Started boarding around the raised bed. More netting done. Beetroot & 4th batch of peas coming up. Started
liquid (Bio) feed on plants in pots / trays.
28th - Finished the raised bed (hurray!) and planted the main crop potatoes. 1st batch of long carrots coming up,
and also parsley. Weeded the parsnip bed and harvested the last leek from 2009. Tied some more twine around the
canes supporting the broad beans.
29th - Fitted automatic openers to the 2 back greenhouse windows. Weeded the onion bed and seed bed in front of the
greenhouse. Sowed the latest batch of radishes, lettuces & rocket. Moved the marigolds and 2nd batch of celery to the
greenhouse. Did some more netting. Swept the veg plot paths.
30th - Harvested the last of the 1st batch of radishes. Sowed the latest batches of peas & main carrots. Put
netting up for the 2nd batch of peas. Sowed more kale in a pot as the 1st batch is being nibbled by something. Did
more netting.
Click on a photo to see a bigger version:
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The 1st radishes of the year (25th Apr)
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Laying the last slab around the 2nd new bed (26th Apr)
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Broad bean flowers - a heavenly scent (26th Apr)
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Attaching the 1st end board to the corner posts (27th Apr)
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The 2nd end board cut to size & in position (27th Apr)
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Both end boards attached to the corner posts (28th Apr)
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Side boards attached & being drilled for the centre supports (28th Apr)
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The completed sides and support posts (28th Apr)
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The new raised bed with leveled soil (28th Apr)
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Maincrop seed potatoes after being chitted in the greenhouse (28th Apr)
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Planting the maincrop potatoes in the new raised bed (28th Apr)
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Harvesting the last leek from 2009 (28th Apr)
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The last of the 2009 batch of leeks (28th Apr)
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The broad beans, with another row of string supports around the 1st batch (28th Apr)
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Pea flowers (30th Apr)
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Digging the trench for the 5th batch of peas (30th Apr)
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Peas sown at 2" staggered intervals (30th Apr)
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The less slug-eaten last radishes of the 1st batch (30th Apr)
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