Veg Journal 2011:

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 Veg Journal - 2011 May

Lots more seed sowing and planting out, and at last some much needed rain fell early in the month. The new method of sowing brassica seeds in peat pots in the greenhouse failed - the seedlings shrivelled as they did last year in the open beds. More seeds were sown in plastic pots, in the house this time. In an effort to keep the aphids at bay, we sowed some more marigolds and calendulas in the greenhouse borders, and they did seem to work. Towards the end of the month we bought a lot of stuff from the Focus closing down sale to kit out the interior of the potting shed.

• Week ending 8th May
• Week ending 16th May
• Week ending 24th May
• Week ending 31st May

Week ending 8th May

1st - The water butts are now empty, very early in the season. We'll be using the hosepipe from now on until it rains, assuming it will do at some stage! The 2nd batch of celery is coming through. Picked some chard and some spinach from last year's self-sown plants.

3rd - One seedling from the 2nd batch of spring onions is through - it's the first to come through at all! Three of the calabrese seedlings and one of the broccoli seedlings have shrivelled for some reason, no idea why. The first tomato fruit has set. Found some caterpillars inside the broad bean leaves - the type that stick the leaves together - but lots of pods are developing on the autumn-sown batch. Put newspaper over the new potatoes as frost is forecast.

4th - More of the brassicas are looking as if they will shrivel - will try planting some more in plastic pots. Sowed the 3rd batch of carrots. Some of the tomatoes have their 2nd set of flowers opening.

5th - The 3rd batch of radishes and the maincrop potatoes are beginning to show through. Put in the canes to support the 1st batch of broad beans (no string yet). Washed out some pots to sow more brassica seeds in. Put first coat of gloss on front wall of potting shed.

6th - Put the string on the broad bean supports and sowed some more brassica seeds in plastic pots. Put the pots in the house, hopefully to give them more temperate conditions for survival. Sowed some marigold and calendula seeds in the greenhouse borders. Picked some chard. Finished the gloss paintwork in the potting shed, and took the masking tape off the side windows.

7th - It rained! Dug up the remaining leeks and composted them. Moved the chives yet again, to the side bed near the greenhouse. Put 3 buckets of compost on the vacated bed ready for sowing the runner beans. Put the runner bean supports up, and removed the masking tape from the rest of the potting shed windows.

8th - Much more rain overnight. Planted the aubergines in the greenhouse borders. Sowed the runner beans outside, and the French beans, marrows and courgettes indoors in pots. Earthed up the early potatoes. New shoots are appearing at the base of some of the asparagus plants.

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Week ending 16th May

9th - Picked the first 3 radishes of the season. Hailstones in a thunder storm have damaged the leaves on the broad beans, potatoes, spinach, turnips, radishes and chard. There is possibly a lettuce seedling coming up from the 2nd batch.

10th - The leaves on the latest batch of radishes are being nibbled - probably by pigeons. Finally the last shallot is sprouting! Seedlings from the replacement batches of kale, calabrese & broccoli are coming through.

11th - Picked 4 radishes. Tied up the asparagus to the side of the greenhouse. One seedling from the batch of replacement autumn cabbages is through, and the first French marigold seedlings are through in the greenhouse. All the maincrop potatoes are now through.

12th - Some of the calendula seedlings are coming through, and more tomatoes are forming. Sowed the 4th batch of spinach seeds.

13th - One seedling from the 3rd batch of carrots is through, and the courgette seedlings are erupting in their pot! All the autumn cabbage seedlings are now through. Earthed up the early potatoes again.

14th - Put canes and string around latest batch of broad beans, & more string around the first batch. Sowed the 4th batch of peas and put up the support for the 3rd batch. Sowed the last batch of turnips and put up the netting, after rubbing some butterfly eggs off one of the leaves. Sowed the chard & the 3rd batch of beetroot. Sowed some more spring onions over the 1st batch as they haven't come up at all. Tied up the tomatoes in buckets again. Sowed the 2nd batch of autumn cabbages & savoys in pots indoors. Moved all the veg seedlings in pots & the peppers from the sitting room into the utility. Picked 4 radishes.

15th - Fed and watered the tomatoes, and the veg seedlings & peppers in the house, before going to Grasmere.

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Week ending 24th May

22nd - Returned from Grasmere, and quite a lot of seedlings have appeared, i.e. 3rd batch of beetroot, 4th batch of spinach, the chard, latest lettuce & rocket, 3rd batch of turnips, 4 runner beans, 4th batch of peas, savoy & 2nd batch of autumn cabbage, marrows, courgettes and French beans. Last year's chard is about to flower and needs digging up. The 2nd batch of peas and the aubergines are flowering. All the tomatoes have some fruits and some have the 2nd truss setting. All the asparagus plants have now sent up new spears. More marigolds and calendulas are showing through. Tied the tomatoes up a bit more on their strings.

23rd - Put more string supports around the broad beans. Earthed up all the potatoes - dug one of the earlies up by mistake! Did some weeding and picked 4 radishes.

24th - Flower buds are coming on the new potatoes.

Week ending 31st May

25th - Picked some peas (4oz in pods). Moved the tomatoes in pots out of the greenhouse, and the peppers into the greenhouse, still in their pots. Put brassicas in the mini greenhouse by the back door, and the 1st celery batch, French beans, marrows, courgettes & sweetcorn outside during the the day to harden off. Put canes and string around the leek patch in place of the chicken wire, as it was difficult to keep weed-free. Transplanted the lettuce and rocket from the broad bean bed to the sweetcorn / marrow bed. Sowed 4th batches of carrots & radishes, 3rd batch of lettuce & rocket, and the swedes. Thinned the 3rd batch of carrots.

26th - Flower buds on the main crop potatoes are forming. Planted the peppers in the greenhouse, and sowed herbs (dill, parsley, oregano, thyme & basil) in front of them. Left the celery, marrows & French beans in the greenhouse overnight as frost is forecast.

27th - Thinned the latest batch of beetroot. Removed lots of dead holly leaves from the onion bed. Picked the first turnip (7oz). Bought cupboards for the potting shed in the Focus closing down sale.

28th - Bought hardboard for the potting shed floor.

29th - Bought lino for the potting shed. Fitted the hardboard in the shed. Courgette and French bean leaves looking a bit shrivelled for some reason. Picked some spinach and the broad bean tops from the autumn-sown batch. The one and only spring onion has died!

30th - Rained all day. The first new potato flower is opening. Fitted the lino in the potting shed, and bought some window blinds for the same.

31st - The latest batch of spring onions is coming up. Fitted the window blinds to the potting shed, and applied first coat of glue to the unfinished edges of the new cupboards. The base of one of the cupboards was broken, but was reasonably easily mended with wood glue and clamps. Left the sweetcorn, marrows & French beans outside overnight.

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