Parsnips a-plenty!

I’ve got a bone to pick with the BBC weather forecasters – we battled away at the Hill yesterday in the cold rain, & yet today has been just beautiful, despite being billed as rainy too. We weren’t the only ones fooled – when I got to the Hill yesterday, Novice Neighbour Jody, David-other-half & Indomitable Fran & Alan were all busy on their plots.

Fran was finishing off planting their potatoes – which meant I was happier putting the rest of ours in. I thought we might be a week or two early, but if Fran isn’t worried about late frosts, then nor am I.

When Jane arrived, she dug up the remaining PARSNIPS (white gem & gladiator) – which have had to come out in order for us to put the rest of the potatoes in – & the rest of the BEETROOT (red ace). We had a HUGE parsnip pile which we’ve split between us, & I’ve peeled, chopped & frozen some of them.

Once the POTATOES (picasso & pentland dell) were in, the finishing touch was to put a layer of strawy manure on the part of the bed which we hadn’t managed to do before because the parsnips were in the way.

Meanwhile, Jane planted out 8 little pots of SWISS CHARD (bright lights) that I’d brought with me which have been growing away in the mini greenhouse, & we also planted out a final row of PEAS (kelvedon wonder). There’s about 4’ at the end of the pea rows – still partly occupied by the spring cabbage – but I’ve ear-marked that for some dwarf beans.

We’ve had a re-think on the idea of wigwams at the front of the plot for the climbing beans & peas – it looks as if that would be quite wasteful on space, so I think that short rows of poles will be better.

We pulled up the last of the SUMMER CABBAGE (primo II) as they were bolting – the tops in a stir fry last night were delicious – & also the KALE (alice) is starting to bolt so we pulled the plants up & split them between us. We took a SPRING CABBAGE home each too – they don’t seem terribly ‘hearty’ – perhaps they need another week or two.

The rhubarb row between our plot & David-other-half is growing well – miles ahead of anyone else’s, actually – so I picked an armful, some of which I dropped off at mum’s, & the rest I’ve chopped up for making wine with.

At home, I pricked out the LETTUCE (little gem) & eight more CAULIFLOWER (all the year round) into individual 2” pots & I also sowed 4 pots with LETTUCE (webbs wonderful).

To use the beetroot, I made a couple of jars of chutney, & then I bottled the celery wine. Rather worryingly, although it looks great, first tastes are not hugely promising – ‘paint’ & ‘stripper’ are two words which spring to mind, but maybe it will mellow into something rather more palatable…