The weather yesterday not being (a) raining or (b) Siberian freezing cold, I went to the Hill to see how the plot was getting on, & to dig a couple of parsnips for tea.
A mooch round revealed that the early rhubarb crown is showing pink buds, & the garlic just beginning to sprout, but despite the temperature being 4 or 5 degrees, the ground was still frozen down a few inches.
It took a bit of brute strength with the fork to expose a couple of lovely parsnip which I whipped out in short order.
As you’d expect, there were very few people trying to dig their plots – if the frost doesn’t defeat the digger, the wet soil sticking to the spade will – however, Potager Chrissie was back & forth to the muck skip with a wheelbarrow taking manure up to her beds.
It was lovely to see her & we wished each other a happy New Year & chatted for a while. We talked about potato varieties, & I offered to get her some potato seed from Ryton next week when I go for the Potato Day.
A mooch round revealed that the early rhubarb crown is showing pink buds, & the garlic just beginning to sprout, but despite the temperature being 4 or 5 degrees, the ground was still frozen down a few inches.
It took a bit of brute strength with the fork to expose a couple of lovely parsnip which I whipped out in short order.
As you’d expect, there were very few people trying to dig their plots – if the frost doesn’t defeat the digger, the wet soil sticking to the spade will – however, Potager Chrissie was back & forth to the muck skip with a wheelbarrow taking manure up to her beds.
It was lovely to see her & we wished each other a happy New Year & chatted for a while. We talked about potato varieties, & I offered to get her some potato seed from Ryton next week when I go for the Potato Day.
Chrissie went off with a couple of parsnips too, & after I dug over one of the small fruit beds (into which I will plant the ordered asparagus crowns), I decided that I was doing more harm than good, & called it a day.
The days are getting the tiniest bit longer, now, & just to show that Spring is round the corner, the onions & a lonely leek have sprouted in their pots at home.
The days are getting the tiniest bit longer, now, & just to show that Spring is round the corner, the onions & a lonely leek have sprouted in their pots at home.
You might not have been able to do a great deal, but I bet it was nice being down there.
ReplyDeletePopped in to my allotment this morning - too wet and muddy to go on the soil but it was lovely to see that someone (I think it was Charlie from 2 plots along!) had tipped a couple of barrow loads of muck on my plot. I gave him some Alderman peas for seed last year - what goes around comes around!
ReplyDeleteYes, it was, Bilbo - and the parsnips tasted lovely!
ReplyDeleteI've yet to meet a nicer bunch than gardeners for helping each other out, Flum.
Quilters, mebbe (Grin!)
ReplyDelete