After the snow

A lovely afternoon, and the first time I've dared to try the steep path into the allotments since all the recent snow and ice. It was worth it for the breath of  springlike air as I spoke encouragingly to my fruit trees (it's Wassailing day) worth it for the little haul of winter vegetables I collected (I'll put the sprouts on in a minute to go with the roast chicken) and worth it to see all the neighbours enjoying the first diggable day of the year.

No sign at all of any broad beans though. They should be showing by now so I suspect some hungry creature dug them up soon after I planted them. I've already bought some more seeds so it's not a big deal. Vegetable gardening is never straightforward but for me the rewards far outweigh the pitfalls. I guess I wouldn't do it it it was the other way round.

I came home full of enthusiasm for spring so tonight I'll be sorting through my seed box and planning when and where to start this year's planting. Or vegging out after the chicken!

Happy gardening

In the snow

If you can see the lower photo clearly enough, you'll probably understand why we stood and pondered over these marks in the snow today. We'd seen many fox footprints and birds' footprints, but these looked like big claw marks and it took ages to decide that they had been made by a bird's wing brushing against the soft snow as it took off or landed.

The other picture is of our beekeeper's hives, dormant and completely silent, in the wooded area at the top of the hill.

As before when we've had snow, the only human visitors were ourselves. I find it really surprising that no-one else feels moved to take photos, watch the animals or even just check up on their growing vegetables when everything looks so stunningly beautiful covered in a white blanket. Well, we enjoyed it.

Happy gardening (and snow gazing)

Solstice stone

I took this just before sunrise on the winter solstice. The sky was clear, fresh snow covered the ground and the air was cold. It was beautiful.

There were fox footprints and bird footprints but I was the only human visitor so early.

Happy Solstice. The days get longer from now on.

Kelston Round Hill

This is Kelston Round Hill, clearly visible from my allotment, (although this isn't my photo) It's also clearly visible from absolutely everywhere else I go! Possibly it's following me around - well, not really.

Last night, J and I kipped on a friend's floor, after a Christmas meal out with the balloon syndicate. Where Ade lives is a real trek across the city from us but guess what greeted me when I looked out of his window this morning. Yup.

This afternoon the distant horizon was misty, so as I worked on the allotment, the hill was more of a ghostly presence than usual. It's funny though, I've climbed up onto it when walking the Cotswold Way out of Bath, and from there, Bristol itself looks pretty insignificant and as for the hill that's home to Kersteman Allotments, well, you can't even make it out. Just a distant blur.

Oh dear, I feel all insignificant myself now.
Happy gardening

Broad bean planting

Here is the garlic, just beginning to sprout. Talking of sprouts, the sprouts are doing their sprouty thing too. They'll be ready for Christmas by the look of them. I've only got two sprout plants left now, which is probably enough.

This afternoon, hazy and sunny without any real chill to it, I dibbed little holes and popped in a packet of Aquadulce broad beans. I've just done some complicated sums (7x8) and decided that I've put in about 50. Why can't I remember my tables?

It'll be good if most of them come up but I've also got a similar amount in pots under a squirrel-proof bit of wire netting in the garden at home. The ground was overwhelmingly soggy so the poor little beans may get waterlogged. We do love broad beans though, so however many survive the winter probably won't be enough.

Walking round my allotment today, with a cup of tea steaming in my hand, I was able to take stock of jobs that need to be done soon. Because of the recent weeks of rain, the ground is sodden, but several of my mini-modules still need turning over and the weeds turfing out. The autumn raspberries will have to be cut down to ground level, one bed of unexpected marigolds can be moved to the flowerbed by the hut, some bolted pak choi can come out and I really should harvest the swedes. These don't seem to be getting any bigger so I think they've finished growing. If I leave them there, theyll probably rot. basically, the whole thing could do with a good tidy up. As always! A bit like my house too!

Happy gardening

Late pickings

I had half an hour today and for once it was the right half an hour, no downpour, no howling wind - I wasn't even supposed to be at work - just a nice, peaceful half hour to take stock of all the jobs I'll need to do when there's time and the right weather.

Amazingly, there's been no real damage, the hut is still upright, the bench wasn't, but was very easy to turn back up the right way. There was a lot of stray black plastic to gather up and stack back under the brambly bit at the bottom and there was even a small crop of veggies to take home. I photographed them on the bench in a delicious moment of sunshine, here they are, some leeks, parsnips, black kale and a little gem lettuce. Brilliant.

Happy gardening (when the weather lets you)

Tidying up

We did a bit of a clear up this afternoon. It was lovely and sunny again, I even worked in a vest for a while, but the weatherman says it's really over now and winter is arriving tomorrow. It's been warm for so long that I can hardly believe it.

J did what was probably the last strim of the year, I planted the garlic and did a bit of digging. I also hauled out some useless brassicas that I'd put in without knowing what they were. They grew vast and stalky but stayed unidentified so we decided that they had to go. They'd been home to several million whitefly, who I evicted with great pleasure. They'll probably find my black kale now.

We went home (tired) with a bag of spinach, some pak choi, little gem lettuces and a handful of mint.

Happy gardening