[Fleecewife]

The past couple of days have been DRY    and the mud is drying up too.  Suddenly the grass has grown a tiny bit - perhaps not quite as fast as the sheep are eating it.  Suddenly plants which have lain sullen and slow are shooting upwards, we've caught the mice that were destroying the new shoots, and it looks like we have a growing season.
I managed not to sow too early, at least with the more important and time-critical crops. I did sow flowers a bit early though and I currently have trays of fast growing garden plants which are too tender to go outside yet, with night temps well below freezing.  In particular I have 29 dahlias in 2 1/4" pots which are desperate to be moved up to 4" pots, but even though I use square pots so you can fit more in a tray than with round ones, 4" pots take up considerably more space under the grow lights than the smaller ones do. There are at least 10 other types of flowers ready to be potted on any day now, to say nothing of the peppers and aubergines which seem enormous, chillis, tomatoes and cucumbers which are not far behind.  Even though we bought 3 extra grow lights (stoically ignoring the advice on cannabis cultivation) and we have one large one already, there is still not enough space for tender plants.
I also have broad beans which I sowed about 3 weeks ago in the tunnel, now peeping through, leeks, spring onions, radish, cauliflowers, land cress and lamb's lettuce growing away, and peas and mizuna sown    It's still too early here for potatoes, squashes and french and runner beans though.


I love this time of year.  I'm just hoping that if we are ill, we do it at different times so the crops and livestock are all fed and watered, waiting for us to eat when we recover 

[Dogwalker]

"The past couple of days have been DRY    and the mud is drying up too."
Exactly my thought yesterday, And the track and bottom fields have drained enough for the goats to go out.5 does + 9 x 3 week old kids + first time out = total chaos
I had a lovely day in the garden and greenhouse catching up a bit.

[SallyintNorth]

Cows out yesterday  

Four days earlier than last year. 

[Polyanya]

Its wonderful isnt it 2 whole days without rain and gales - what a difference! Our tatties are showing in PT and fruit trees just about in flower. Bear in mind we are about a month behind most folk in the uk - tried to order some seeds for self isolating m-i-law only to find seeds are in short supply as there has been a huge increase in sales. It really is a war mentality isn't it (dig for Britain and all that).

[Dogwalker]

What seeds did you want?  I can look in the farm supplies tomorrow, they had a rack of seeds last week.

[Fleecewife]

Its wonderful isnt it 2 whole days without rain and gales - what a difference! Our tatties are showing in PT and fruit trees just about in flower. Bear in mind we are about a month behind most folk in the uk - tried to order some seeds for self isolating m-i-law only to find seeds are in short supply as there has been a huge increase in sales. It really is a war mentality isn't it (dig for Britain and all that).

It sounds as if you are ahead of us, and we must be hundreds of miles to the south of you 


I have quite a few seeds which came free with Kitchen Garden magazine, which are varieties I don't use, and plenty left in packets which I have used some of.  I would be happy to send her some if you let me know the sort of thing which would be useful.

[macgro7]

The past week there was 16 degrees in poland (and other countries in Europe) -really lovely - but tomorrow it's going down to -7!!!
I just hope it's not coming here! I wouldn't be surprised though..
My great grandmother said there was a year she remembers when there was -20 in MAY!!! all the fruit trees trunks split as they were already full of juices inside!
This year we will have huge shortage of flour anyway! Since September and throught the whole winter it's been so wet that only 10% of wheat has been drilled in the whole country! Bread will be expensive as it will have to be made from imported flour!

But apart from that we planted lots of seeds today - all staying inside the patio door - forecast for tonight is 0!

[oor wullie]

The dry week has been great, even the snow on the hill is hardly melting so the river is the lowest it has been for months.  Today I even dared drive the tractor across the field!
Unfortunately it us somewhat different in our cow shed after the water trough burst and its knee deep soggy filth!

I've planted the first few things on the kitchen windowsill (tomatoes and leeks) and will put some potatoes in the polytunnel this week.

I wouldn't chance planting out in the garden until May.  50% of the years we have been here we have had snow in May - (an early morning dusting doesnt count, I mean 10cm lying for 2 or 4 days).

The curlews arrived last week and the first Hazel catkins opened yesterday so spring is on its way.

[Polyanya]

Thanks folks for your kind offers of seed help  We did manage to get some sent down to her so thats great. I always order mine early so have enough to last. I've noticed the cucumbers, climbing beans and courgettes have germinated in the propagator today. I pricked out tomatoes and salad leaf lettuce last week, chillies next and waiting for the summer squash to show.

[Fleecewife]

The curlews arrived last week and the first Hazel catkins opened yesterday so spring is on its way.

We haven't seen curlews for three years.  The last pair were nesting about a mile down the road.  The farmer, who maybe hadn't noticed them, rolled the grass just when the eggs were hatching and all were destroyed    None since - I really miss them and their iconic calls.