I decided that as the oldest plants in my polytunnel, the broad beans and some of the peas could do with moving to the great outdoors. The polytunnel was in need of giving up some plants for more space and the plants were in need of more space to grow. A perfect excuse.
In order to prepare the plot I dug (a simple single dig this time round) the area allotted for beans and peas. Over the winter months I've been preparing by sowing seeds but also by drawing up plans for what I would grow where on the plot, allowing for crop rotation to prevent disease. So on with the digging, using a plank to stand on to avoid compacting the soil. You don't need to use a plank but I find it quite useful, especially when sowing seeds or planting seedlings after you've been digging.
After digging and removing as much weeds as possible, including vast amounts of bind weed roots, I raked the soil to get the surface as fine as possible. It's not easily done as I must admit I didn't look after my allotment as much as I wanted to last year so the condition of the soil wasn't great to start with. A word of warning - don't be disheartened to see that your efforts may not leave you with amazing dark, rich, crumbly soil that you see on tv gardens. It can take years to work soil to a good condition and you need to understand your soil somewhat to help improve it. I'm promising myself that late this year after the growing season I will add soil improvers as I fear I might not be able to grow as much as I could do next year without doing so.
Now, I'm not the neatest of gardeners but I am making an effort to plant things in straight lines. This time I've used string and short (three feet long) bamboo canes to mark out straight lines, which will also be used to help support the young plants as the plot is very exposed to the elements - especially wind.
That's as straight as I'll get it, with some string and bamboo canes.
Broad bean Aquadulce claudia, looking very good and strong enough to be outdoors now.
Don't know how but one bean got away from the straight line!
Peas, Kelvedon wonder, patiently waiting their turn to be planted into the soil.
In order to prevent the peas from getting frost damage, I made a cover with fleece. Already it's been affected by the strong winds on the plot but is holding firm for now.
The beans should be able to cope with some frost but the peas probably won't and I'm certainly not going to take the risk of potentially losing all that work and time. I built a cover of fleece, wrapping it around the canes and tying it into position, anchoring it with earth filled pots before pinning the fleece down into the ground to stop it from being blown away. The fleece is light and will let the light through, but it won't let frost through. The only thing now that could cause me problems is the wind. You can see in the photo that the wind is already affecting the fleece. Keeping a look out and doing any makeshift repairs will have to do for now, until the danger of frost has left us.
I didn't have anything else to put out on the allotment for now as most plants will be tender and could die in frost so I will carry on sowing seeds in the polytunnel. The radish seeds I had sown two weeks ago have started coming up but there's still nothing from the carrot and parsnip seeds. I'll be looking at the seeds I have which I can sow in March and carry on from there but already I feel like time is not on my side!
Well, I feel like I've done my bit for this week and I'll leave you with some photos of other plants coming to life in spring. Until next time!
One of my gooseberry bushes waking up for the year. You can see lots of spider webs on this one.
A ladybird seeks shelter in my sage bush.
Daffodils in the afternoon sun. Always puts a smile on my face!
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