May is the month

Well this month it feels like everything is taking off, a little bit of sunshine and the sap is rising in everything (including the weeds!). Bertha (the poly tunnel in case you had forgot her name) is doing her job nicely at nurturing seeds that are now seedlings, along with keeping my tomato plants and mange tout in grow bags nice and toasty. 

May the fourth has more recently been thought of as Star Wars day (may the force - I know you know but somebody who has just got out of bed might be reading this), but I will now also remember it for some advice I was given by Tom our eighty something resident long term allotmenteer. My runner beans are doing so well in Bertha that I may need to put them out a little early, although I would be unlucky to get a late frost there is still the chance. Tom has advised me next year to sow them direct into the ground on 4th May every year - they take 3 weeks to come up by which time we are nearly at the beginning of June they have missed any chance of frost. I will have to pop mine out this weekend, keep an eye on the weather forecast and hope for the best, I might even pop a seed in next to each plant to try and prolong my crop. My runner bean glut was quite prolific last year and my Mum and neighbours are banking on me keeping them stocked this year so I can't fail. We have put the canes up in anticipation, a long frame for the runners and a couple of wigwam style structures for the french beans, beetroot will be planted in the middle of the frames so no space is wasted. 

The potatoes are doing well, we have earthed them up once and they are coming through again. The rhubarb is growing nicely, the strawberries have started to flower and the raspberries, gooseberries and blackcurrants look well on their way. There will be leeks and courgettes to be sown out soon and cucumbers for another spare grow bag in Bertha. 

I love the fact I can finally see some progress, the sun has been shining, but the weeds are fairly prolific and probably take up more time than anything else. Never the less standing back and looking at what you have achieved is good for the soul. 

Hope you are all having a lovely time in your plots and gardens,

Much love and happy digging 

Trace xx