Spring 2016.

After a mild winter and the usual downpours that has become the norm for this country planting is now upon us, a critical time for some crops that like the soil a bit warmer and dryer to do well but need to be in the ground to get the maximum growing time. I have just put in a row of Beetroot although Eddie assures me it's still not warm enough although they are an early variety? Only time will tell. Noticeably it doesn't matter how long you have been doing this you still forget some of the lessons from failed or successful crops in previous years. Parsnips are always a bit hit and miss, after sowing a row in March using a drill lined with potting compost there is still no sign of them, now Margret has told me that she heard putting a plank of wood on the row for a couple of weeks keeps the birds of and helps with germination, that’s one for next year I think.

The farmers are sowing spuds so I can get my main crop in now. The sweet corn are in the cold frame along with the leeks, sprouts and lettuce all it needs now is to stop raining and I can get back to planting!

Marrowfat Peas for seed!

While looking through some of the allotment post's the other day I came across one of growing peas from supermarket Bigga marrowfat peas for making mushy peas. So the next day in my local Asda I bought a very large bag of dried peas, when I got home I put a small hand full in a clean jam jar then covered them in cold water and left them on the window sill. The next day they had more than doubled in size and a few days after they looked like they where about to sprout so I emptied the water out and the next day just about every one in the jar had sprouted some as much as a centimetre, the only ones that did not sprout were the damaged and split ones. These have now been planted in pots with potting compost. I have started the whole process again and will produce photos in a few days... Just to remind you marrowfat peas are just garden peas that have been left to mature and dry on the plant.. Cheap as Chips (with peas).