Mike was kind enough to let me get down on the allotment for most of Saturday, very kind of him considering how hard work the kids are at the moment. It meant I could prepare a bed for roots, which was ironic really as I spent most of the time removing thistle roots in order to plant a different variety of root. I also managed to break the soil down enough to a fine tilth to plant seed, the first to go into my virgin plot. Thanks for your advice Green Lane, but I've stuck with my Franchi carrots, I think they were Nantes, but they won't be that early now, but hopefully should get a crop by the end of June. I built a barrier around them to try and prevent the cursed carrot fly, constructed from wooden post and black plastic, lined with carrots and garlic! Inside I planted carrots and parsnips and inter-cropped with more onions, lettuce, chard and spinach. Feels so much better to have got a bed sorted out at last! As well as that, I put in my maincrop potatoes. I'm slightly worried now about late frosts as I don't always have the opportunity to get there to cover my emerging seedlings with fleece, so it's slightly in the hands of the gods now. I don't know whether I will get time now to finish a bed for peas and beans, but fingers crossed the weather will hold and I can get down there at some point.
While I was there I met all manner of people! All women too! It was one of the reasons I took on the plot, to meet a few locals and find out more about what goes on it the village. It's quite strange the the two ladies that own the plot next to mine, are actually my neighbours at home! they both rent the farm cottages just behind mine. Funny that. There's lots of talk of celebratory wine and BBQs when the first crops are ready, I'm now looking forward to munching peas over Sauvingnon Blanc basking in late afternoon sun!
Good luck with the carrots
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