More digging by moonlight

I'm starting to enjoy my late nights down on the plot, the sun drops over the trees, the earth turns pink in the late evening light and the moon rises above a low lying mist in the meadow....like a scene from Tess of the Durbyvilles. Tonight I prepared a new bed tacked on to the end of the roots bed, I was all set to add more carrots and snips, but when I opened my allotment bag, I noticed that Hugh had emptied all the seeds to the bottom in one mixed up mess! oh dear. I managed to salvage something, which looked like more chard I think, I'm not really sure, but I stuck it in anyway. I made up the rest of the area with cornflower seedlings and cavalo nero plants. At the back I stuck in a couple of globe artichokes, and in my squash area, there is now a new butternut squash plant. I found a great selection of veg at the Orchard Farm Shop on the A21( that's where I found the artichokes. All the seedlings look vibrant and healthy, and there are some unusual varieties too, I was quite tempted to pick up some black potato plants! I found a red gooseberry plant, a dessert variety, to replace my recently deceased one, I'm not sure whether to plant it in the same place as the old one, or find somewhere new?

Tonight on the plot I have:
Planted broccoli in place of the rotten potatoes
Planted Butternut squash, and two other squashes (mixed Italian varieties)
Planted Cavalo Nero
Planted Sunflowers
Planted Cornflowers and some mixed wild flowers

Sowed rocket

Weeded and watered

...and at home...

I planted out the courgettes into the half barrel tub, and the yellow beans (italian variety) too. Lettuce has gone in the potager, along with marigold and basil. Planted more berlotti beans, penstumen and dill

First casualties

Ok so I think I lost my gooseberry bush. I decided to dig it up and do some diagnostics. To be honest there wasn't much to see, apart from one wireworm, which I have been aware of on the plot, but wasn't sure whether it could do that much damage. I've removed the bush and stuck it in a pot at home and will see if I can revive it for next year.

Next problem, all my first earlies (pentlan javelin) have rotted, I thought they were taking a long time to come up, so check a few, then the rest, they were all rotten and smelly. Not sure why but have dug them out and now have a space there. I might grow spinach there as I don't think that will be affected by blight or any potato disease. So now I only have two very small rows of spuds. A bit upsetting actually as I was looking forward to fresh new pots soon! ...and some gooseberries for pudding :(

On a plus note, my asparagus has just started to push up, so next year I will be able to cut it!!

Toady

Saw a little toad on the plot today, it was hopping around my beans! Haven't seen a toad since I was a very small child, surely a good sign? this year is turning into a nature spotters dream after my sighting of a great crested newt in the garden last month.

Living shelter

Back in March I talked about having a living willow arbour or chair for the kids. This wasn't possible this year, as it was a bit beyond my budget and I wasn't sure how long we'd be in the area, so I didn't want to buy something I might not be able to take with me. As I haven't yet got around to making a seating area on the plot, I've instead erected a slightly shambolic lean-to for trailing runner beans. I don't actually like eating runner beans that much but they are reliable climbers, so I'm using them in an ornamental way, no doubt I'll end up eating some beans too! I also threw in some sweet peas I had left over from home and some wildflower seed around the edge. This area isn't dug particularly well, so I'll have to keep pulling thistles as they come up. I also added a small patch of alpine strawberries that I want to naturalise.

Busy busy bee, that's me!

Today we went from this

To this

Perfect colour combinations

Some lovely ideas from Fennel and Fern