April showers

Got a few bits and bobs done at the plot today. But the weather was against us, varying from warm sunshine to near torrential showers. We had to hide in our shed a few times. Adam's tall enough to check on the weather through the crack above the door.

Today we decided that the long-suffering turnips were actually a disaster. They didn't even look much like turnips - more like tiny, weeny, pathetic little yellow carrots with lots of leaves - so we've dug them up and planted peas in their place. I think next year I'll sow the peas in advance in lengths of drainpipe, to give them a good start, but this year we'll see how they do against the elements. We've covered them with some netting to protect them from birds and other nibbly beasts.

So, what's growing? Well, all the weeds, for a start. Once again, the annual battle for superiority has begun...

The raspberries are looking good. I didn't cut them as low down as I probably should have this year, but we'll give them time to settle in and they'll get a good pruning next year.

The shallots are coming on well now too, as well as the onions and garlic. And they're all pretty low maintenance too so far, which is nice! As for the potatoes - which I was so excited about last time - it looks like they've been frosted, all shrivelled and blackened : ( I would have taken a picture, but it's waaay too depressing! But I'm sure they'll re-sprout when it warms up. Speaking of potatoes, we planted 4 rows of our maincrop, Picasso. So, no more freezing weather, thank you Mother Nature.

Phil, our next-door-but-one allotment neighbour, came and sheltered in our shed during one of the particularly heavy April showers. And then later he gave us ten lettuce plants. So we've got some cos lettuce now, which is an unexpected bonus.

We also picked a few cabbages to eat as spring greens. This variety is called April, and I thought they were supposed to heart up. No sign of that though. What I did find, however, were some holes in the tender leaves and a sleepy caterpillar. (Probably having a nap to sleep off his meal, grr!). Usually I like caterpillars. I like the way they wiggle along, and it reminds me of that book from my childhood, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. But here on the allotment, they are sworn foes and must be squashed. But I couldn't bring myself to do that ('cos I like them really) so went and shook it into a nearby patch of weeds.

Adam's mum sent me this little sign for the shed. I've popped it up under the eaves so it won't get rained on as much. I love little things like this. Makes me smile. (If you can't read it, it says 'Wipe your feet'. Good advice in any situation, I think.)