3rd April

Sown African Marigolds (Red Cherry) to plant out with the tomatoes for white fly control.

4th April

Sown a row of peas into some guttering and put into the polytunnel as the ones sown outside have not yet germinated. If the ones sown today germinate quickly they can make up the row of the outside sown ones or make up a new row. Also sown twenty cells of Boltardy beetroot and dwarf sweetcorn (Blue Jade).

10th April

Planted out 160 onion sets, 4 rows of red onions (Red Baron) and six of Sturon (16 to the row). Sown a row of carrots (Navarre F1) and two rows of pickling onions (Paris Silverskins). The carrots sown between the onions sets and the pickling onions, it will be interesting to see whether the carrot root fly is deterred.

Pleased to report that the potatoes planted out on the 14th Feb (8 weeks ago) are now at long last beginning to show but it is looking very doubtful if they will be ready to lift from June 1st.

11th April

Sown 15 runner beans (Armstrong), 16 Borlotti Lingua Di Fuoco and 16 Borlotti Lamon, I will not quite have enough runner beans for two full rows but if the runners in the polytunnel do well we shall not need the outside ones. Hope to have enough Borlotti beans to plant one row of each variety for haricot beans. Planted 32 dwarf beans (Purple Queen). Dug over beds 2 and 3, bed 2 is for brassicas while bed 3 will be pulses.

12th April

Planted out 9 cauliflower (Andes) and six cabbage plants (Golden Acre/ Primo), six to a row. Planted the odd three cauliflower's in among the gaps in the cauliflower's sown the autumn and planted out on 6th March, unfortunately they suffered from wind damage which resulted in loosing some.

Also planted out a row of broccoli (Sakura) (7 plants) and spinach (Trindad) (8 plants). These were small plants so put the new cloches brought from Trefhedyn. Planted out the lettuce sown on the 21st March, none of the land cress germinated, some in the gaps in the lettuce bed in the polytunnel the rest along the edge of the asparagus bed.

Sown a row of radish and spring onions on the edge of the asparagus bed in which there is one very spindly asparagus showing.

April 12th showing the new cloches over the spinach and the broccoli and the enviromesh mesh over the onions, which had to be put over them to stop the cat playing over them. There was a sea fret down at the time of taking the photograph. I think we are about two weeks behind last year, the trees are only just breaking bud.

18th April

Sown two rows of parsnips (Hollow Crown), 3 seeds to a station, 6" apart, 12" between rows. The potatoes at Rhos y Grug are coming through, the Red Duke of York's although planted 4 weeks after the potatoes at home are making excellent growth.

Started preparing the ground for the potting shed, have taken off the turf and started digging the trench around the edge.

24th April

Took the enviromesh off the onions and took the plastic cloche off the spinach and the broccoli and put yoghurt pots over them to protect them from the wind etc.

25th April

Planted out the peas grown in the trough in the polytunnel, quite pleased with them but will have to see if any damage was done when sliding them out of the gutter, planted another row of peas (Hurst Green Shaft). Sown a pot of parsley (Champion Moss Curled). There are a few asparagus coming through which leaves me still with the dilemma as to whether to dig them up or not, will have to see if we get a crop as this is its third year down.

Took the potatoes in the bags out from the polytunnel and emptied two bags for tonight's dinner, will start lifting the potatoes from the polytunnel once we have used the ones in bags as I need to make room for the tomatoes, etc.

Finished trenching around the perimeter of the potting shed, hopefully will get some shuttering this week and get the levels sorted out.

Still pulling carrots from the polytunnel.