Spring has sprung - the first leeks are picked

I cant believe its march the 1st already.  fortunately we have had a nice couple of weekends so for once, i dont feel like im chasing my tail (so to speak)

I decided the ground was too wet in February to sow anything, so the broad beans are in the conservatory and looking good, will transplant them when they are big enough to handle.   The november sown broad beans, have survived the mild but wet winter, and they are looking superb at the moment, ready for their february sown sister plants to join them.

I did harvest my first leeks of the year today, i picked the four biggest, so i think i will leave the rest until easter to let them get a tad bigger,  but the ones picked today, do look good.     Leek and potato soup or cockaleeki coming up, i feel.  (I am considering doing a harvest, cook n store blog - to run alongside this blog)

Back to preparing.  on my windowsill i have got my potatoes chitting,  and if the ground has dried up somewhat, then i will look to get these into the ground over the next couple of weekends (if signs of heavy frosts have gone, lets face it we havent had too many this winter (although i did need to use the deicer this morning)).   Onions and garlic are also ready to be sown, again just waiting for the ground to dry out a tad.

Today I decided to start laying a path.  bought some edging in morrisons (only £2) and quite impressed, should do its job.  would prefer something stronger but then you would pay through the nose too, and this should do its job for a path edging.

I laid my old weed covers (wasnt impressed with these and wont buy them again - but will be good enough to hold off weeds and be a underlay for a path).

I then bought some wood chippings, and laid the wood chippings on top.   but several bags will be needed to be purchased.

Also today, dug out a lot of awful nettle roots around the tree.   i am planning on chopping the tree down and using the two stumps to make a bench.

Behind the tree stump, made a mini flower bed,  1 rose bush, 1 red current bush and 1 black currant bush sown, and then a load of blue flower seeds chucked down.   just a little rest area.