Worried about the Peas! Heavy Frost may have killed them

The last few years I have had more success from Peas I have transplanted to the ground in April.  April is always a risk but the last few years I got away with it.

I planted them before I went to Gran Canaria last week, and indeed when i Checked on them on Monday they were looking healthy and had grown a good way up the posts  (I'm told it was hot over here last week),  but last night saw a very heavy frost and today they werent looking very green at all.

Still, if theyre lost, i'll just sow the rest of the packet next week in pots.

 ABOVE : The Peas and Mangetout looking very yellow, could be the dry weather but think the frost is more likely.

Good news on the second lot of Broad Beans which were planted directly at the beginning of march,  they have broken through.

The first two rows planted in February  (my seed packet said sow Nov or Jan-Mar) just havent germinated at all,  so I am guessing they have been lost.

I did sow some more in pots just before I went on holiday fearing I had lost all the direct sown ones,  so I will dig over the first two rows and transplant from the pots.









The Onion and Garlic bread which has been overwintering is looking pretty impressive.  Hoping for a bumper crop this year!

 Below :   Elephant Garlic coming on really well.

The growbag of carrots started off at the beginning of February also have come on well and survived the frosts.

 Today I sowed some more Carrots.   In previous years my Carrots / Parsnips and Beetroot have not done well with me having a Clay-Soil type allotment.    Went round last June to a mates who has a small garden and his carrots were doing superb in pots and growbags.   So I sowed some late and had a nice bumper crop of small carrots.

Below - Autumn King

 Also sowed Chantenay Red today and some packets I had left where the label had worn away.

Above : I also sowed Parsnip Hollow Crown,  hopefully will have some parsnips for Christmas Dinner!

And below,  Wheelers Imperial cabbages done pretty well.   a couple have gone to seed already.

Spuds and Barrows

After the recent hard work on getting the potato bed ready and chitting those spuds!    Today it was time to get them into the ground

 Also chance to use my new seed rule for the first time.  Hopefully this will resolve my terrible decisions i make when it comes to spacing!   No excuses now

 The Potatoes need to be spaced 12" apart.  I also allow 12 to 15" between the rows.

The first earlys I am trying this year are Casablanca.   The second earlys are Kestrel.   And the Main Crop are Amour and Maxine (which is a red variety)

Four rows of broadbeans have been planted.  Two rows first week in feb, and two rows first week in March.   There are no signs of any germination, although weeds have broken through.  So, decided to buy a cheap packet of bunyards exhibition today, and started them off in pots.    Hopng the ones in the ground do germinate, but if not, then at least i can have an emergency row!


Strange that previous years, ive opted to sow some in the ground  (granted November!) and these have done better than the pot started ones.    Has anyone else struggled to get seeds sown after cristmas to germinate?

Put my new Strawberry planter from Morrisons to good use.   I bought the planter (three tiers of pots that just stack on top of each other) for a fiver earlier in the year.  Then filled with Compost.   Morrisons currently selling the strawberry plants,  six for £2.

 Also whilst on the plot today, I assembled the wheelbarrow that i got online.

No instructions didnt make life easy!  but to be honest, it was pretty straight forward.

Bank holiday weekend, so no doubt ill be back on the plot tomorrow and monday