Mystery plant

Don't know what this plant is, but will save some seed.

Lettuce update

The second sowing of lettuce are now sprouting.

Pentland update

6 of the 8 Pentlands are now sprouting (the one nearest the camera is obscured by the wall at the end of the raised bed).

Charlotte update

On further inspection this morning I realised that all three Charlottes in the first bag are sprouting, two had been hidden under the edge of the bag.

First Charlotte appeared

The first of the Charlottes has poked its head above the surface. This is in the bag which was planted up on 2nd April.

Also today, as no further lettuce seedlings have appeared, I have sowed some more seed, maybe I didn't sow enough the first time.

The lettuce uncertainty principle

I assume this is the first lettuce seedling.

Final batch of spuds planted

A very wet day today, but the gardening must go on...


Today I planted 2 more Pentlands, taking up all the available space in the trench I dug last month. I also planted 3 Charlottes in a second refuse sack - same method as before. The photo above shows the 3 Pentlands I used on the left of the picture. The other Pentlands were those I left in the dining room, but I found that the ones I had left in a cooler location were sprouting better (as can be seen above), so those were the ones I planted today. The Charlottes can be seen in the Flora container; the greener ones were those I had left in the dining room since last month, the lighter coloured ones were from a Sainburys' bag of potatoes I got earlier in the week, and again I used those as they looked healthier.

Spuds up!

Two of the first three Pentland Javelins I planted seem to have erupted...

Lettuce seeds sown

Perky toms

After the trauma of being potted up, the toms spent a comfortable night and following a light breakfast they feel much better. Here they are enjoying an afternoon in the sun.

Toms potted up

Looking a bit sorry for themselves just after being potted up but should revive


Spare toms put in this crate. Hope the council don't mind me using their recycling crate as a cold frame for a few weeks

Charlottes planted

Make drainage holes


Add 4 inches of compost (at this point I added some of my home-made compost, which I hadn't intended to do 'cos the original plan was to use only commercial compost on the assumption that it's sterile - oops!).


Charlottes in place


Add another 6 inches of compost


Anti-fox measures

Aucuba planted

Aucuba Picturata