Turf Cutting

A weekend of unexpectedly favourable weather has meant we've got on well with a number of things. Least exciting was a spring-clean and bike-maintenance session. Never mind; needs must.

More interestingly, we finished digging a hole for the plum tree to go in (no, it's not the 'right' time of year to plant it out), having removed two large trugs of stones, bricks, and a square foot of corrugated iron from the spot we wanted. Plenty of compost, topsoil, and feed added, and the plum tree looks much happier. Liz then started on a hole for the apple tree, with my help when needed; meanwhile, I cut the turves marking the edge of the planned pond. This means that the sticks-and-string markers can come out (removing a trip-hazard, and one that might be nibbled by passing deer), and I can mow right up to the edge. It also makes it easier to see, so we can consider the shape, and be sure we're happy. I'll take and post a photo of progress, to also show the shape of the pond. Actually digging the pond is going to be quite an effort, based upon the two—much smaller—holes we've attempted for the fruit trees. The apple tree's hole is hard work; there are several large stones in the way, and we're only about half-way there.

Taking advantage of the dry day on Saturday, we collected up several dozen elderflower heads, and proceeded to make this year's elderflower cordial, and I started a batch of elderflower wine. We're making the cordial a couple of weeks earlier than last year, as the flowers are further ahead; the wine's about three weeks earlier. However, there are still plenty of flowers; I plan to make a batch of elderflower rosé in a week or so (half elderflower, half elderberry (from frozen stock)).

Sunday afternoon has been spent weeding, sowing some more spring onions and radishes, and harvesting some produce! We've been eating salad leaves and spinach for about three weeks, now: the salad leaves in the small central bed have been doing really well, and the spinach has grown quickly. The first lot of radishes are now nearing the size of tennis balls, so we've taken up the last ones to finish this week. The kale was planted too densely (deliberately), so we're now eating every other plant, to leave them at the proper spacing as they grow. The Brussels Sprouts had a better germination/growing-on rate than we expected, so they were also too dense. We've taken up about two-thirds, and will eat the young leaves (taste sprouts-like, and kale-y). We also brought up about eight of the baby carrots (a mix of Parmex and Early Nantes); there are going to be some peas this week, too. I'm also expecting us to run out of last year's potatoes this week, so we can lift some of the first earlies (which still haven't flowered, though I'm sure they should have)—it's all starting to pay off!