Flowers for veg

No one really expects to be spending this much time watering in April, do they? This amazing weather has kept me out of an evening with the watering can. I've also been using every spare minute to get seeds into pots and into the ground. Those I ordered a few days ago arrived today and I wasted no time planting chillies, leeks, carrots and a new row of rocket.

While the leeks and chillies are in pots, the other seeds went straight into the garden. And, I have a new space for flowers. At the weekend, helped by husband and the full weight of a nearly-nine-year-old we managed to get out the roots of the privet hedge. The activity reminded me most of tooth extraction on a large scale; lots of digging around, waggling the stump and then pulling and twisting with all our might for the last heave.

Left behind was a decent space - about two foot wide running the width of the garden under the wall - but the soil was far from decent. Years of privet had reduced it to ghastly grey dust which even looked nutrition free. I dug in a bag of manure I've had hanging around a while but it's going to need a lot more than that. I daren't put veg in here. Who knows what accumulated stuff is in the soil and while the raised beds have new soil, this thin ground has been neglected.

Still, pondering what to do about this has sent me not unhappily back to the seed catalogues. What I need now is something to attract bees and bugs - the good ones that is. I'm starting with poached egg plant and a wild flower mix.

Catching a chill

I spoke too soon - or did I plant too soon? Last night the temperature in Kennington dropped to around six degrees. The rain I had hoped for swept over without stopping so early morning watering was required and boy, was it cold. I have now replaced the plastic on the cloche although I have to say neither the rocket nor the lettuce seedlings looked any the worse for wear. But I fear those peas might sit tight for a bit - despite the sunshine during the day.

But I spent a chilly evening hour with a seed catalogue - endive, cucumber, chillis, leeks and radishes will soon be on their way, ready for warmer days. How long will we have to wait for the next one?

Time flies

This week spring arrived with a giant leap; blazing sun that would surprise us two months from now, never mind at the start of April. At this time of year and with this sunshine I feel I can't get seeds into the ground fast enough.

We've had to really enjoy the purple-sprouting broccoli because the heat has pushed it close to flowering. How surprising that the flowers are yellow. It's no hardship since it's in season for such a short time and everybody in the family likes it. The plants are

starting to look a bit spindly - the sprouting bits get smaller and the stems a bit tougher. It's getting to be a trade off between enjoying the remains and hankering after the space for something else.

We've also eaten the first of the rocket (and even that is threatening to fl

ower) and some baby spinach leaves. The latter came up really fast but it's worth picking and eating leaves in a salad before they get too big. Rocket and baby spinach, pepper and mild, go really well together.

All these started under a cloche but I have taken that away for now - poor things were sweltering away in there - but I have the plastic handy to go back. It's not unknown for frost and even snow in April.

I have managed to get a few things into the ground. I have some tiny "Arctic King" lettuce seedlings in. They won't mind if it turns cold again. And I have sowed some mixed leaves that have "year round" on the packet. Then, by day three of the sunshine, I really got into my stride and put in some peas "Hurst Green Shaft", beetroot and a new row of rocket. In a pot in the back garden I did basil, coriander and lamb's lettuce.

Lets hope my early enthusiasm isn't damaged by a late frost.