Have you noticed? Spring seems to have happened. And this is a very good thing.

In the past couple of weeks we’ve dug over lots of the allotment and got the potatoes in (Charlotte for the second earlies, Maris Piper for the maincrop). A bit of horse manure and mushroom compost has been spread around the beds and we’re hopefully improving the ground.

I planted peas in a gutter a few weeks ago, and sneak peak has shown that they are germinating, even if they haven’t peaked through yet. Squash and tomato seeds are on the windowsill and the broadbeans are poking through at the allotment. And on Saturday, beetroot seeds went in. More beetroot chocolate cake then…

An early morning trip on a frosty Sunday morning to start thinking about planting. Two bargain blackcurrant bushes planted- if they’re not successful then the £4 they cost isn’t too much of a risk. Also sowed some broad beans, the autumn ones never survived. And finally, because the ground for the peas was too frozen. I experimented by sowing some in a piece of guttering, left by the windown in the shed.