It had rained most of yesterday and bits during the night, the morning was not looking too promising but I ventured outside all the same. The bed in the garden is almost dug over, all bits of lawn that where marked for turning into growing space are now done apart from the last small quarter. I didn’t fancy digging lots but I thought if I did at least one row then the amount remaining shrinks a little bit more. It was nice to get all the rain, but it meant everything, including myself, was rather muddy.

A number of seedlings both growing under cover and also those indoors were due for repotting. A mixture of tomato plants showed those from indoors have progressed a lot quicker and much more advanced than the ones started undercover. Important to note though, after transplanting and putting all undercover (but outside), the advanced indoor plants had drooped in shock, but recovered by the end of the day.

Seedlings transplanted from either seed trays or small modules, they included:

• tomatoes
• white cabbage

Peas had been growing indoors in a big tray, they had been almost doubling in size each day in just a week. We’ve grown a lot this year just mixed up in a large seed tray. This made planting out easier as I just pulled them apart in four rows and was able to place these in prepared ground. We put up netting for them to climb up.

Radish, again in a seed tray and germinated indoors, I planted straight out next to those from last week. Lettuce that had germinated and been growing undercover outside for sometime, I also planted out into the ground. Previous years I have done this and put fleece over the top, this time I just put netting over as that is what I had available. The main purpose is to protect them from the wind, this netting will do that and protect them against the cats!

The soil, having been left with compost spread over the top, and with the the recent rain, and with the cats digging in bits(!) was seeming a lot more manageable. As I planted some of the seedlings, the soil was warm and easier to work with. I’ve got another two bags to spread over the top, something I shall do once I have completed all the digging.

Aware again that this is actually a garden and not an industrial allotment plot, I tidied up the edges and mowed the grass. With a lot less lawn, mowing takes less time.

I finished the day by sowing the remaining half row of carrots, this time the multicoloured ones. I also spotted radish that I had sowed within the row of parsnips were starting to show. No parsnips showing yet, for either those in the ground and those in toilet tubes undercover. I think they were last year’s open seed packet which I didn’t mean to use, I’ll resow in a couple of weeks with the new unopened packet if I don’t see anything appear.

Onions which I tidied up last week had enjoyed the rain, lots were now showing signs of life with small green shoots.

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