The only reason for visiting the plot this morning was to take up some chopped up bush clippings from the garden to add to the compost and to burn some more bits. It was wet and not very inspiring but I did do some general weeding and keeping things tidy. The second lot of broad beans have now all popped up while the first lot are getting quite tall.

I’m waiting for the gooseberry bushes to die back a bit so that I can move them nearer to the other fruit bushes leaving room for more onions. I uncovered the winter onions that had netting on to stop birds picking the bulbs out, now they are all growing well there is no risk of that.

I picked my first ever lot of fennel. Having been in the ground for what seems like years, and having seen them all go to seed during the summer, an autumn re-growth has resulting in some small looking bulbs. The smell was amazing as I cut one of them, it also freed up space giving light to the garlic. I have a whole row of fennel and most of them look like they will be harvest-able, a good job I didn’t pull them all up during the summer.

Pleased that the broad beans, onions, garlic are growing well. The peas don’t look like they will do much at all, I’m not surprised. I won’t try autumn peas again. The parsnips all look like they are ready both on the plot and at home, maybe next week we’ll dig our first one.

The leeks still look pretty poor, while the sprouts have been better in previous years but there is still time.

I picked the remaining red cabbage, two very small plants. I’ll give them another go next year, I think they were planted too close, something I need to keep in mind next year when I put in the small plants thinking they don’t need as much space as they really do. It’s still a lot better than last year, so third year I might just get it.

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