“Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the number of apples in a seed. Robert H. Schuller

This is a bit of a religious quote for me but it grasps the potential of seeds. From one the possibility for life is endless. Springtime is seed time.

So what did I sow?

In the propagator:-

Tomatoes: Marmande, Cuor di Bue, Datterini.

Basil: Lettuce leaved and Bush

Marjoram, Dill, Parsley

Cayenne Chilli Pepper

Courgette: Alberello di Sarzana

Cucumber: Picolino

Leek: Pandora

At the allotment:-

Onions: Red Baron and Centurion

Broccoli: Raab

As I walked up to my plot I inhaled the sweet smell of the earth. I felt enlivened by it. I was very pleased to find that the broad beans were poking out of the ground with only a couple of duds, so there I popped in replacement beans. I was most upset to see my chitting potatoes devoured by a rodent though! An intruder in my shed no less. I'm thinking no chitting next time, I'll just get them in the ground. I have some Raab broccoli seed from a Grow your Own magazine last year and I thought I'd give it a go. It's a dwarf variety ready in 60 days, it will be interesting to see what it's like. I took my whole seed box with me thinking I'd get some other things in but I did lots of weeding and wondering but got nothing else sowed. I think the weather is going to be ok for Saturday but I did notice the first blistery pox of my boy's back tonight so I think I'll be playing nurse to my sweet boy and his chicken pox this weekend instead!

Beautify My Blog

Broad beans appearing

Tomatoes potted on

Goosegogs plumping

I have a new camera... I am so happy. Thank you my love.

Good photography makes a blog so much better. I feel very spoilt to have been given a camera outside of birthday and Christmas time. Oh but how it will revolutionise my life and blog. Carrots and Kids blog is so gorgeous to look at and of a quality I aspire to. The writing is professional. I haven't much hope of that. It is the blog that inspired me in the first place and which in a way, supports me. Sometimes I wonder whether I'm going to fail, whether the weeds will beat me. I wonder if life will pull me away from the allotment and I'll be one of those, who the seasoned others tut about. I don't want to fail. Carrots and Kids encourages me. And to all you others who comment on my blog, thank you, it's really lovely to have you out there. I never really knew how nice comments were until I got some.

My work has picked up and I really have to steal time to get down to the allotment and just water. The weather men have forecast elusive rain for weeks now. Dark stormy clouds appeared at sunset this evening and I thought my water butt may actually be employed, but no, no rain yet.

I've potted on my tomatoes at home today. I am, if the all survive, probably going to have too many tomatoes. I love tomatoes. Which is a good thing because the other half cannot abide by them, especially in their natural state. I have also got the little one to sow some more salad leaves as he weeded the previous batch out!

Helping hands

It was the most glorious Sunday, warm and sunny. Armed with a picnic, the little one and I spent all afternoon at the allotment. We pottered around weeding and watering, making mud pies and practising scootering. I sowed a row of French Breakfast Radish and thinned carrots. We had a visit from a friend I've known since I was about the little one's age who brought sandwiches, strawberries and smoothies.

My (award-winning) neighbours at the allotment gave me two tomato plants, a Big Boy and a Costoluto Fiorentino. I planted them both in my cold frame, where I dug in loads of well rotted manure, practically a whole bag in the 4'x4' square. I'm not sure what I do when the tomatoes out grow the cold frame - I guess I lift the frame off and hope we're past the frosts and pray they don't get blight? Now I've found loads of 15mm piping in a skip I might build a mini poly tunnel over the tomatoes - yes I think I will do that.

Today I managed to put guttering on the shed which was so easy peasy, like child's play, just clipped it all together. All I need now is a water butt to replace the bin which there at the moment.