A List Sort of a Day

I thought that I would share my planting list with you today - although this is probably more for my use next year !

Permanent fixtures

Rhubarb

Greenhouse grape - Muscat of Alexandria

Gooseberries - Hinnomaki Yellow, Invicta and Hinnomaki Red

Red and blackcurrants

Jostaberry (Gooseberry x blackcurrant)

Raspberries

Strawberries & alpine strawberries

Boysen, Tay, Logan and Blackberries

Blueberry

Fig

2 apple trees, one unknown varietal and one Cox

1 Victoria plum

1 pear - doyenne de comice

1 cherry - summer sun

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Herbs

Thyme

Mint

Basil - greek and italian

Oregano & marjoram

Lemon balm

Coriander

Rosemary

Lovage

Borage

Anise Hyssop

Sage

Sweet Woodruff (a german herb delicious in ice-cream, bought especially for my Mum)

Chervil

Tarragon

Dill

Coriander

Summer Savoury

Chives

Parsley - flat and curly leafed

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In the Greenhouse

Okra

Physalis

Strawberries

Padron Peppers

Galia Melon

Cucumbers - Telegraph (large) and Beth Alpha (mini cues)

Aubergine - Moneymaker

Tomatoes - 4 "strawberry" cherry toms, one beef tomato, 1 roma plum and two unknowns

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Bed One

Runner beans

Dwarf french beans - Purple Queen and a green variety I've forgotten

Asparagus Peas

Peas - Swift

Sugar Snap Peas

Broad Beans

Nasturtiums

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Bed Two

Parsnips

Scorzonera

Kohlrabi - Purple Vienna

Beetroot - Detroit

Turnips - Tokyo Cross

Swede

Carrots - Nantes Early and a white variety

Radishes

marigolds

Leeks

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Bed Three

Onions - Stuttgarter, silverskin and red

Garlic

Shallots - pink french bananas

Bed Four

Cauliflower - Romanesco

Cabbage - Filderkraut

Cavalo Nero

Purple Sprouting Broccoli - Rudolph Early

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In various areas, containers and pots

Sweetcorn

Brussels Sprouts - a red variety

Potatoes - Red Duke of York, charlotte, pink fir apple, kidney, arran pilot & kestrel

Gherkin

Courgettes - Green Bush and Soleil Golden

Spring Onions

Butternut Squash

Chicory

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Salads

Mache

Mixed salad leaves

Perilla (japanese leaf)

Pak choi

Lettuces

Purslane

Mibuna and Mizuna

Baby spinach

Growing for a new perennial bed next year:

Artichokes

Asparagus "Connovers Colossal"

Fiddlehead ferns

Wild garlic

Cardoon

Cutting Flowers

Asters

Carnations

gladioli

Freesias

California poppies

Large tall daisies

Irises

Sunflowers

Bush roses

Dahlias

Flowers for the baskets & containers

Lobelia

Allysum

Petunias

Violas

Pansies

First strawberry of the year

I've had an industrious week weeding. Not exactly the most glamorous of pastimes (as my filthy nails will attest) but very necessary to keep my little plants growing well. As a special treat I awarded myself the first strawberry of the year from our greenhouse plants after a particularly dirty evening grubbing out bindweed. It was mouthwateringly delicious. I've also harvested the first salad leaves of the year (see sandwich picture !)

I've finally transplanted the tomatoes and they are really growing well after a good feed with seaweed extract. The cucumbers, aubergine and melon are all in their growing positions now and seem happy. The experimental okra & physalis are both alive and kicking, we even have buds on the okra. I'm now going to put them in a plastic jacket to up the humidity and hopefully encourage some more bushy growth. I've fed my precious grape vine with some potash so hopefully that will encourage some good flavour and growth; the only problem with the grape vine is that there is just so much growth that I don't know where to start thinning. Our fruit trees have all successfully set their fruit so as long as we can keep up a steady supply of water it looks like it's going to be a good year. The gooseberries, currants, raspberries and hybrid berries are all doing really well, apart from the tayberry which seems to have gone on strike and refuses to put forth so much as a leaf.

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The Red Duke of York potatoes are coming through the soil now; I really must get my maincrop spuds in before it's too late - we're growing Kidney, Kestrel and Pink Fir Apple. I have to say that the last time I grew PFA I was really disappointed so I hope this is a better year.

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The first sowing of sunflowers have been chomped by mice; hopefully the second sowing will fare somewhat better. The other flower seedlings are doing ok despite being attacked by our cats (bad cats) and the marigolds are soon destined for the root veg bed. I'm also growing nasturtiums and lavender as companion plants for the allotment in the hope that I can attract the bees from the plot opposite. We've got asters, gladioli, dahlias and freesia for cutting although the freesias still need planting. The lobelia, allysum, petunias and violas for the summer baskets have all come up now and just require potting on when someone sends me a few spare minutes and a couple of bags of compost.....