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.....