Spring On The Land

Spring as always, it seems, has been wet, but this year it has also been cold, and windy to the extreme.

I made us an asparagus bed over winter, and planted crowns a couple of months ago. The have grown, but I didn't get around to putting wind break around the bed (the two times I went to buy some they were out of stock) and so the poor plants have been lain to rest - I don't think they'll be standing up again after today's winds.

I sowed three rows of peas: one has started growing perfectly, the other two have not germinated as well, nor as quickly even though they are right next to each other.

I finally got the strawberry and herb beds weeded

I've pulled borage out of the strawberries; strawberries from the chives, lemon balm and thyme; thyme out of the pineapple sage, sage out of the Cape gooseberries - but I've pulled bloody sorrel out of everything! Some weeds are just plants in the wrong place but sorrel is a weed wherever I find it. And don't tell me to put it in my salads because IT'S A WEED THERE TOO!

The rhubarb is growing well in it's new bed - rhubarb and apple crumble for dessert tomorrow night.

The tree onions and garlic are doing well, and the leeks are finally starting to grow - they just stayed the same size for months.

But now it's time for the big challenge - these four gardens.

There's broad beans by the bucketful if you look carefully. Very yummy when they are young and fresh.

Not just weeds but also miner's lettuce which, amazingly, actually tastes very like lettuce, and is not at all bitter like most of the other alternative salad greens. As I weeded today, a lot the miner's lettuce came out too, so that was our salad green tonight.

The parsley is on the way out, but that okay - it's everywhere in both the garden and the long grass. I'll leave one or two plants in to go to seed to make sure.

The brassicas are done.

But I had to leave this plant in the ground for my bees which were all over the yellow flowers.

The spent plants didn't go to waste though: the chooks were very happy with the feed of brassica leaves, slugs, snails and puha, and we'll get to enjoy nice rich, orange-yolked eggs.

The clucky chook wasn't so happy when I removed her from the nesting box and put her in the cage to cool off.

Back inside, the seedlings are growing nicely in our cheap greenhouse from Bunnings. (The curtains are only pulled for the photo.)

A couple of courgettes seedlings on the kitchen windowsill.

And to finish - a cup of home-grown peppermint tea with a teaspoonful of home-grown honey.