These past few weeks – despite a deluge of emails as I try and help organise this (oh and if you haven’t signed the petition yet and you think it’s not for you because you’re not a ‘cyclist’ or you’re not in Scotland, please do so, if only because you know at least one person who cycles in Scotland, namely me, and I’m sure you don’t want me squashed under a lorry, even though it would make for some more interesting blogging should I survive) – I have actually been managing to get out into the veg plot and have, more or less, caught up with where I ought to be at this time of the year.
It’s actually that lovely moment – likely to be the last one for a long long time – where it all feels as if it’s under control. I KNOW that even as I type this, armies of slugs are marshalling around the edges of the beds, the beetroot-eating mice are sharpening their teeth in expectation and the bindweed roots are worming their way through the deepest recesses of the soil to spring up the minute there’s something out there worth strangling, but for now, just look!
Broad beans
Peas
Parsnips
Brassicas, leeks and lettuces getting started in the shed
And, I’d love to say these were my seed potatoes, but actually they’re the remnants of last year’s crop which have survived being dug over several times
The weeding starts here…
slugs…god save me (or, rather, my plants) from slugs…
Gorgeous plants!
That is looking lovely, please come down to Oxford and do mine.
John
Lovely place. Are those grapes in the background?
To beat slugs, I can strongly recommend chickens! Although you don’t want to leave them unattended near vulnerable plants for very long, as they can destroy things very quickly.
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@fonant – The chickens get the slugs once they’ve been beertrapped, they’re not to be trusted around little seedlings though
MJ – We’re a bit far north for grapes – those are roses (and honeysuckle)
John – no fear! Got far too much on up here
garden poet – I know, and I needed saving myself this morning