Walnut tree allotment awakens

Mid-March and Walnut Tree Allotment has well and truly sprung back into life. My hands carry the blisters of four hours of "strimming" using an industrial strength strimmer with blade to cut back grass, nettles and cow parsley which had grown ominously tall since the official end of winter.

Carrots (Parmex and Flystat) sowed several weeks ago (I can't remember the exact date) have germinated and are now beginning to bush out. The Salsify seeds have also germinated but don't have the spectacular bushy appearance of their neighbours.

I'm still breathing a sigh of relief after finally planting the last of my seed potatoes - some three and a half dozen in all (Swift, Smile, Sante, Maris Piper and Desiree). The window sills in the spare bedroom where overflowing with chitting potatoes before Easter and I was beginning to be overwhelmed by the prospect of having to get them all in the ground. With a bit of grunt work however, the blighters were buried and I look set to have enough spuds to feed the entire village (and a few others down the road) later in the year! The Jerusalem Artichokes planted in the depths of winter are beginning to sprout through the ground and past a thick mulch of straw and cower manure placed on them a month or so ago.

The Onion patch (my onion sets planted last September/October with the help of 'Sailor Tim') is looking fabulous after a thorough weeding. Finally, the first of my pumpkin seedlings (Crown Prince) are now also nestling in the ground surrounded by the thick straw of my new "non-dig" bed...talking of which it's time for, after a couple of hectic days chasing the self sufficiency dream.