The great reset continues.

The plot is looking ok but things are happening, I need to weed more before they all start growing again. However the rhubarb is back and I’ve already been told that the rhubarb and ginger jam I made recently is very good! Last year, I did small batches of 3 to 5 jars, I might consider doubling it this year because I like making it, I use it to flavour yoghurt AND it makes a very good gift.

Anyway, work. I started with weeding the ‘windows and orphans’ bed (and the surrounding paths), and I planted the 2 early potatoes (Nicola), on Sunday it had been very warm for the season but the weather has turned so I was glad that I decided to mulch the bed with straw. I would also like to ask the wildlife of Ealing what it was thinking, I found 5 baby oaks in the bed!

That done, I tackled the polytunnel. It has not been a success, but I cleared it m salvaged what kale I could and removed some slugs, they were everywhere, I put some herbs in there prior to planting out and gave the buggers some tasty greens. I’ve left the garlic and onions and a few of the fennel that the slugs hadn’t eaten. I’m going to treat both the beds with slug nematodes or nothing is going to survive in there this summer.

That done, I picked some rhubarb. This feels like my first proper harvest of 2024.

After admiring the various blossom and tiny fruits on the blackcurrants, gooseberries and strawberries, I pruned and moved a blueberry bush. To discover that it had an ants nest in it. I don’t mind ants in their place but that place should not be in the roots of my blueberry bushes. So I’m going to treat them with ant nematodes, it’s the season for nematodes (my sister in law is waiting for it to warm up to kill the leather jackets that have been killing her lawn – she thought it was the dog!)

Then it was a bit more weeding. I dug up the crocus bulbs to replant in the autumn, and dug out some more grass from the front, I also gave the thyme and chamomile lawn in the jasmine bed a tidy, the jasmine needs a haircut but I need to sort out some support for it before I do that. I have a plan, I just need to remember to charge the drill! I weeded some of the beds at the front and in what is becoming a theme, the surrounding paths, I love that the woodchip improves the soil but I also understand why people have concrete paths, less weeding required! And yes I am inconsistent because there are plants that I leave in the paths (mostly verbena, oregano, borage, chives, cornflowers, calendula) and there are plants I’ve deliberately put in there (rosemary, chamomile, thyme and there will be more of this year), but I like those plants, I don’t enjoy bindweed, couch grass, 90% of the verbenas or cinquefoil). I also planted the walking onions in a bed that’s going to have carrots sown in there next week. And yes, I’m hopeful that they will wander!

Finally, I cut some herbs, fresh mint tea season has begun and I cut some chives, rosemary and oregano. I’m thinking of taking some of the oregano and pot it up as gifts and for the plant sale in July, but that really depends on how much energy I have left after all the weeding.

Next week I need to get to the rest of the squash bed, rose beds and paths at the back.

I have a new neighbour on Dennis’ old plot and they are really putting me to shame.

Last thing for this week is that the yellow rose at the back is in bud!