So much to do...

Time marches on and the allotment has really taken off. It's hard to keep up with the blog.

The old man opposite complimented me again and said the allotment was a credit to me; this is great, I'm glad old-timers have looked on and approved, it's a great feeling for a novice like me to keep getting compliments. Also I met Irene, who like me is in her first season on her allotment. She commented that my plot looked lovely and tidy from her side of the riding, although I was forced to point out that those lovely green paths between my beds are in fact mainly weeds rather than grass...

Here's a quick list of what's been going on:

• Onions are greening up well, stalks are about 6 inches high already. None have been uprooted by birds, as I planted the sets so that the tops were just covered, rather than leaving them visible on the surface.
• First early potato plants are getting big too, I have scooped some earth up around the stems as instructed by just about everyone.
• First row of maincrop potatoes are just starting to surface.
• Garlic is plumping up and should be ready to harvest soon. Have planted some carrot seeds in between the rows to use up the space and to confuse carrot flies.
• I have created a big fruit cage for my raspberries. Two posts with wire in between, covered in netting to keep birds off.
• Planted in short rows in the same bed, surrounded by fleece for protection: Carrots, spring onions, Cos lettuce, cut-and-come-again salad leaves.
• Germinated and growing on in the greenhouse: French climbing beans, courgettes, more salad leaves, red lettuces, tomatoes, chillis, peppers, chard, sweetcorn, leeks. They should all be in the ground in the allotment in a few weeks time
• Still to go: Parsnip seeds and peas need to go in this week if I get time.