Sulking, sheds, and spuds

I went to the plot at the weekend for a sulk in my shed, as the weather was too bad to indulge my other major outdoor pastime of cycling. I rescued the scarecrow from his prone position due to high winds, and found that all the sheds had been broken into again, but like last time, nothing was taken, or even disturbed, apart from the lock. I was careful to use a weedy lock this time, now I won't bother to lock it any more. I was able to get a little bit of work done, including turning my compost between rain showers. I also made a cup of brown liquid that was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea, which I threw away.

Later in the week I found myself frozen in front of the potato display in the garden centre for what seemed like hours, completely unable to choose what I wanted to grow this year. In the end I broke the deadlock and picked up Premier first earlies, which promise to be 'very early and resistant to both blight and eelworm' (although an early variety doesn't need to be resistant to blight, because that is usually a late-summer problem). Those were swiftly followed by Desiree maincrop. I was tempted by Pink Fir Apple but reading the description I don't honestly think we would get through many of them back at home, so I went for a traditional variety instead.  I also picked up my  year's supply of parsnip (Tender and True) and carrot (Flyaway) and some potato fertiliser, all on special offer. I do like a bargain.

Depths of winter

I was able to supply parsnips and potatoes for the Christmas dinner table this year. Potatoes were from storage, parsnips were straight out of the ground (well cleaned and cooked first, obviously!). There are a lot of forked and twisted roots this year as I grew the parsnips in poorer soil than before, but they clean up OK with plenty left to eat. I seem to have lost my knack to roast properly and keep burning them, so more practice is definitely required.

There was one chance over Christmas when I had a clear day to go and do some more tidying up, so Scarecrow was stripped of his Christmas suit - although since I was last at the plot we've had really strong winds so I expect he'll be having a lie down when I return. I also cleared a few barrows of weeds, finished pruning the raspberry canes and mulched them ready for next year. I've found work done in the winter to prepare and keep tidy saves a lot of time in the spring and summer. I've taken to removing weeds right off the plot now, rather than composting or burning - it's too wet to burn, and I don't want them laying around rotting on the plot as they'll only re-grow. I'm pleased to report the garlic has finally decided to start growing, their familiar hard green shoots emerging like the tip of Excalibur rising from the lake. Hopefully the bulbs have put on a good amount of root growth under the soil.

I was able to donate some strawberry runners to a fellow plot holder who has done a remarkable amount of work, just round the corner out of sight from me. Pete and Jo, who are (I presume) retired have been spending every available day since late summer working on their two plots. One is a traditional veg plot, the other is like a pretty garden - still in its early stages but by summer it's going to look beautiful. I'm very impressed and will try to post some photos later in the year.

I still haven't really started my gardening 2012, despite having a bulging seed box to sort out, the latest seed catalogues to read, and a garden centre voucher burning a hole in my wallet. Hopefully I'll find time to make some plans and blog about them in the next week or two.