Potato Problems Part Deux

The forlorn looking potatoes (Charlotte earlies and Rooster Main Crop) were carefully put in bags this morning and taken back to the suppliers, the roosters being much worse than the Charlottes. After being told that they had been kept somewhere too warm and that the stock they had on the shelves was perfectly ok I meekly pointed out that there were in fact no instructions on either pack for storage, this seemed to do the trick as the nice man told me to go get a couple more off the shelf.

Whereupon we discovered over half of the roosters had sprouted pale white shoots just as mine had, the charlottes were ok and we eventually found a good bag of Roosters so I went home a happy bunny. It really does pay to return seeds and sets if there are problems as garden centres (this wasn't a big chain) are there to help and should have staff knowledgeable enough to answer most questions. Both bags are now sitting in the dining room waiting to be chitted tomorrow.

Bad start to the potatos

Activity on the garden has been slow, mainly because of the upcoming nuptials but also due to long days at work although the fact that its light when I get home in the evening is great. Last weekend we went to B&Queue to get the ingredients for a greenhouse, i had no idea how much wood i would need and so have to go back this weekend as i ran out unfortunately. Bad Planning. Took me a day just to get the roof sorted out. going to build the rest this weekend hopefully and then do the doors teh weekend after.

Anyhoo onto the potato saga. Knowing i was leaving it late to get my potatoes chitted i got them out yesterday morning and to my complete horror they had sprouted thin pale wobbly shoots in all directions which had gone through the nets they were kept in and they are all pathetically squishy. I have rung the place where I got them from and they've said they shouldn't have done that and to bring them in - i hope i get to swop as theres over £8 of tatties in tatters!

Getting very late to put the broad beans in but going to try this weekend to get them in. The bulbs are beginning to come up (no sign of the snowdrops this year), but my beautiful rosemary and french lavender at the front are already suffering from rosemary beetle which has stopped both from flowering last year and left them pathetically straggly. Very sad. I'm have resorted to using a bee friendly pesticide just to try and give the plants a break.

Haven't dared check the weather yet for this weekend, i might carry on regardless!

Waiting Game

Well it has been a while since I had a chance to do anything in the garden so have been concentrating on my upcoming nuptials. The snow over the past few days has been lovely, although cycling to work through it has been a challenge and meant I'm missed most of the photogenic opportunities in my small patch! My Thompson and Morgan seeds arrived this evening, I ordered everything on the 24th Jan but the Marshall order hasn't arrived yet and I'd really like to get my leek seeds in.

My birthday present went up a week ago - its an amazing snail weather vane, I absolutely love it!





I got a book for Christmas called the diggers diary - its brilliant & i read it every night before bed to remind myself of what i'll be doing just as soon as the sun comes out and the seasons turn.