Shhh - don't tell anyone but the sun is shining

Posted by Rosie

... and it's actually feeling very warm by mid afternoon. Simon and Tom played their evening chess game sat out in the garden and I was down to my shirt-sleeves when I was mowing the grass this afternoon.  That said though, it is still cold at night and we have had a few more frosts this week.  All this makes for extra work in the polytunnel believe it or not.

First thing in the morning, when I feed the animals, it is still too cold to open the polytunnel doors but I do remove the cover off the cold frame in there to let in as much light as possible.  A hour or so  later, once it warms up, I open first one door ... and then a few hours later, if the sun continues to shine, I open the other to prevent it getting too hot inside.  Come the evening I reverse this, first closing one door to retain some heat, then the other door and finally I put back the cover on the cold frame.  Actually that isn't strictly true and I usually do the second door and cold frame at the same time.  It may all be a bit time consuming but it is worth it to keep things as warm as possible either end of the day without getting too hot in the middle.  As a result my seedlings are all doing well and with luck I'll be able to plant some out soon.  That is assuming the frosts disappear.

There is however, still plenty more to be done outside and I am at last getting on with things.  Soil that was manured and covered over winter is being uncovered, raked over and planted and I have finally transplanted the cabbages and cauliflowers I bought a couple of weeks ago at market.

Before planting

 

Land cleared and cabbages planted

Did you see how much the rhubarb has grown too?  I reckon there will be enough for a crumble soon.

I am itching to get more done both outside and in the polytunnel but I know I really should hold fire just a bit longer.  Nothing tender would survive outside with a frost and anyway I am away in a week and Simon would not thank me for extra work.  Nope, I shall simply have to be patient and listen to the sensible side of my head that keeps telling me that I will not fail at feeding the family this year if I have to wait a few more days before I really get going with things.  Pity my impatient head sometimes shouts louder so I shall have to resist the temptation to buy tender plants at market tomorrow.  If anyone sees me anywhere near a stall selling seedlings, yell at me to stop buying anything!

How are things getting on in your garden?  Are you still getting frosts?  Annie's How Does Your Garden Grow linky will have some more gardening updates if you want to have a read.  Why don't you head over and have a look too.  I'll do my best to comment but I am currently on Simon's laptop and our PC may well have just died.  Access to the Internet may therefore be a bit sporadic for a while if the PC really has died.  Sorry.