Monday May 3^rd

Rain today after two days of dryness when I wasn't in the garden. However, by the end of the day it was picking up a bit. Chris emailed to say she'd turned over the potato bed - bless her, don't know how to say thanks - and so I could finally plant some. Off I toddled and shoved in one tray of the seed spuds. The first two rows (Accent and Mimi - the first earlies) were planted across in fives, but I thought it a bit close for the second earlies and mains, so switched to three and two alternating until I got to the International Kidneys, which were all threes. Nearly filled the bed. Still have a tray left including the Estimas. I will shove those in at the end of the patch as there's space for another row, and dunno where I'll put the rest of the Int Kidneys - probably where the second cabbage bed was supposed to be!  Finished off the tray of onions that was left on Tuesday, and I think I've enough room for about 10 more before that bed's done. Maybe the cabbage plot is going to be where I put all the leftovers! Sat for a while in the sun looking at the beautiful apple blossom and realised I was being chirred at. Spotted a Great Tit looking annoyed with a beakful of grubs. Kept my fingers crossed and eventually saw another one fly out of the box - hoorah! I have a family in residence after all! Very pleased. Packed up and went, leaving the patch looking slightly fuller than I'd found it, though denuded of some rhubarb.

Sunday May 9^th

Mad seed planting day before going away. Planted all the rootrainers and some overflow large modules up with sweetcorn, beans (runner and French), tomatoes, courgettes and squash. Put the first tray into the heated propagator and gave Sir instructions on getting stuff out of it once germinated, and swapping the other trays in. He will water all my pots while I'm gone.

Friday May 21st

Back from my travels (part 1) and find that all the new seedlings inside the conservatory are leggy but fine - nearly all germinated (which is as well as I only have one Gold Rush courgette and totally forgot to plant any trailing marrows!) but there was a heatwave while I was away and Sir didn´t water the hardening off stuff in the cold (very hot) frame, so I have charred crisps of sprouting broccoli and leeks. And they were all doing so well. Bit upset. Sir said he hadn´t even gone outside... so had no idea I´d even got pots outside.  Don´t want to see what has happened to the allotment.