Stormy weather

Poor beans after the storm :O(

Beans a few weeks ago, making big leaves. Too big as it turned out!

Well, I thought last week was a good time to plant, but the winds turned into storms. Definately the worst wind we've had here in the 16 months of living here. The peas clung onto their sticks for dear life and did very well but the beans were stripped of almost all their leaves and are looking very sorry for themselves. Never mind, they should recover and I've planted more indoors. The meddlesome wind also threw the cold frame across the garden, lifted Holly's trampoline and pushed it into the fence and banged the tiles on our roof up and down all night! But I am grateful that it's warmer at least, we've only had one frost in the past week.
 

First pea pods!

Purple sprouting broccoli is ready!

With the warmer nights, things are coming to life outside, the pea plants have made two pods, the potatoes are peeping up above the ground, while salad and spinach are germinating in the raised bed and the broccoli is ready to start harvesting.

Inside I have planted more dahlias, beans and asparagus peas. I have also got some skirret seeds which I want to try, this is unusual in that it is like a sugary parsnip (though much thinner and oddly shaped), however like parsnip it is difficult to germinate so I've put them in the same cupboard as the hot water tank.

This weekend we've been luckier with the weather and grateful for some sun, I've been out digging up the bed which is earmarked for the quinoa. Have also planted some Phacelia (green manure) which is a attractive purple flowering plant beloved by bees. You are supposed to dig it into the soil before it flowers to enrich the soil, but I probably will find that quite hard so as it's my first time growing it, I'll let it flower and dig it in later even if it does mean less goodness.


Who needs the gym when you can dig? This bed is earmarked for the shallow rooted grain, Quinoa. Should be interesting later in the year when the grains develop as I've bought a colourful variety.

It's quite interesting looking at the rate that some plants grow, I've been impressed this last week with the dahlias and the peas, but the courgette plant wins for monster growth.
The pictures below show it shortly after it germinated last week (why oh why did I plant it in the propagator?) to this weekend in its new pot. 

We're having to net or cover a lot of the new plants because the local cats think our raised beds are giant litter trays, including our cat Rain! So my next job is to research good organic cat deterrents. So far I've watered with a garlic, onion and chilli concoction, will see if that one works, it's certainly smelly.