The past few days have been just what the doctor ordered – sunshine and real warmth, which made being outside a real treat, and was genuinely shirt sleeves weather at times. It neatly coincided with the Hawthorn blossom emerging, so compliance with the saying “ne’er cast a clout till may is out” was achieved. The clouts will well and truly be back on in the week ahead, because our brief hint of summer is giving way to daytime temperatures barely making it to double figures, and down to 3° overnight. I hope that is the lowest the mercury drops to, because since last week when I reported on the old russet apple tree bursting into flower the whole orchard is now full of blossom, and I would hate it to be hit by damaging frosts. We need all the apples we can get this season after last year’s very poor harvest.

I planted cucumbers in the greenhouse early in the week, and will be doing the same with tomatoes tomorrow or Tuesday. The greenhouse glass should offer enough protection from the cold, but it’s always an anxious time having started the plants at the end of January and nurturing them since, I really don’t want to lose them now. I had a double disappointment with things I have planted outside. The lettuces I set out nearly two weeks ago have nearly all suffered from slug/snail damage. With the ground as damp as it has been I suppose that conditions are ideal for these pesky gastropods. I have to cover the plants with fine netting to prevent other visitors from munching them, but it means that birds that might feed on them are denied access to them; it’s a tricky balancing act. Then the two rows of chard, which were also netted, lost their net in the strong wind, or at least it peeled back across two thirds of the bed, whereupon birds unknown came and feasted on the leaves, or just pulled the newly planted plugs right out of the soil. I had some spares, so today I replaced many of the uprooted ones and re-covered them with the netting which I weighed down with extra bricks. It very often feels like two steps forward and one step back.

There are tiny ducklings on the top moat at Moyns Park, hatched around Tuesday of last week. They have been skittering about on top of the water darting this way and that. Already I think that their numbers have dropped, they are so very vulnerable to predation, and as I have said before, ducks are not the most attentive of parents, unlike the fiercely protective Canada Geese that guard their young assiduously. There are not yet any goslings, but I am expecting to see some very soon.

A male Blackbird has been hunting for food around the greenhouse and polytunnel recently, feeding demanding open beaked scruffy chicks I shouldn’t wonder. He seems to follow me around hoping that I will uncover some tasty morsels for him or his family, and so I did, albeit inadvertently. I was watering the chard in the greenhouse when I noticed a fine Hawkmoth on one of the leaves, so I picked it off and launched it out through the door, but rather than flying off to safety it plopped to the ground. In a flash the Blackbird appeared from nowhere and stuffed the moth into its beak, but it had to put it down a couple of times to reposition it, so big was it. Whilst I have grown attached to my ever present companion I would rather it hadn’t snaffled the handsome moth.

The shop is further depleted this week. The carrots didn’t improve last week, so I have not ordered any, so until some new season ones become available I will not be offering any for sale. Parsnips are another casualty, they have just come to the end of their season. So pickings are slim. The warm weather is encouraging the greenhouse chard to bolt, but there will be some this week, and there are still spring greens from the polytunnel. Purple sprouting broccoli and kale remain available. I will be cutting the first of the ‘Little Gem’ lettuce from the polytunnel, they are not all that big but they are a welcome sign of things to come, but supply will be limited.

On Thursday morning I received very sad news from a regular customer who informed me that her partner had died at home the previous day following a lengthy period of living with cancer. Keith was a good bloke, one that worked with trees for much of his life, which speaks volumes in itself. He was latterly a tree consultant for the National Trust. He and Elaine were weekly visitors to the farmers’ market until Keith became too poorly to attend, and we would usually chat very comfortably about this and that most weeks. My thoughts over the past few days have been with dear Elaine at this sad time.

I’m running late, so I’m going to call it a day. I hope that your week is good. Take the time to take in the sights and scents of the beautiful blossom that is everywhere at the moment – it’s blooming lovely. Keith would endorse my sentiment I’m sure.

Phil