Wow, what a week! It was absolutely perfect as far as I am concerned, ideal for working in and a joy to be outside with the wonders of nature girdling me in their loveliness, it fair made my heart sing. The ground dried out nicely, enabling muck spreading, cultivation, seed sowing outside (beetroot, broad beans), and grass cutting. I have seen that some people have planted their early potatoes. Not me, I will wait a couple of weeks, because it just feels too early, and any advantage can easily be wiped out by a late frost – I know because I have fallen foul of it in the past. I didn’t even consider completing what remains of the hedge, conditions were too good to be stuck up a ladder, and in any case the part for my chainsaw didn’t arrive until Thursday afternoon so I couldn’t really have done it anyway.
We have today and tomorrow left of the exceptionally good weather before it reverts to ‘normal’ from Tuesday, with daytime temperatures back in single digits and frost overnight. So it could be that we have just experienced a false spring, though it looks as though it will remain fairly bright and dry with little in the way of rain, which, had we not been spoiled by the last week we would have been more than pleased with.
Another bonus of the fine weather has been some lovely sunrises and sunsets, and wonderful night skies for star gazing. Whilst not the most spectacular I liked the band of red close to the horizon viewed from my home garden the other evening. Of course the photo above doesn’t do it justice. If you look closely, in the middle of the shot between two of the willow stems you may just be able to see Venus.
During the week I looked out of the shed window and saw smoke billowing across the moat, except that it wasn’t smoke at all. I knew immediately that it was pollen from the Yew trees having observed it many times before. I tried to photograph it but without success; it really is quite a sight.
My admiration for the wonders of nature does not extend to the destructive Muntjac. I was having an early evening stroll around the garden when I spied one of the skulkers disappearing into the hedge on the right hand side of the plot. I walked down there, and it dashed down to the bottom corner by the copse where it launched itself at the fence. It then made a right angle turn and ran at full pelt following the fence line, periodically bashing into the wire fence in a bid for freedom. And so the chase proceeded, with my futile attempts to catch and release it amounting to nothing. It made a full circuit of the garden before I gave up when it disappeared back into the hedge. There is a fence on the far side of that hedge, so I am assuming that it is still inside the garden, but I haven’t seen it. I will have to get it out before the growing season properly kicks in because its appetites is just too voracious.
It was only last Monday that the first peach blossom appeared on the tree in the greenhouse, some two weeks later than it usually does. By Thursday it was covered in the sugar pink flowers and was being worked by lots of bloated bumblebees as well as by hoverflies. Their presence and endeavours should result in a good fruit set.
Talking of bees, this afternoon I went through the beehives to assess their health and the state of their food stores. The verdict is that the colonies are mostly pretty strong for this time of the year so I am hopeful for a good season. The past week has helped them get out and collect pollen from the willows, hazels and alders. The sight of pollen piling into the hives on the back legs of the bees is always a very good sign, because it indicates that the queen is laying eggs again, building up the population of the colony for the months ahead. I am pleased to report that I came through the inspection without a single sting – good for me and the bees.
In the shop this week we have Brussels sprouts, which won’t go on for much longer, purple sprouting broccoli, curly kale, and a very limited number of round lettuces from the greenhouse. These will have to be on a first come first served basis, because there will not be enough for everyone. Please show some restraint when ordering. Cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, courgettes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, leeks, beetroot and swede are all present. There are two apple choices – a limited amount of Blaze, and Spartan. The blood oranges will be smaller than last week (I hope), then there are regular oranges, lemons and avocados.
I need to go and shut the hens and ducks in so I will say farewell. Enjoy what remains of the good weather, I hope that you haven’t put the hot water bottle away because you might need it again this week.
Phil