A first season sowing

Two rows of peas: who would have thought it after the week of rain?   But under a sunny sky I have raked and pegged and now have two rows of peas. The kick off, the season’s opener.   The promise.

But I couldn’t just leap into the veggie bed: I had to some worthy pruning of brambles and cutting back of grasses first. It felt too unseemly to have so much fun all day.   But every now and then you get this wonderful breakfast feeling that the whole day will be spent out in the garden. With occasional forays to the kettle and to replenish the roaring fire inside.

Actually now that I have downloaded the pictures I had completely forgotten that I had started the garden day by planting a jasmine shrub (wishful thinking) up against the stable wall.   It survived the winter quite unscathed, so tis a sign that it might, just might thrive.   I will need to attach wires to the wall to get it inspired to climb the walls, and of course protect it from curious passing deer.

Next up was a foolish attempt to prune the thornless blackberries in the orchard.   A mocking chorus in my head gleefully sang   ‘You don’t know what you doing’ as I set about a speculative secateuring and hacking back.   Twas to be another Nicolas the expert pruner when he next came. But the buds will be up and out by the time he next visits, so I had a go.   Lamentable just about covers it.   If I have time I might consult some learned tomes and find out just what I did wrong.

No trouble with the skill sets on the brambles – same species different pain. I have left the prunings on the ground below the olive trees and will pick them up later.   I couldn’t possibly leave them unattended, becuase they will have rooted this time next week if left alone.

All this pruning was a coy way to get to my prize – the vegetable garden – by circling it with worthy chores. I cut back all the nepeta growth from last year’s burst, tidied the stipa by pulling out random leaves and generally sorting the little bed at the end of the lawn.   It needs some inspiration. Or maybe just prayer: the principle flower in this bed is a hedge of verbena bonariensis. And I just don’t know if any plant has survived the hard winter. I will not cut down the dead stalks until later in March.   And maybe sow more vb seeds in case I have to replace the lot.

And then to the veggie bed.   About half the broad beans I sowed in October are still alive under the cloches. But I won’t speculate as to whether they will thrive. Instead I added two more rows of new beans.   And then raked and tidied and started on the peas.

Sturdier supports was the lesson I learned from last season. So in went the thick tomato stakes for two long long rows of mangetout and early peas.   I have only sown two rows so far. The mice may find these ones, or they may freeze in situ. But at least it’s a start and I will put in the rest another time. I love the idea of successional sowing. But it usually just remains an idea. The reality is when you are only a part time gardener that you have to leap in with both feet and get everything done when the occassion allows.

And as the sun was still shining and I had hauled down the garlic bulbs from the potting shed, I decided to get the allium bed sorted too.   Three rows of garlic and three rows of onion sets.   Tidy or what? Thank goodness I can take a fetching photo now before it all goes downhill.

Being able to sit on the edge of the path to sow and plant the sets is a delight. Just wish I could give myself a body transplant to cope with all the work ahead. Back pain and agricultural pursuits just don’t mix. Wish we had started this caper when I was younger.   And on that grim note I pack away my toys for the day and go and throw logs of wood on the fire.