Rhubarb

I was ever so excited when these strange looking leaves poke out of the ground, my Dad picked his first rhubarb back at the beginning of March, so when these leaves popped out I was thrilled,
Three weeks of sun and a nice splash of rain and they are growing nicely, something is attacking the leaves, but they are poisonous so I not that bothered, the stalks are looking good a little bit more waiting and I will have my first rhubarb harvest

Broad Beans

All but three of my Autumn sown broad beans failed, but just like the magic Genie he is my Dad had quite a few spares waiting in the wings, in they went and three weeks they have changed from this ........
to this, again apologies for the hazy picture but the flowers on this beans are beautiful and there are dozens of them so hopefully this will point to a good harvest !

Potatoes

These are my Home Guard potatoes, the chits on them had become to long to ignore so in they went
to this lovingly prepared bed !
and three weeks later they have been earthed up three times and are still reaching for the skies this photo doesn't show the height of the earthing up very well all the photos I took this evening seem very hazy - probably a dirty finger print on the lens

The Home Guards are up the most and travelling left to right we then havesaxon, Golden Wonder - bought in Poundland in Weston Super Mare couldn't leave them there for a £ !!, two rows of Sante and then a mixed row of Nicola - saved from the supermarket and a few left over Saxons. All have their heads up and are looking healthy

Strawberries

I find it hard to believe that the strawberries have changed from this .....

to this - in little over three weeks, the unseasonal sunshine and warmth we have been experiancing and the downpours of rain for a couple of days have brought them on no end, the pine needles I have mulched them with seem to be doing the job but I did notice a thistle trying hard to grow amongst my soon to be prized fruit so he was dispatched !

You may not be able to see clearly on these photos but a couple of plants already have flowers on them - I apperciate that I am a novice in these matters but surely its to early?

You can also see my daughters gnome - doing a sterling job of protecting the allotment, underneath his arm is a rain gauge and whilst not being a scientific instrument it recorded and inch and a half of rain from Monday to Tuesday to morning - no wonder my weeds are looking healthy - also did you know that gnome stands for Gardening Naturally Over Mother Earth - useless bit of information for a pub quiz !