April is one of our busiest months on the allotment as we get ready for the main growing season. A lot of the jobs rely on favourable weather – so we are hoping for equal amounts of rain and sun!
All images: Barry Cuff
Weather
The first part of the month was dry, continuing on from a very dry March. Then some much-needed rain came on 18th and 22nd/23rd. We had some cold nights with a touch of frost on 8th and 17th, and we enjoyed a mix of very sunny and very dull days.
Ground preparation
The soil became much easier to dig and till after the rain on the 18th, and an absolute pleasure to prepare after the 0.3 inches on the 23rd!
Outdoor sowings
We planted two lines of Palace parsnip with four to six seeds per station. These will be thinned down to two when they’re ready. Also sowed some part lines of Moulin Rouge beetroot and Early Nantes carrot.
Outdoor planting
Planted one row of Red Drumhead red cabbage, four rows of Bonus onions (from small plugs which had one to three seeds per plug), a part row of Red Baron onions also from plugs. Another part row of remaining onions was close-planted, as these are to be used as spring onions
In the greenhouse
Celery, celeriac, Brussels sprouts, lettuce and parsley were all sown in plugs or pots, and we have put all our tomatoes and sweet peppers into large pots. We keep a close watch on the weather forecast at this time of year – a frost could do damage even under glass.
On the plot
We have been digging as required. The garlic is looking exceptionally good, and the broad beans started to flower on the 15th.
Potatoes
Regular readers will know we grow a lot of potatoes! This year we have six varieties, plus short rows of three new varieties we are trialling.
We started planting in late March and finished on 22nd April, working as the land became available.
Early planting means we quite often harvest early and miss the blight, but we do have to check the forecast for frosts. All the early planted rows have been earthed up*.
Fruit
There are masses of flowers on the gooseberries and currants, and the strawberries started to flower on the 21st. A lot of new growth on the raspberries.
Fresh food
We harvested the last of the carrots, parsnips, cauliflower, sprouting broccoli and leeks.
Salads
We are enjoying mizuna from the plot as well as lettuce, mixed mustard leaves and pea shoots from the greenhouse, plus the forced chicons.
Next month will be the main sowing month of the year!
*where soil is mounded around the base of potato plants as they grow. This process protects the plants from frost, prevents tubers from turning green due to sunlight, and encourages more potato growth.
