Not what we were expecting!

This has rather scuppered my plans! We were not expecting snow - and indeed even this morning's weather forecast does not include it, down here in Surrey - but when we woke up there was about an inch on the ground and it was still snowing heavily. Now, however, it is starting to thaw.

Actually, there is not a lot to do at the plot. Nearly everything is dug and awaiting some warmer weather before I plant out strawberry plants, onions and broad beans. I have put down some blood, fish and bone fertiliser where things will be planted. This is a slow-release 'organic' fertiliser, which will be 'topped up' throughout the growing season. The one part that still requires some work has leeks in at the present, but I won't need to plant anything there for a couple of months, so there is plenty of time.

Strawberries this year, I hope

As you will know, I operate a 4-plot rotation system, which - as I have 4 plots - works very well for most things. However, it makes no allowance for those things like strawberries which stay in the ground for more than one season. So I was very pleased when the small plot (4.5 x 4.5m) next to mine was vacated, and I was able to take it over. I weeded it, then put on several inches of good, well rotted manure and some compost, and dug it all, removing lots and lots of stones on the way. Then about 4 inches of chippings on the path all round (this covered up all the stones I chucked out!) and it's ready for strawberry plants. I have purchased a dozen of each of three varieties - Vibrant (very early), Malling Centenary (mid-season) and Malling Opal (late) - so I should get a succession of strawberries from May to October. At the moment they are potted up temporarily in moist compost in a cold greenhouse, but they will go out soon.

 Today was lovely and bright, but with a cold wind, so I have been preparing the ground for my onion crop. A little bit of compost, lightly dug, then a fair bit of blood fish and bone fertiliser raked in. After this, I put down some dark polythene in which I had cut holes. This should save me having to do much weeding - if there is one thing onions hate, it's weeds! I have some seeds of red onions growing at home, and will plant out those and white onion sets next month. I have also started off some broad bean seeds, which are now in a frost-free greenhouse for a few weeks before planting out. So things have definitely started again!