Wednesday 16 April 2014

A growth spurt

During the first half of April the plants in my garden have grown very rapidly, helped by mild temperatures and a fair bit of sunshine.

The potato plants are growing at a rate that is almost visible to the human eye, and some of the foliage is amazingly beautiful:

Potato "Red Duke of York"

The plastic "seedling greenhouse" has been earning its keep, protecting the plants from cool night-time temperatures. There hasn't been any frost recently, but it could happen at any time still.


Just about time for more earthing-up, I reckon...


The Asparagus is not doing too badly either. It looks as if I will have a better crop this year - which is just as well, since I had told it that if it didn't buck its ideas up I would be removing it this year!


The tomato plants have grown a fair bit too. They will probably need transplanting into bigger pots over the Easter weekend. I have had them outdoors in one of the mini greenhouses during the daytime, to give them maximum light, but it is still too cold for them to be outdoors at night-time.


The plants around my micro-pond have shot up too:


Most of that lot is Lily of the Valley, but there are also some Hardy Geraniums, and some Red-veined Sorrel.

Over by the fence, the "Autumn Bliss" Raspberries are coming up strongly. Last year was a very poor year for Raspberries, so I'm hoping for a better result this time.


My clump of Wild Garlic has been decimated since this photo was taken. It had grown so strongly that I felt justified in picking enough of it to make a small batch of Wild Garlic Pesto.


The photo shows very clearly that the Wild Garlic is spreading-out rapidly. Just look at all those little babies! I don't know how they got there (birds?) but tiny seedlings of Wild Garlic have appeared all over the garden, so I am keeping a watchful eye for them, and removing all those I find except for the ones in close proximity to the parent plant.

11 comments:

  1. It seems you will either love that wild garlic or end up hating it for all the self seeding it does. I almost didn't plant my garlic chives because they self seed too much. But I told myself I would cut out all the flower stalks every year. So far so good. But all I need is one year of not doing it and I'll have multiple years of weeding.

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  2. I thought your wild garlic may just grow a little too well. I've got a bit of lily of the valley in my garden, I wish it would spread a bit as it's such a lovely plant, perhaps it isn't so happy where I've got it. Your asparagus must have been listening to you, it seems to be growing well.

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  3. Can't believe the prettiness of those potato plants. Lots to look forward to!

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  4. So pretty! Your asparagus plot look so promising. I learn to grow asparagus this season. Maybe it needs a hard work, cause I grow it from seeds. It's not easy to find the crown/rhizome here. Maybe you will share me your experience, more lesson.

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    1. Endah, if you use the "Search this blog" facility in the side-bar you will find lots of articles about Asparagus. I don't claim to be an authority on the subject though!

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  5. Humm, I wonder if I have wild garlic. I see a lot of little seedlings that look like that...although I suppose they could be anything. I took pictures of my potatoes but forgot to post them. Mine are absolutely huge now. I hope that means a lot of little potatoes are forming under there. Your raspberries look like they have a great start and so do those tomatoes.

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    1. Becky, there is no mistaking Wild Garlic. Rub a leaf between your fingers and sniff it. The small is very strong!

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  6. Keep an eye on that Lily of the Valley, pretty as it is it has become invasive for me. I have been yanking it out by the handful, not easily either.

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    1. Yes, I know what you mean. However, my Lily of the Valley is in a very dry spot and has not spread very much, even though it has been there for several years.

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  7. The redddish potato shoot are good enough to be an ornamental plant.

    I love lily of the valley - my mum always used to pick me a posy of them from the garden for my birthday.

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