Beautiful Sun for Once

It was a beautiful day on the allotment- at least 10 other plotholders were out and we completed our raspberry/ gooseberry swap.  The gooseberry bush which we were very kindly offered is enormous, and very vigorous. Our fellow plotholders worked hard but unfortunately broke a spade and a fork moving it!   Our tools, luckily enough, held up better, and now we have a bit of a biggun (and potentially very fruitful) in our midst!

We'd inherited one gooseberry on the plot, which bore nothing last year, so we laid into it and made 5 smaller plants to see what happens.  I turned 4 into cordons to grow up our scaffolding fence (also inherited!) and gave one away. We separated 2 bushes from the monster plant, and gave one to our next-door neighbour, then replanted the biggun. We couldn't face trying to break it up anymore, that'll be a job for another day. Apparently the biggun has been very prolific, so fingers crossed for the crop. When we have some wood ash we'll top dress, as apparently they love potash. The plotholders we gave raspberries to were pleased, so hopefully all will work out.



One of my cordoned gooseberries

We also did some digging over as the ground wasn't too sodden (our plot borders a stream, but the local flood relief channel protects us, and all the neighbouring area). And a bit of weeding and chatting with our neighbours, who gave us a big handful of a peppery salad leaf which has been taking over their greenhouse (could be mizuna?). This was lovely with pasta and walnut bits for a simple (and very late!) lunch.

A good day!

a lovely early iris

Catkins like a reaching hand
 

wiggly hazel looks like a little head

Whilst this basically looks like a bare space, a bucket and the back of someone else's polytunnel it actually represents a day's work! The gap is where L dug out a massive boring municipal type shrub (leaving the buddleia for the insects!)- and on the left in the background is the monster gooseberry. Things are shaping up in this area as we straighten up the raspberries and weed thoroughly.

more bright primroses: more bright days please!