Good news and bad from the Courtmoor plot

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First the good news. The Radishes are being picked in quantity now.

The results of my mixed sowing are readily apparent. Here we see French Breakfast” (long, red with white tip), “Sparkler” (round, red with white tip) and “Cherry Belle” (round, plain red).

I took a big bunch of “French Breakfast” ones to my host, the plot owners, as an early demonstration of my intention to share the plot’s produce with them. Before long I’ll be harvesting currants and Raspberries for them – a job definitely not suited to the elderly person – though I have to say that on my last visit I did witness Rupert (92?) pruning a tall Pear tree…

Now the bad news. The pigeons have discovered my cabbages.

So far the damage is not catastrophic, but once the birds get a taste for these plants, I expect they will return frequently. My first priority on my next visit to the plot will be to provide some anti-pigeon protection.

I’m going to have to think very carefully about what “hardware” I want / can afford to buy for this plot. My own garden is pretty well provided-for in terms of crop protection, but if I were to apply the same level of protection to the Courtmoor plot it would cost a fair bit, and would be needed all at once. I think I had better have a rummage in the shed and garage and see if I can muster any “second-grade” or superseded stuff that is hanging about, and cobble together something that will do the job, even if it’s less than ideal.

Other jobs I have done recently include thinning the Beetroot, as well as weeding it and the nearby Parsnips. Unfortunately the Parsnips (sown Apr 18th) didn’t need thinning out, because the germination rate was very poor! In my own garden, my first sowing of Parsnips (Apr 6th) was almost a complete washout – only five came up, out of about 150. After more than a month had elapsed I re-sowed and the second batch (May 8th) are just showing through now. I suppose I was too impatient and sowed the first batch before the soil was warm enough. We’ve had such topsy-turvy weather this year that it’s no wonder the plants are confused.

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