Envelopes that rattle

Visited the plot on Sunday and pruned down the 'Joan J' autumn raspberries to the ground. Lee then applied some semi-frozen manure from James and Emmas' horses. We only had 6 rubble sack's full so put 3 on the autumn rasps and 3 on the summer (Glen Ample). The summer rasperries were not pruned as they only have first year's growth (from 2008). The theory is that these shoots will bear fruit this year.

Ken and his wife were up there complaining about Bill having to work the 'parking' plot. The fence around Ian's plot will have to be moved to allow Ken access to his once Bill's plot is dug over. Still no sign of anybody else. We haven't seen Bill, Richard, Thumbs or Rowley for weeks and weeks.

The overwintering onions (Electric and Senshu Yellow) and garlic are looking pretty good. The two rows of Purple Wight and Solent Wight garlic are looking the best. The two half rows of Blanak and German Red are looking a bit sad and sorry with just the odd shoot here and there. Hopefully they'll get going as the weather warms up.

We put the 6 mouldy Crown Prince pumpkins on the compost heap, which was sad. Ergates said I should have saved seed but I'm not sure if they were F1 hybrids or not. Perhaps lots of pumps will grow on the compost heap this summer! They may have crossed with the doomed butternuts too.

All my seed orders have started to come in this week! The orders from Real Seeds, Simpsons Seeds and Seeds of Italy have arrived. Still no sign of Marshalls though. Ergates doesn't have her Marshalls yet either, and she placed her order a few days earlier than mine. I placed all the orders on Sunday 4th January.

Here are the seed lists:

Simpsons Seeds
Aubergine De Barbentane
Chili Aji Hot
Chives: Fine Leaved
Coriander: Leisure
Parsley: French Plain
Pepper Sweet Chocolate
Sweetcorn Swift
Butternut: Harrier F1
Squash Red Kuri

Seeds of Italy:
LETTUCE RED GRENOBLE
COURGETTE GOLDRUSH F1
BEETROOT OF CHIOGGIA

Real Seeds:
Jaune de Poitou Yellow Leek
Tender & True Parsnip
Latah Tomato
Costoluto Fiorentino Tomato
Red Zebra Tomato

Marshalls:
Broccoli Extra Early Rudolph Sprouting Seeds
Carrot Nantes 2 Seeds - Lge Pkt - Early
Climbing French Bean Goldfield Seeds

I'm thinking of putting all last year's diary entries onto this blog. Will probably take ages though and I'm not sure I can be arsed. It would be very useful though. I really need to go through all my gardening books and seed packets and see what can be sown now and get going this weekend. Two that spring to mind right now are sweet peas and summer sprouting broccoli.

It's cold again today after 3 days of slightly milder weather. Minus 2 on Shaky's thermometer for most of the drive in. Foggy too. Yuk. Went running on Monday and last night (2 miles) and it wasn't too bad. I hope it's warm tomorrow night as am planning on going again.