Thursday in a good week.

Weather in Warrington
Thursday 13° 4° 1.5 mm	Friday 14° 7° 0.4 mm	Saturday 15° 5° 1.1 mm	Sunday 14° 3° 1.2 mm

It has actually felt like quite a nice week weather wise. Only a little warmer but the sun has been out quite a lot and made it feel like spring is finally here. Plenty of rain too but mostly overnight, so the hedgerows are really greening up.

I've moved quite a lot of stuff to David's Poly-tunnel and the difference it has made to them is quite outstanding! Finally the corn is growing and the squash and tomatoes are show the first flower buds.  

I'm still uncertain about planting out yet as we could still get frosts but decided to try the hot bed idea to add some heat to the soil I intend to put the courgettes into. Terry dug a long pit and we put in 3 bags of fresh manure. I don't think it was enough, but anyhow, I got him to make a temporary cold frame from some pallets and  covered by a large window which had been left by a previous tenant. In a day or so I've move some squash into it and then when I feel that they can cope on their own I'll harden them off and move it. If this works I'll make a couple more and get early sowing of salad crops next year.

Today I've made a bean trench. Terry dug another trench next to the spuds and I've filled the bottom with shredded cardboard and paper. Then on top I've added a 50l bag of farmyard manure. This is supposed to keep a reservoir of moisture at the root of  the beans. I've sown Highgrove Dwarf Beans at one end and I'll fill the row with some Lidl ones that I have coming on in pots. They have taken an unbelievably long time to come up. I almost through them out but just yesterday one tray all came up, and the other tray seems to be bubbling up too. Some are green and the others white. 

At a certain point the hired help down tools and demand coffee and biscuits.

The Blackbird continues to carry worms to her fledglings in the allotment shed. She seems quite determined to feed them even when we are around. Hope to get a photo soon but I can't quite reach!