Suddenly we seem to have reached March! The artichokes are doing what artichokes do but, more exciting, we have new blossom on the mysterious apricot tree. Previously thought to have been a peach tree, last year it bore its first, singular fruit – to our amazement it was more like a large apricot than a peach. Hopefully these blossoms will survive any late frosts and we will have some more fruit to attest to its true identity.
In the greenhouse, things are already getting busy – salad, tomato seedlings, sweet corn, leeks, celery and herbs. Once the tomatoes are strong enough to withstand handling, we will pot them up individually and have a sale to support the local hospice – certainly there are many more than can fit fully grown in the greenhouse! Once we have cleared some space, it will be the brassicas’ and pumpkins’ turn to germinate in the warmth.
We are extending the orchard again this year – more top fruit trees (we like plums and peaches!) but they have a few years to go before they fruit.
Hopefully there won’t be any more surprises in store!
We have already planted the garlic bulbs for this year – under wire protection so the birds don't pull them out before the roots take hold.
We've also got started with sowing this year's parsnip crop – you really need to give the slow germinating parsnip seeds plenty of time (and probably a bit of frost) to get going.