May 2007: Rabbitings

Things have been moving along apace since the last entry to this blog. We've had the warmest April ever recorded followed by what can best be described as a monsoon of a May. The ground was turning to dust before the rains arrived but is now too wet to work (if you work on wet soil you risk compacting it and reducing a plants chances of growing). We also lost all of our early pumpkins and courgettes to stem rot brought on by the large change in temperatures over the last 6 to 8 weeks. If this is the way the weather is going to shape up in a climate changes world then we had better learn to adapt. It's maybe a better idea to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and try and stop the process getting any worse, which brings me back to growing and selling locally produced food.
WE've been making the best use we can of our local fertility source...Clachnaharry Beach and all it's two foot thick layer of seaweed. WE've also been trying to develop a good mix to use for our soil blocks. Soil blocks are a method of propagating which removes the need to use plastic seed modules. It's more environmentally friendly, the plants grow well in them and they are super easy to transplant into the field. Hopefully the seaweed component of the blocking mix will help the young plants develop a strong root system.
Our onions are in the ground and seem to be thriving as does our crop of salad leaves. As soon as we get another warm, still day we'll get the polytunnel cover on and get the tomatoes in the ground. We've got quite a range sitting in pots and it'll be great to see them developing over the summer. Did you know that eating tomatoes helps protect your skin from sunburn?
WE've also harvested the comfrey from the second garden and have incorporated it into the compost heaps where it acts as an activator for the composting process. The next harvest we will use to make some comfrey liquid which is a good plant food but beware of getting any of it onto your clothes. It stinks for weeks and washing does not seem to help much. I still seem unable to get any photos onto the blog. perhaps the error message at the bottom of the page has something to do with it. Technology brings it's own problems. I'm going back to put up a rabbit fence in the rain.