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I know things are getting better when the soil has lost that cold sticky feel and I can plant seeds in the ground in confidence that there is only a small chance of frost or snow – oh, forgot, I live in the Highlands; better get the sledge ready!

This is definitely blight weather so I am being extra vigilant with the potatoes, making sure I keep up with the Bordeaux mixture spraying.Ìý I have now earthed them up for what will probably be the last time and all is looking good.Ìý I have now had my first proper harvest of the year; some nice purple broccoli, (Sprouting Santee), along with kale - just a leaf from each plant at this stage of the season, so that I don’t denude them.Ìý Also, I make the most of cabbages by taking off the big leaves that have folded out – again just a leaf off each plant. These are usually strong tasting, full of flavour and really delicious. My tomatoes are doing equally well, having sets developing nicely. This is the time when they need food so I will be giving them water one time and diluted feed the next (including a bit of my comfrey tea every now and then).

The other sign of summer is the increase in activity down at the allotments. I see the long forgotten faces coming out of their sheds, eyes blinking in the sunlight, (what a picture I paint!).

Now, remember how I keep banging on about weeding?Ìý Take a look at the photos in the gallery for this week.Ìý In past years, I have struggled with my carrots and I was determined to have a good crop this year.Ìý I thought I would cover them from the off and leave them for as long as I could before getting in and removing and offending weeds.Ìý Oh my; the before and after tell a tale do they not? Well, the carrots have done remarkably well despite all of the weeds that were taking over. Unfortunately, I had done the same with my beetroot; when I came to weed them, it seems that I had less than half of what I expected. This does happen when the spring has been cold and miserable. Beetroot do like a bit of warmth to really get cracking, (as do parsnips).Ìý So, I have sown a second crop of beetroot, and it seems my timing was perfect – I got a good dose of rain to water them in followed by this nice sunshine.Ìý Perfect!

Things I am doing this week include: planting winter cabbage, broccoli basil and more kale.Ìý I will also sow a few more cauliflowers to keep the run going. Some people like to stop cucumbers from growing too much and stop them after a few leaves; well, you should know me by now – I let them rip!Ìý So long as they are well watered, with perhaps the occasional feed, they will do great. One thing I must do is get some fennel growing.Ìý I may be a little late, but so long as it doesn’t get too cold too early, later in the year, it will be great.

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