Just wanted to say a big hello to everyone at A4A where I have been a bit absent in recent times! I had to make a trip to Australia as my dad's health is failing and then a terrifically busy time at the end of the year meant that I just dropped the allotment for several weeks.
But I have paid my dues for 2009 so it was back up there this weekend, spreading manure and groaning at all the work to be done. There was a bonfire going so we took advantage to get rid of lots of rubbish, old corn stalks, lots of dead twigs etc, so that tidied up things a bit. The only things growing just now are the garlic (came up even after a terribly cold winter), leeks and the purple sprouting broccoli tht I am trying for the first time.
It was hard to get motivated but I feel more enthusiastic now I have been up there for a nose, imagining where each crop would go this year, and seeing the rhubarb forming its leaf ball, there are several nodes so it has obviously grown and spread over winter, I felt very motivated! I gave a good mulch of manure to the onion bed, the rhubarb and the artichokes.
I hope I will be back again as a regular on A4A, I missed all your chit chat. I brought back some Australian seeds! and if I managed to reproduce them correctly, I will share them around. I have wonderful Qld Blue and Butternut pumpkin and some real Aussie squash, which is what we call yellow and green patty pan squash. Let's see if they grow in rainy Brittany!!
A great 2009 growing season to all of you!