Spud challenge is under way.

[Barnowl]

As long as its not heated.  ;D ;D ;D

Oops!  :-[  It has an anti frost heater - I'll move them out.

[Barnowl]

[Trevor_D]

I'm late this year - I've normally planted a few earlies by now. But we've got some children coming from the nearby Primary school next week and some of them are going to help me.

Tony - your birthday's on June 7th; mines on the 5th and I always have a crop of potatoes by then. (I normally lift the first root in late May, just to test them!)

Oh well, after that boast I'd better get off to the plot tomorrow and get some in!

[mat]

I have planted 2 Mimi's and 1 Arran Pilot today in a potato sack and put it in my (very small) rear porch - totally unheated!

mat

[cornykev]

Barnowl thats a yellow card,  ;) sorry Shirl I didn't give the date, very spooky Trev I was just going to post that we lift them on the weekend of 6/7 of June because its Tony's birthday, so thats a date then and just in case Shirls bad memory kicks in its the first weekend in June.  ;D ;D ;D

[tonybloke]

Tony - your birthday's on June 7th; mines on the 5th and I always have a crop of potatoes by then. (I normally lift the first root in late May, just to test them!)

Same here Trevor! do you eat fresh runner beans for your birthday, as well?
only asking 'cos I repotted a few today into 1ltr pots. ;)

[shirlton]

Thankyou for letting me know.You will probably have to remind me a bit nearer the date. ;D

[Trevor_D]

Runner beans?? Are you a warlock or something??

But I always reckon to have 5 or 6 different veg: asparagus (of course, but no skill involved there!), carrots, beetroot, spinach, calabrese, peas, mangetout, French beans (not all of these every year, of course). Still trying to get broad beans, but haven't done it yet.

So that's tomorrow sorted - it's tattie planting!!

[hopalong]

Finally got round to planting a few first earlies - Colleen - today in warmed up soil with cardboard on top. Way behind others.

[RSJK]

 Just put a few more in today, covered them with polythene then fleece on top.  15 were planted a couple of weeks ago and planted around 80 more today.

[shirlton]

What do you use for the hoops Richard. They look very smart

[RSJK]

Its waterpipe Shirlton from the plumbers merchant it costs about £25 for 50 metres

[cornykev]

I planted three more rocket under a cloche today, looking good RK, I have got some of that blue pipe on my lottie, I must get round to using it.  ;D ;D ;D

[RSJK]

 Cheers corny   good luck to you in the challenge

[Jayb]

Ulster Septre planted in bags at begining of Jan have reached the top of their bags and looking strong. I'm using several layers of fleece on these frosty nights and keeping fingers crossed! Potatoes planted for this challenge are still all safely undercover of soil, I hope!   ;D

[Kea]

Am I the only one then who can't dig their sticky clay let alone plant potatoes in it????? :(

[lolabelle]

no Kea your not alone.. I am desperate to get digging my heavy clay  :'(.. frustrating isn't it   :( :( :( :( :(

[RSJK]

 I am hoping to have some ready for the table by the last week if not earlier fingers crossed. ;) ;)

[cornykev]

I went and checked them today as I thought the winds may have blown the cloches off but they was OK, I also put a line of rocket in uncovered.  ;D ;D ;D

[Kea]

no Kea your not alone.. I am desperate to get digging my heavy clay  :'(.. frustrating isn't it   :( :( :( :( :(

I've also got a hedgehog parked on the end of one bed! So I need some better weather 1) to dry the soil a bit...not too much or it's concrete and 2) so the hedgehog will wake up so i can sort that bed out.

Must make sure i have a suitable hedgehog home for next winter.

Today it has already poured down and the rest of the week doesn't look great but probably just as well because my OH drilled through the wall (where there shouldn't have been electrical cable...fortunately he had that circuit off at the time) and drilled through cable so we've lost a whole electrical circuit with all but one plug in the Kitchen and the washing machine, dishwasher, dryer and gas boiler all out of action. Guess who is going to have to spend valuable allotment time searching and waiting for an electrician! :(

[Georgie]

I've been told to play so here I am.   ;)  8)

Four Swift planted today in an old compost sack and covered with a cloche.

No idea what I'm doing but I've started a separate thread to record my progress.  :)

G x