Late again, but here in Derbyshire, we can reckon to be 4 weeks behind the south of England, so I have just completed the February jobs of sowing the sweet-peas and setting out the shallots in trays of compost. Daphne Ledward gave this tip, of helping them develop root systems before plunging their bottoms into the hard cold soil.

On Thursday, Stuart and Jan came over  to the little allotment with their shiny spades and pick-up and finished clearing the top corner and bottom wild bit under the damson trees. I still feel rather like Margot Leadbetter as Tim called me, getting other gardeners in to do my heavy work, but they are so quick and a strong team. The garden is now fit for planting all over. This was a left-over piece of work. The first day’s labour had been a Christmas present for me from David. 

  I worked through the green compost bin, turning out really good manure, but thinking about the copious amounts of egg shell  am pondering if it has the same effect as lime.- ie don’t spread it at the same time as compost or manure!  good for mineralising but maybe not to be included in general compost heaps- need to find out more on this!  Anyway I dug a deep trench , sprinkled the  compost  all along and set out the bean poles for french and runners, and borlotti beans. I also did a similar trench for broad beans and planted the bag of Hurstfields. Borlotti beans did so well for me last summer I shall certainly repeat this year, also french beans.

Jane and I met for a picnic lunch on Friday in the hut. I took orange and rum and she brought hot chocolate.  – not a bad mix!    Jane is going to start a beehive next month, and has just bought a bee suit on Ebay for £50 – half price, so she is pleased.  The hive has to be sited, and then the swarm will come around May.