It’s been satisfying this week to see not just the first beans appearing but also the beetroot starting to swell up. And – a sneak preview here – we may be able to put shallots in the vegbags in the next couple of weeks, so look out your favourite onion soup and onion tart recipes.
This week we’ve also been starting to plant kale and cavolo nero for winter harvesting, helping to fill part of the ‘hungry gap’, as well as wild rocket for next spring.
And that, in fact, is really almost the end of planting for now – from now on is the season of waiting and maintaining, because most of what can be planted has been done. So what now? Well, all the weeds we didn’t get to during our planting will be targeted – it’s no grower’s favourite job, but it’s important work to ensure that what is in the ground comes good.
For those of you following the fate of our heroic tractor, by the way… well, it’s mixed news. Another puncture means we’re going to have to replace a tyre – but happily, it did remain repaired for long enough to break into some of the hard ground, which is great news.