Everything falling into place...

Crop updates, the exhausting job of applying nematodes, cooking from produce

Most or the seedlings are doing great, with the exception or salad, which has been exterminated in whatever form I planted it, the rapa bianca - ditto - and the beheaded sunflower cotyledons. Celery is making tiny three-lobed leaves, spinach is growing and even some of the oldest chilli I planted has come out of dormancy against any predictions.

Both redcurrant and gooseberry are flowering and the buds on the vines are so big that they cannot but burst open soon. The fig has put out a tiny fruit and strawberries are flowering. So is rhubarb, though, which means I will have to intervene soon, not to waste the plant's energy into a bloom.

This is definitely a very rewarding time, but also the time of the year when the struggle with weeds starts: dandilions, creeping buttercup, binding weed, and the thorny thing: what's- its-name...

I spent the best part of my time watering nematodes on the ground, bed by bed: I hope this will have some results, despite running short of the parasites at 2/3 of the plot - should start to work in 1 week if the soil keeps moist.

With the parsley, I have tried to make some salsa verde. Not from the recipe I linked a while ago, though - I asked my auntie. Very simple: breadcrumbs drenched in White wine vinegar with a pinch of sugar and salt. Finely chopped parsley (do not leave too long as I am told it gets dark in colour), mix and add oil to cover. It's in the fridge to absorb the flavour...