Ready, steady... no!

On Saturday I spent the whole day clearing, cleaning and disinfecting the greenhouse - one of the messiest jobs of the year - ready to sow for spring.

Having taken a day off, as today it was meant to be sunny, I was raring to go... but not only it's not sunny, IT'S actually SNOWING!

While on the plot over the weekend, I met a very sweet lady, Jean, in her 70s and from Zimbabwe who, having gardened all her life, told me that my cabbages and cauliflowers willnot grow because I was too late planting them (which is very true). She suggests I compost everything and start all over again. Hard to take in, really, as I realize that it will be so easy falling behind again this year, having only the weekends (and not all of them) to work on the allotment. Darkness this week did not come until a quarter to 6, but there's still so long to go before I will be able to work in the evenings after work.

It is a bit discouraging, but - instead of moaning - I will try spending the rest of the day on my botany book, to finish it and write the first paper (yes, I fell behind on that as well).

Just to end this brief post on a happier note, I will say that - digging under the greenhouse bench - I found a few garlic cloves growing, from seed that I had carelessly left in there two years ago... I split them and planted in the greenhouse bed: let's see if they produce a small crop.