21 April

I've made a few trips to plots 7.1 and 9.2 in April. I have finished putting in the rest of the potatoes so I've got 100 in now. 20 earlies 20 second earlies and 60 main crop The first earlies started showing through a couple of weeks ago so I've earthed twice them up already. The glass has been lifted higher and fleece draped round the sides to keep out Mr Frost! I've put another row of parsnips in on the top allotment along with a row of fennel (a bit of an experiment!).

Many strawberry plants have been donated to new allotmenteer next door - she has very posh raised beds. I started the preparation for the permanent position for the water tank that has been sitting on the top allotment for many months. I found a decent place for it on the bottom allotment next to the asparagus bed and will share it with my neighbour who has plot 9.1. I couldn't actually put it in it's final position as it was too heavy to lift on my own so I dragged it down and will have to get help later.

Some bird or animal (I've seen a cat scowling around) keeps pulling up one shallot (the same one every time!) and I'm getting a bit fed up having to put it back in - leave it alone please..... Did a bit of prep on the bed nearest the road on the top alottment in preparation for the pumpkins, squash and sweetcorn.

I actually sowed the pumpkins and some runner beans this afternoon but the squash, cobra beans and squash I sowed only just over a week ago have germinated and are doing realy well. I'm nearly ready to put the Sungold tomatoes, organic cucumbers and bell peppers in the greenhouse at home.

I've pretty much filled the conservatory with seedlings - marigolds, rudbeckia, corn flowers, celeriac, flat leaf parsley, sweet peas, trailing lobelia, etc.

The strawberries in the greenhouse have fruit forming already - it must have been that mild March we had, April has lived up to it's name for a change, we've had loads of showers and more hail today - really glad I went to allotment this morning.