We’ve had rain, we’ve had sun and warmth so everything is growing very well indeed. This includes the weeds and whenever I go into the garden to weed I come out with a wheel barrow full of wild grasses and rose-bay willow herb (see last blog). I guess this is the downside of having a garden in the countryside because all the weed seeds from the surrounding area blow in. If I left the weeding for six months or more it would soon resemble a jungle. The bamboo area has shoots popping up in the grass in between the mowing.

The garlic is looking good and, after investigation, I find that the bulbs are swelling nicely. Almost all customers who have sampled the black garlic have made favourable comments so I think I’m on to a winner. The garlic should be ready to harvest in July or August then I shall start the slow process of cooking some of the bulbs. In the meantime the scapes (this is the hard neck stems) are ready to cut. This is a more subtle flavour but great to add to salads and stir fry meals.

I really must plant out the cosmos which I grew earlier from seed. They are looking very healthy and strong but I just hope the slugs and snails don’t demolish them. Speaking of pests, I’m having a battle with ants everywhere. In the tunnels I sometimes find that they have managed to build a nest in one of the planted up pots. This only becomes apparent when I notice some fine compost around the outside of the pot so I have to be vigilant at all times. I think no-one would thank me for selling them a pot full of ants.