A sunny day in February, though still chill. The ponds have defrosted and we are hoping to soon be seeing baby frogs. Howard and I are here to hoe. There is a broad bean bed to get ready, and the rest of the plot to prep.
We will leave most of the self-sown poppy plants; much of the chervil, too. The ragged kale and the purple frills mustard are thrusting on despite the cool nights.
It is our second year on the new sandy soil, but our first February start and we are impatient to begin. It is still early for much spring planting, but thoughts are advanced.
For now, though, Howard and I are doubling down on clearing weeds and adding more manure. We’ll be spreading our heavy horse muck. Trying to exercise patience.
We hoe, we rake, we tidy. We wheelbarrow away weeds. We scatter the manure as a warming mulch. We’ll dig it in when we start sowing crops.
In a short time the plot is transformed. Soon gone the tired, wintered wild. Replaced now by a clearer canvas. As ever we don’t have thought-through plans for what we’ll grow where. All we know for sure is we’ll have many calendula, tagetes, nasturtiums and peas.
The next day, we return armed with broad beans. We may be a little early, but we’re impatient to plant. Howard sows old-school Leidse Hangdown from Real Seeds, while I go for three short rows of Crimson Flowered from Plants of Distinction.
The squirrels are chasing each other around. The corner bushes are alive with finches and tits. Rooks bask in the sun at the top of the site’s surrounding trees.
We wander round and soak it all in. We have soil and manure on our hands for the first time in a while. Pockets with half-empty packets. Winter is loosening its grip. Howard takes the smart secateurs home for a spring reconditioning. Our planting year started here.
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