Skomer!

During 2006/7 a wave of myxi or somesuch went through the Pembrokeshire islands, drastically reducing the rabbit populations. With but a handful of bunnies to eat their way through the vegetation, grasses such as Yorkshire Fog and Red Fescue flourished on Skomer and the Ramsey wardens were spending many evenings photographing low growing wild flowers that hadn't bloomed for many a year. We volunteered on Ramsey in '06 and 07 and were amazed to see that the low grass had turned into a tapestry of colour by the second year.

In 2008 we spent two weeks on Skomer which looked very different to our last visit in 2005 with tall grasses swaying and whispering in the sea breeze.

I'm sure my pot of Yorkshire Fog will flourish with just a few puffins and no bunnies for company. The copper pipe serves as a stand for hanging bird feeders so I could well get a sunflower growing on 'Skomer' too.

Beetroot and Garlic

I prefer ping-pong to tennis ball size beetroot so I've planted all seven of them with the three garlics. Only seven??? mmm, like I would have sowed seven beetroot seeds! I've sowed lots more in a bigger tub so fingers crossed for a better crop and no spindlies.

Courgettes

The courgettes have been moved to their final homes (well, proper final will be our tummies hopefully) the three square pots are 38cm wide and the round one is 42cm. They don't look very happy being blown about by the wind as a couple of leaves have been broken but I guess that could be character building. Now it's a case of watering and watching.

Amaranth aka Red Basil

A new kid on the block. I found half a packet of seeds in my puttings which I'd ambitiously bought at back end of t' year because the packet said 'all year' - tsk...it failed due to lack of daylight and warmth. This was a great success last summer providing a touch of dramatic colour to salads and quiches.

Cress

The first batch of cress was tasty but only enough for an eggy mayo pitta pocket each so I did a denser sowing this time. I must find seeds by the ounce instead of buying it by the teaspoon in packets - mind you, it's three packs a pop at the pound shop! Hmmm.... how much is a box of cress these days?

Garlic

In need of a larger space methinks. They actually smell, well, garlicky! I wonder why?

Courgettes

The courgettes have been moved on, they are growing apace. They had lots of day trips to the balcony before staying out all night. Now of course they want their own apartments.

Chives

The chives are coming along nicely. I'll be having a snip at them any day soon.

Cress

As the cold dull weather has not inspired a mood for egg and cress sandwiches, Simon has, thus far, avoided the chop. His hours are numbered though as he will soon be past his peak. A ritual eating of the said sandwich during the Monaco qualies could be on the cards for tomorrow.

edit. I'm thinking more the late Malcolm Maclaren look rather than Simon C at this stage.

Garlic

These chaps are doing rather well and don't seem to require a great deal of fuss. I don't know how tall they will grow but I think they are in need of seperate rooms already.

courgettes

These are looking stonkingly good with their new grown up leaves and smell tasty too. A couple more have sprouted since my last report. The big boys are definitely in need of their own space which I shall deal with later. Worthy of two pin up shots I think.

Chives

The chives are coming along nicely but I think I could have sowed the seed more densely. The 'tin bath' adds a little glamour in the meantime.

Beetroot

As you can see, Beetie has been joined by some friends. They're all a bit spindly though, most likely searching for the sun (who isn't?) I shall call them Leggies and Co so they'd better get a wriggle on.

Cress

You don't even need a balcony for cress of course and it will grow any time of year.

Rog has booked eggy mayo for any time soon so I'm hoping this batch will survive a lack of water - it was only 24 hours! Oops.

Garlic

I noticed a sprouting clove in the garlic pot so planted it up. I put a couple more in to keep it company. The green shoot is about twice as high as it was when I planted it last Saturday.

Courgettes

My King of Crops! I can't believe how much these courgettes have grown in one week, mind you, I don't know what happened to the ones in the other half of the tray.

As my dad used to say - "don't let them out, they'll rule the world" I won't mind if they just take over my balcony. I'm looking forward to tender young courgettes, raw or as I like them, just heated through.

Chives

I thought I'd try a few triffids in a tin bath......

The zinc container is actually just 8" long. The chives seem quite happy but have gone back under the cover of clingfilm for a few more days.

Beetroot

What can I say? Is it too soon to worry? I've heard of the lonely little petunia in the vegetable patch but not a lonely beetroot.

This is my favourite veg, I have high hopes of eating it hot, cold or grated raw in salad. Put your leaves over your ears little beetroot and grow!