Onions

I said last year, after a run of disappointing results with onions, that I wasn't going to grow them this year. So naturally I went to the garden centre this morning and bought some onion sets. Well, it's the sunshine, innit? Makes you all optimistical, dunnit?

Anyway, here they are.

50 Red Baron and 100 Sturon. I'm making a concession to their poor showing last year, and the year before, and..... by starting them off in the greenhouse. There are some shallots in there too, ditto.

It seems to be working well enough for the garlic and the autumn planted shallots, although they did both sit there in a sulk for nearly three months.

And I've been looking at the great survivors. I started the autumn by sowing some "winter salads", the plan being to overwinter them in the greenhouse for a running start this year, and possibly fresh salad at Xmas. Well, Ho-Ho-Ho! The extreme cold in December mostly put paid to that plan. But there were some survivors, and here they are: Radicchio, Spinach and Lollo Rossa lettuce.

There are a few Mizuna too, but that's tough as old boots anyway.

Incidentally - "Great Question of our Time" coming up - why are some garden centres so poor at something as basic as putting the price on things. Don't they understand a basic principle of retail (you offer goods for sale, tell people how much they cost, and if the price is right people give you money for them. Errm? Difficult?)? Are they just incompetent? Can they not be arsed? Why are they still in business? I'm sure I don't need to sketch the scenario out for you but be assured the goods were so priceless I didn't buy 'em. Ha!

The Pressure

Sometimes you just don't realise just how absolutely, overwhelmingly, mind-bogglingly filthy.......... your patio is until you turn a pressure washer on it.

Here is some before and after.


And it's great fun; a real boys toy!

Especially when an incautious pigeon gets a little too close. No pigeons were harmed etc, but he is probably the cleanest he has been since the day he hatched.