After the ice

It did finally melt, though the last vestiges of ice took another several days after my last post.  However, I made it to the allotment to pull some big leeks, small turnips and baby beets--these last two from the late sowing in July/August (I picked all the big beets and turnips in early autumn, all the little ones in late autumn, and couldn't believe there were any roots left!).  I still have quite a few leeks left, but only a couple turnips now (and probably a few more baby beets too).  I also have a couple radishes both black and white, and a couple of swedes (rutabagas) ready for harvest;  my garlic bed is up and growing, as is the purple sprouting broccoli, both for harvest later this spring and summer.  

I also have recommenced sheet mulching, having been stalled by the weather: a few cardboard boxes at a time,  a couple times a week.  So far it's just the sheets, as I haven't been able to face digging out any more mulch (straw/manure from the stables at the one end of the allotment site). 

At home my overwintering cauliflower plants seem to have survived the weight of snow/ice on them for a week, as did the komatsuna, tiny pak choi and white radishes.  The few Savoy cabbages I have left weren't pressed down under the snow like the others;  these are fine--ready for harvest really, despite being small.  The lettuce however, looks like it bit the dust. 

I bought one bag of potting compost just before the ice, to start a few seeds with--so far I have a pot of onion seed, just starting to emerge.  Soon I'll be moving on to tomatoes and broad beans:  either at the end of this month or the beginning of February.  I haven't even finished yet and already it's time to start!