It's that time of year again!

Well this is an exciting time of year for me, its seed sowing time. This year Mr Rodd supplied seeds for the OC project, so rather than JPa having a vote on what to plant, I have taken a few of each of the seeds available. This way we should get a nice wide range of plants.




I decided to wait until after the Easter holidays to plant anything as it is warmer now and anything planted before might have died if not watered for the two week break. Well what a good idea, the sun is shinning and it feels well and truly as if Spring has sprung!




So far we have planted:
Parsley, Basil, Thyme, Dill, Peppers, Cucumber, Courgettes (round ones as well as the typical kind), Pumpkin, Butternut squash, Aubergine (a dark and a light variety), Tomatoes and Honey bear Squash.




We are now seeing the first few shoots appearing out of the soil and I plan on showing the tutor group these signs the next time JPa meet.

suspicious activities in the onion crop

Well the onions and garlic are coming along really well, nearly all the plants are over a foot tall! They are looking so good in fact that we have a garlic thief. One morning The tutor group went out to the garden to find two of our garlic plants neatly dug up. I would like to think that it was an animal digging them up for food but sadly the edges of the holes looked too clean to be made by anything other than a spade or trowel. Admittedly we were upset, but knowing that the garlic is no where near ready to harvest we thought this would be the end of the problem (surely no one would dig up a garlic bulb that has yet to 'heart up' and actually form a bulb). We were mistaken, a few days later two more plants have gone.


We have no way of knowing who is taking our plants, all we can do is hope that it won't continue. JPa have worked hard in that garden (even digging in manure!) and are really looking forward to and deserve to get to harvest the plants later in the year.


So if you can all cross your fingers with JPa that would be much appreciated

Dreams of a snowball fight

Well JPA have not been out to the garden in a while, the weather just has not been nice enough. I must admit, the prospect of walking through the mud with the rain coming down has not given me much encouragement. The students are still eager to get out there though, on rainy days they say "we don't mind getting wet and muddy" with a big cheeky grin, nothing seems to put them off.


Today we managed a tutor time visit to the OC, it was cold and muddy, but we made it. The foot path that leads to the garden was flooded. So whilst avoiding the puddles (or rivers!) out we went. Spades, forks and trowels in hand.

We got out there, worked hard and gave it a good effort. We are still keeping the weeds down in our bed around are crops (onions and garlic) and clearing the large gravelled area around the plots,

All through December and now into the new year we keep hearing the dreaded subject, snow! The students asking "if it snows, can we go in the garden?" followed by the  promise "we won't throw snowballs" (like we believe that one!).


Well we remain firm that the last thing we want to do on a snowy day is to go out to the garden with 26 excited students, but 8JPa are still trying to convince us otherwise. Watch this space, and send us your strength to help us say no if the snow does come.