Well, we are into June so there should not be any more frosts here, but late May saw some wintery hail, and early June is proving to be chilly and very windy. So I am glad I kept my dwarf French beans are in the greenhouse in their large Air-Pot propagation tray. With improving weather I have now planted them out. Each plant has a mass of healthy roots. We continue to eat salad grown in Air-Pot® propagation trays, a sowing every 3 – 4 weeks is ensuring a continuous supply of leaves. An early sowing of Red Mustard Frills which was cut down to about 3 cm is growing back strongly and is providing a second picking. The Bull’s Blood beetroot in a tray gives striking red salad leaves, but I am now pulling entire plants to give the remaining plants space to develop actual beetroots. Moulin Rouge which is a type of Choi Sum oriental green was a good lettuce substitute when young is now sending up flower stems, these are a good stir-fry ingredient, so we are getting more than just a few leaves from these trays. It is nice being able to move the trays, currently at their best, right up to the patio doors where they can be seen and easily picked, while newly sown or recently cut down trays can go elsewhere until ready. The Casablanca early potatoes are stunningly healthy looking plants, perfect glossy leaves & big vigorous haulms, they seem too good to be true!

I just hope what is below ground is as good, there may be edible tubers already but I want to let the tiddlers bulk up as much as possible so am trying to be patient. They should still be much earlier than field grown potatoes in this area.