Garden and vegetable update - late winter...and cake

February has been a mixed month weather wise with significant rainfall, beautiful and warm spring-like days and spells of cold and damp. A dusting of snow has settled on the mountain but we remain frost and snow free being so close to the coast. We have made the most of the better weather to catch up with a few jobs around the plot and begin preparations for our spring and summer crops.

In November last year we sowed oats as a green manure in one of our larger beds, this has now been turned over ready for planting in a few weeks time. Potatoes were chitted (100 Mona Lisa) and have been planted in the smaller of our beds together with a good helping of home-made compost from one of our bins.

Peas, sugar-snaps and mange tout have been germinated and planted and are growing well. We used the pea sticks gathered from our hazel trees which have been coppiced. The remainder of the wood will be used for firewood and to add to the fedge (hedge/fence) which is a great habitat for stag beetles, slow worms and amphibians.

We have replanted the herb garden now the hard landscaping is in place and it will come into its own later on in the year - watch this space. The rhubarb is coming through and it is likely we will have enough to harvest in early spring.

Three mosaics Luis made a couple of years ago have finally been sited in front of the garden shed and are looking great.

Elsewhere in the vegetable garden we are still cropping early broccoli, leeks, celeriac, fennel, swede, beetroot, cabbage and winter lettuce. The beetroot are a bit tasteless but we have discovered a recipe for chocolate brownies using beetroot as a base and they are wonderful.

Despite having their own space in the studio, Wentworth and Gawber continue to milk their cuteness and find the warmest, comfiest spot in the house.  We generally don't have them on the furniture unless there is a throw but you can guarantee that they take no notice and sit where they so please...