Rhubarb Starts.

Great bedfellows… rhubarb and manure.

I was in two minds as to what to do with the rhubarb plants in my old allotment. I needed to move them to my new plot and wondered should I use the traditional method of dividing the plants OR dig up as much of each plant as possible to transplant? Because I want to get a harvest this year I decided to go with the latter. Dividing the rhubarb would have meant no pulling of stems till next year because the new plants need time to get established. Anyway, they are in their new bed now with plenty of manure to keep them company.

Other news on the plot is that the shallots are looking very healthy and the onions, while not as showy, are doing well in the company of a surprising amount of weeds.

Shallots.

Weeds & onions.

A splash of colour.

Time to go home.

Making a bed.

Before.

Spent a half hour at the plot this morning putting in a new bed and doing a bit of digging. When I arrived I scared off a male pheasant from a neighbouring plot and what I think were four grouse from a plot further down the hill. The grouse were happily feeding away until they saw me coming and then flew off to the cover of long grass in a nearby field. I will try to sneak up on them next time and get some photos.

I had just about finished filling the new raised bed with a mixture of manure, compost and soil when it started to rain. That’s why the pic below is so shaky – I was in a hurry to get going after yesterday’s deluge. I have two more beds to lay this week and then I can start planting my garlic and onion sets.

After…  Spot the difference?