The daring poles of May

It’s May Day weekend, the traditional harbinger of warmer months. In Cornwall it’s time to unleash the fishing boats; in agricultural areas it signifies the start of the growing season. In Harborne, it’s time to put out the sweet peas.

We bought some hazel poles from the allotment society and Matt, clever as ever, has transformed them into a sturdy home for beans and sweet peas. It took him barely any time at all and they are, I am assured, structurally sound.

He’s placed the poles at an ‘X’ shape rather than the more common ‘Y’, to allow more air and light in. I like hazel…it feels a bit pagan and Blair Witch.

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Sweetpeas in their new home

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Poles ready for beans in a few weeks

Meanwhile the lettuce, sorrel and beets seedlings have got a new home, planted out into the Greens bed. The bird protection system (i.e. fleece) is in place, at least until they all get a little bigger and can fend for themselves.

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Bird protection system

Planted out: Sorrel, beetroot, lettuce, sweetpeas, foxgloves, aquilegia

Sowed: wild flower mix, dill, sweet rocket

 

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