Catch cropping

I've had the plot for 7 weeks now and despite lots of steady progress I'm still nowhere close to reaping the fruits of my labours. With that in mind last night I planted some quick growing "catch crops" of radish and little gem lettuce. The hope is that both will be ready in only six weeks, maybe less. I've planted them in the rows between onions and gave them a bit of compost to help them along. I'll try sowing a row every couple of weeks from now on to ensure a continuous supply throughout summer.

I also used my hose pipe for the second time ever to fill my three water butts. It worked really well and 2400 pumps later (yes I was counting!) they were all done. Just as I'd completed them Helen arrived which meant I could use the pipe to water all the squash and pumpkins near the entrance of the plot. It pumps so much water its amazing and as I've always been the one cranking the handle I've never seen the far end. All plants got at least a buckets-worth each which should really help them along.

Sadly as I was leaving I noticed one of the water butt taps had a small leak. I decided to stop it by tweaking the tap and after I'd "fixed" it it had a big leak....oops :) So emergency measures called into place and the butt got emptied straight away to saving losing the water to the weeds. By the end of it I must have watered nearly all the plot. Its hard work but so satisfying and all from natural well resources. Great stuff