After a whole week of pouring rain here in Nottingham (and most of the UK I think) it finally stopped on Sunday so I could finish the work I’d started on the veg patch 7 days ago.

If you’re wondering what I’m rambling on about see the Veg Patch Diaries #1 post.

The poor little plants that were already flagging from being left in trays in the greenhouse too long and frankly neglected by me were by now looking really sorry for themselves. The trays were just a mass of roots and the stems all floppy and pale looking. No wonder they looked so sad they’d run out of space and food.

It felt a bit like an emergency operation, having to quickly finish digging the patch, prepare a fortress of slug barriers and gently placing the various veggie plants in their new home before they die or before it started raining again - whichever happened first. I know, that’s all a bit dramatic isn’t it?

The patch digging and slug defence was relatively easy but the re-planting wasn’t, particularly with the cabbages as they’d grown so much in a confined space their leaves and stalks were intertwined and very difficult to separate without causing any damage. This is my first lesson for next year, either sew the seeds more carefully so they’re spaced apart or re-plant them in the garden much, much earlier.

Nevertheless I was determined to get them in the new patch even if it does kill them, so there they are now in rows - cabbage, spinach, broccoli, leeks and onions - looking a little less sad but not entirely happy, yet.

The indoor greenhouse re-potting was much more successful but tomatoes are easy aren’t they? Then we ran out of large pots for anything else (the peppers and cucumbers) and had to call it a day. At least the greenhouse is clear now to sew some more seed trays, next will be lettuce, asparagus (although it’s probably far too late), courgettes and more radishes. I’ve also planted an avocado stone but I’ve no idea if that has any chance of germinating, I’ll have to wait and see.