May (May Day (http://projectbritain.com/year/may.htm))

"A swarm of bees in May 

Is worth a load of hay; 

A swarm of bees in June 

Is worth a silver spoon; 

A swarm of bees in July 

Is not worth a fly."

Overwintered Marigolds - - - - -

12 May: We haven't had opportunity to work at the allotment recently.  The month started with bad weather, then when the soil was dry enough we had masses of work to do at the house, getting it ready for viewing by prospective purchasers.  Then I went away visiting for a few days.

baby lettuce plants with onion sets behind

Now I'm back we've just had two busy afternoons at the allotment.  It's amazing how the weeds have grown in our absence - a mixture of plenteous rain and sunshine - just what plants (and weeds) love.

I've spent a lot of time hoeing and weeding, adding the good stuff to the compost heap and putting the 'stroil' aside for drowning and/or burning - and in the process stamped on a legion of snails who've taken up residence in the spinach (see above).

 strawberry flower

 comfrey plants

 potatoes

It's time to sow seeds, in fact rather late for many, but 'better late than never' now the soil's lovely and warm.

This week I've sowed brassicas, tomatoes and aubergines in the greenhouse and will soon plant some peppers.  Earlier sweet corn and cucubits were sown inside, along with beetroot and Swiss chard at the allotment.  The beetroot and chard have yet to show themselves so must remember not to hoe over their areas by mistake.

shallots

Sunday 13 May: More hoeing and forking over. Planted a row of peas - better late than never, so they say.  It's surprising how hard the ground is in some places, even though the soil's pretty moist underneath.
The first broad bean pods are starting to form so have pinched out the succulent broad bean tops. Picked more calabrese, although they are running to flower quicker than we can pick them.  The bees love it.
Monday, 28 May: So long since I've written on here but that doesn't mean nothing's happened.  We've been up weeding and picking.  The spinach has now gone to seed unfortunately, ditto the broccoli which is quite a disappointment as last year we were eating them right through the summer.  I put most of that down to neglect with sorting out the house.
Today I picked broad beans and leeks and made a sort of stir fry with some butternut squash, with couscous and lentils, yum.




The front garden on a sunny day:

Old Wives' Lore for Gardeners

I've just found Old Wives' Lore for Gardeners by Maureen & Bridget Boland which has many useful tips, such as:


"Candlemas Day stick beans in the clay,
Throw candle and candlestick right away.


The second part of this admonition may not have been magical so much as economical in intent: the thrify Old Wife perhaps considered that by 2nd February one should not need candlelight to get up by, dinner would have been eaten at three o'clock, the evening stew, already prepared, could be eaten by firelight, and one should go to bed early and certainly not read in bed.


Roll seeds of beans and peas in paraffin to deter mice."

Another interesting quote:
"Every Old Wife will tell you to sow see and to transplant only with a waxing, never a waning moon. The scientists have now caught up with this ... "


And, finally:


Sow Seed Generously
One for the rook, one for the crow, 
One to die and one to grow.

There are lots of copies of this book on Amazon 

priced from very cheaply to collectors' copies.