Monday - sowed Enorma Runner Beans around frame in plot six and more french beans to the south of it in plot 6 to replace the ones lost to frost. Also sowed another batch of sweetcorn (Tyson) and courgettes (Black Beauty) in individual pots (about a dozen of each). Using tractor to collect 2 dustbins full or water at a time from the stream - about 6 buckets in each so around 120 litres at a time - 12+ watering cans. Two loads most days.

Tuesday was overcast in the early morning so cracked on with mowing around the bottom and plums. Noticed all young/small trees very stressed - oaks particularly. Sowed 1/2 row Nantes carrots and 1/2 of white gem Parsnip and 1 row red and white onions in plot 4. Used salad burnet as a marker in the parsnip row. Managed to tip the water trailer over on way to do the currants - mustn't pull in over bumpy ground!

Wednesday Sunny again - found a seed sachet labelled MelMel - presumably some kind of melon from last year so sowed them. Planted out the LaviGal melons (4 of them survived) into the S corners of the tunnel. Manually watered currants and blueberries.

Thursday - possibly a very light shower last night. Mowing around cherries and chestnuts and down to the willows.

Friday - definitely a small shower last night but sunny again in the morning. Did peening and work on tractor house frame. Elderflowers are out (not fully open). Picked more Salad Bowl lettuce.

Saturday - mowed across to quinces

Today raking up grass and planted out the second batch of sweetcorn which were in the tunnel when the frosts hit - sowed runner beans between the rows. For some reason two of the first batch managed to survive the frosts when all the others were killed off, I wonder why. Picked 1st strawberry - delicious.