Damned if it didn’t stop raining… briefly

cauliflower seedlingsO frabjous day! Callooh Callay! It stopped raining!

We have an extraordinary 48-hr sunshine window. Can’t pretend it’s warm – 14C max – but at least it’s not pissing. I’ve enjoyed the first productive gardening day in a month.

asparagus shootsThe cauliflowers are in, and even the asparagus has appeared. At last. Not in time to save the UK asparagus festival, but better late than never.

Jeez, but things look and feel so different in the sunshine. One sees proper colours again, the way God intended… not the washed out, bleached, deathly pallor of life under leaden skies.

We’re back to rain on Monday, but the break has felt like a holiday.

9 Responses to “Damned if it didn’t stop raining… briefly”

  1. Tanya Walton Says:

    We have nice weather to SM…again for us it first said only a couple of days…however they are now saying that Monday could be dry too…here’s hoping!!

  2. young at heart Says:

    I see dead plants……when ever I try to grow things……but last year my gardener got me to grow some things in pots and I had some tomatoes and corriander and rocket and radishes. This year I have already eaten sage, chives, rocket and spinach from my ‘garden’ and although the beansand peas are yet to emerge I see radishes!!

  3. VP Says:

    Good to see you happy for once Soilman 🙂

    Sods law has decreed that I’m in bed with a temperature of 102 whilst its lovely and sunny. I’m sure when the rain comes back tomorrow I’ll be feeling fine again.

  4. Soilman Says:

    Poor you! What a misery….

  5. Kevin Says:

    P.S. Soilman. Is that two asparagi sticking up from the ground in the photo, or you giving a defiant salute to the rain whilst buried?

  6. Soilman Says:

    Ha ha, Kevin. Certainly sums up my feelings about the Spring so far…

  7. 5olly Says:

    it’s been rubbish down here in the south as well. the asparagus is up at least but we’re not allowed to eat it. 🙁

  8. Says:

    My asparagus never did put in an appearance, even though I thought I was following the instructions laid out on your highly entertaining video. Maybe I should have planted them in that layer of dirt on my keyboard.

  9. Soilman Says:

    Quite a common problem with asparagus crowns is that they’re already dried out and dead by the time you get them. My neighbour put in a whole load in exactly the right way – I watched him! – and only half ever appeared. From which you have to conclude that the roots themselves were ‘dud’.

    It’s important to interrogate your supplier about freshness and the max time between the asparagus roots being dug up at the nursery and your receiving them (at the shop or in the mail). If it’s more than about 48 hrs, they’ll be drying out and dying…