With a good balance of both rain and sunshine, lately the soil on my plot is crumbling to a fine tilthe whenever I apply the rake to it. Even on Tuesday of this week, which was a little cold and wet, the soil felt warm to touch.
French gardeners traditionally call this kind of condition “flowering“. When the soil flowers, it is perfect for raking and preparing for seed sowing. If the soil it too dry, it will either blow away if too light or become like stone if it has a high clay content. Just the right tempretures and moisture levels are required for soil flowering.
Busy time on allotment.
In the next week or so, I will be spending plenty of time on my allotment plot sowing some of my summer salad crops and a few root veg – beetroot, parsnips and turnips. I will also be sowing a few companion flowers to distract pest from my precious veg. Nasturtiums, English marigold and Californian Poppies are always good to have around your plot. I’m hoping for a good summer this year, although I’m sure I’ll pay for it with the old hay-fever.