The weeds are starting to grow so the soil must be warming up but ...

The soil still feels cold  on the allotment. When hand weeding the shallots and onions today I could not help but notice how cold the soil still is. The weeds are germinating but there will not be much growth happening with some of the things planted at the veggie plot until the soil warms up.

Two of the three artichokes planted at the allotment last summer have survived the winter. I think the third has expired, it seems to have just rotted away. The other two where better protected from the elements as they had old window frames balanced on bricks over them to shield and protect them.

The plum tree looks like it will have less blossom this year. I was too generous with feeding it last year. I surrounded the tree base with a plentiful supply of horse muck. Now we have a lot of leaves on the tree and less blossom than usual. They say you live and learn, just have to remember not to repeat the mistake this year.

The other fruit trees are getting ready to blossom the buds are there and should open at the next bit of warmth from a sunny day.

 I have two apple trees, one a rescue tree and one is still a baby really just about 3' tall.  I also have a cherry tree there, it is not very big but it looks like it  may bloom for the first time this year.  It had a bit of a shock to begin with and so sulked for the past two years. I had planted it in the wrong place and had to move it after a few months. So last year it just did that thing where you cannot tell if it is going to give up or grow. It has now started to show signs of settling in to its new place on the plot.

Rhubarb is now growing fast enough for me to pick some each time I visit the allotment. The leaves are chopped off and thrown into the compost bin. When I get back home the rhubarb is washed and then cooked up and stored in the fridge. I like rhubarb with porridge for breakfast in the mornings.