7 Jan 2012 - transplanting done

 You wouldn't believe how sunny it was today!  Made the most of it by digging up, moving and transplanting the asparagus (which my boss thought was a sentence he would never hear in his lifetime!) and the fruit bushes and rhubarbs.

First job, how to get the plants in the car................. Well, as I always say, if it doesn't fit,

force it!

At the new allotment, I introduced the plants to their "area".  At the front is the asparagus, the back is 2 rhubarb, 2 gooseberry (one green, one red), blueberry, redcurrant and boysenberry.

 

After some serious digging, which I wasn't expecting to have to do with covered beds, I had made room for the asparagus.  

Also a bit nerve-wracking, I had decided they looked a bit like either an Ood or the innards of a Dalek, then the windmill decided to do a wupping sound to the beat of four!!!  Nervous now, in the middle of nowhere, expecting the Master to turn up.  (If you don't watch Dr Who, ignore this comment, or start watching it!)  

These asparagus were 2 years old when we first planted them, so they are just about to start their 5th year.  We would possibly have been able to harvest some this year, but I'm not sure now.  I've replanted them using the same instructions as originally given, so they are now spaced out more than when they were dug up.

Asparagus transplanted

Then I got to planting the fruit bushes at the front of the asparagus.  Perhaps I should mention that the reason for lots of digging was because for some bizarre unknown reason, the whole bed appears to be for horseradish!  AAAARRRRGGHHHH!

At the back is the gooseberries, then the redcurrant and blueberry.  There is room for one more fruit bush and the spacing is really generous.  If they don't grow much, then I guess I could put in a 6th one next year.

Gooseberry, Redcurrant & Blueberry

The boysenberry is happy now, planted at the back - beside the beans, but planted so that it will grow behind itself, with the other brambles & blackberries.  Mike was honoured to be given one boysenberry last year....they are divine and all MINE, MINE, MINE!!!

Boysenberry (a purple berry, a bit like a tayberry, or loganberry x blackberry) - but better!

Our two rhubarb crowns (in the back tyres) joined the one already there, plus the escapee outside the tyres!  Rhubard crumble, here we come!  I made some really nice rhubarb and apple jam last time, will have to dig out the recipe again - yum.

I was surprised to see how quickly the raspberry canes had reacted to being pruned last weekend, we've got new growth already!  Also, the garlic has started coming up, but too small to photograph.  No sign of broadbeans yet, but fingers crossed I wasn't too late.  The strawberries haven't died after their move either.

4 rhubarb crowns

Raspberry canes