It has been raining for some time.

It has been raining off and on since 8 pm last night.  This cannot be a bad thing.

I just hope that it is not going to decide to rain for the whole month now.  It wouldn't be a bad thing because the ground is so dry but it will encourage the wild flower and grass seedlings not to mention the slugs and snails.  I don't mind this either just so long as I can get onto the allotment to do a little weeding.

I will have to get some more Nemaslug because it is over 6 weeks ago that I applied the last batch.  I need to remember to get some turnip seeds to grow an enormous turnip.  I am not going to put a full row in but do half and half with some radish.

The allotment looking south in 1982

 I have found another old photograph of my allotment  in February 1982.  It is not as bad as I remember it.  So, I will have  had it exactly thirty years in September this year.

It seems that it is official now that plants need a large community of micro organisms to protect them from pathogens.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-05/dbnl-ita050511.php

Something that I have been trying to develop in my allotment soil for years now.  Maybe they will look at the research done on Terra Preta soils and put the two bodies of information together to understand why these soils are so productive.  The capture and continuous recycling of carbon through the bodies of countless micro organisms must enhance the soils ability to be a sink for carbon.

The dearth of micro organisms in a soil that has been constantly fertilised with inorganic fertiliser must be worrying to anyone growing crops, whatever they are.  The contrasting soil with ample organic matter full of micro organisms and larger invertebrates cannot be seen as anything but the most ideal for growing in.

I have planted out the ridge cucumbers and the Hunter squashes.  They were just watered in with comfrey liquid.  I made a raised area for the squashes out of the compost.  I don't know if this makes any difference but it means that they have a lot of compost to grow in.

I also planted Oasis turnip and radish in the brassicae bed.  The turnip is supposed to taste like melon.  I await the experience.

I have ordered some more Nemaslug from Unwin's so lets see how long it takes for them to deliver.