That list of things to do

Throughout this week it has been wet, cold and windy. So I concentrated on greenhouse activities, vaguely adhering to our list of jobs for April:

• the floppy cauliflower All the Year Round seedlings were transplanted into bigger pots - 18 became 12;
• there are now six biggish pots of Borlotti beans, two to a pot - eight more seeds to sow later;
• seven butternut squash seeds are inhabiting six peat pots - as an experiment, don't ask why;
• 18 peat pots contain one beetroot Boltardy seed each;
• campanula seeds were sown - about 100 to a tray;
• carrot Mini Finger - about 20 seeds to a tallish pot;
• Russian taragon - an accident led to all of the 350 or so mini-mini-minuscule seeds falling into the prepared tray ... really sorry, it just happened;
• hyssop - the seeds of this herb are absolutely tiny - about 10 in each of 18 small peat pots;
• sage - 18 small peat pots, one seed each;
• eringium alpinum 'Superbum' (impulse buy, photo on packet what did it) - used all 50 flower seeds as instructions said sow by end March;
• celeriac Monarch first batch - checked success rate with Bowler D before dumping on asparagus bed;
• celeriac Monarch second batch - 100 seeds to a tray;
• planted 16 Centurion onion;
• nasturtium dwarf mix - six small peat pots, one seed each;
• sunflower Black Magic - four tall pots, two seeds each;
• basil Sweet Green second batch - 14 seeds to a tray;
• lettuce Little Gem - 18 small peat pots, one seed per pot;
• sweetcorn Xtra Early - nine 8 cm peat pots, one per pot (despite D's advice - sow four per 3" pot as for toms as the success rate is one in four);
• herby salad leaves mix - 60 seeds in a large pot.

At the end of all that, there was no room left for any more pots or seed trays. What's more, the greenhouse was getting crowded in other ways; something was eating the courgettes and leaving a slimy trail. I moved the tray containing the six courgette pots to the greenhouse upper staging but to no avail; it (or they? Help!) continued to munch away, albeit carefully finishing off one leaf before starting to nibble another. I finally found a tiny slug clinging to the bottom of the tray. There is no point being sentimental: it is no more. Three courgette plants remain untouched, the other three look desperately mutilated. I'm not sure whether to salvage or dump.

Venturing outside in that easterly wind, more devastation. Something was eating the first batch of broad beans. "Pest control - research" was going to be one of our tasks for April and yet here we are, the little beasts are calling the shots already. I asked Bowler D for advice. He inspected the beans and the way in which tiny bites are being taken all around the edge of the bean leaves, then said he didn't know because he doesn't like broad beans but would ask chef T. In the interim, I sprayed the beans with organic garlic spray. The next day, the situation had not deteriorated so, for good measure, I used the spray on the larger seedlings in the greenhouse. It's harmless to all and sundry but the smell apparently puts the nasties off their dinner. Just as I'd sprayed, there was a visit from R from the Killing Fields, two plots away. He did not comment on the all-pervasive aroma but advised Pak Choi needs to be sown now or much later in the year.

When it brightened up a bit, eight second early potato tubers (Vivaldi) were planted in a bed which had previously been covered with cardboard to warm up the soil. I really wasn't sure about doing this as the soil did not feel particularly warm. But did it anyway. Finally, I got out the hoe and tackled the onion and garlic beds, weeded the (still empty) potato beds and removed the larger weeds from two beds covered in green manure rye.

Did I mention colleague A is away this week? Well, I have discovered it's less fun having to make all these really quite major decisions about life and death all on my own. On the positive side though, there is the rocket. I harvested two generous portions. Absolutely scrumptious tossed with sun-blushed tomatoes and garlic. Bowler D praised our efforts so far. He predicted we'll harvest "three or four things". Three or four?!