>

Spent much of the weekend getting plants in even though it was so hot. Now have potatoes, shallots and onions sets in. Also sweetcorn, dwarf beans and artichoke plants plus carrots, french beans and radish seeds. Even managed to get the black, red and white currents, gooseberry bush and rhubarb corm in place.

Experimenting with a stone mulch to keep moisture in and protect roots from sun. Used much of the comfrey as a trench filler,

If the scorching weather continues will consider grape vines, tomatoes and chillies!

Now for watering – my 9 year old son proved to be an gold medal waterer. Only when I started did I realise how heavy the can was.