Refreshed Strawberry bed

After a bit of thought (wondering whether to leave as was for a 2nd season & let nature take it's course, or refresh & replant) I decided to dig out & replant the strawberry bed, propagate some new plants & get rid of all the runners & dead leaves etc.

So I now have a refreshed & renewed bed of healthy 2nd year plants that should crop well this summer.

I also have 25+ strong new plants that I plan to put up in long trays in full sun on the patio as trailing plants off the ground to avoid slugs & snails.

et voila.... l'asperge!

Noted on a lunchtime stroll around the garden was this, the first sign of an asparagus crop! I know I won't get a great harvest as this was only planted a year ago (almost to the day!), but nice to see it doing well.

The potatoes & garlic are also showing already, the warm soil temperature is helping quite a bit, I just hope that the threatened colder snap next week won't knock everything back!

Finally able to get into the garden....

Last weekend I finally managed to start preparing for some work in the garden, a bit of tidying up, digging over the raised beds, removing the old strawberry plants ready for sorting & re-planting & I even managed to mow the lawn. The first crop of forced rhubarb was had last week as well, just lightly stewed with some Demerera sugar & a vanilla pod.

Today I have planted my chitted Red Duke of York potatoes. Fingers crossed for a good crop, they were wonderful eating last year so have planted a couple more, some garlic & horseradish went in today as well, then rain stopped play.