More February frustration

I had some autumn sown broad beans that were desperately in need of planting out and with the weather forecast to be sunshine and showers I resolved to head to the allotment early in order to take advantage of a dry spell. To some degree this was against my better judgement, we’ve had a lot of rain and the weather is predicted to turn much colder over the next few days. Not ideal planting conditions but not only were they outgrowing their pots but I needed the pots in order to start my next batch of beans.

I arrived at the allotment and opened the shed to discover that my wellies were missing, I’d taken them home to do something in the garden I remembered. With the clouds menacingly dark I didn’t want to waste time by returning home for them so I had no choice but to squeeze my size eight feet into my wife’s pink size six wellies and get on with it. Well there was nobody else around.

This season’s legumes are to be planted in an old strawberry bed and there was a bit of clearing to do before I could get planting and by the time that was done the first heavy drops of rain were falling - I persevered.

With a sturdy plank across the raised bed I was able to plant without standing on the soil which, although wet, was not quite as bad as I thought it might be. I had barely started to plant when the skies opened, I was drenched in seconds and was soon forced to give up. As I retreated from the plot, I carelessly stepped on the end of the plank which see-sawed sending me tumbling onto the muddy grass path. I sat there in my soaking wet coat, muddy jeans and pink wellington boots for a few moments, recovering from my fall and contemplating how frustrating gardening can be at times. It reminded me of a scene from the 1970’s sitcom The Good Life.

Once sufficiently composed, I picked myself up and squelched forlornly to the shed where I found I’d left my shoes outside and they were filling with rain.

By the time I’d packed my tools away, put the beans back in the car, swapped the pink wellingtons for my wet shoes and found something to protect the car seat from my muddy jeans the sun was out again so, only slightly reluctantly, I decided to return to the planting.

A little later, and without further incident, the planting was complete. The soil was somewhat wetter than it had been earlier, and I hoped I was doing the right thing turning those beans out of their comfortable pots into the cold wet soil. Nevertheless I assured them it was all for the best and left them there with much the same sort of feelings as I had on the day I dropped my son off at his university accommodation for the first time. But the beans were planted so it was a satisfactory end to a frustrating morning.