Far Lands

. . . as in the whip-and-tongue variety (in fact I don't know any other variety). Yesterday I went on a grafting course at Harlow Carr (Harrogate) and learnt from one of the country's experts. And this morning I tried to become one of the country's amateurs. Quick recap: whip and tongue grafts are used to propogate fruit trees in Spring with buds from last year's growth and which are currently dormant. The pictures show 4 finished trees ready to be planted outside (this afternoon's job). Each one is an apple variety (these are Laxton's Superb and a wilding I really like from Reading (which I am calling 'The Big Purple')) grafted onto MM106 rootstocks. They have been sealed with beeswax (hence the old tin can in the saucepan on the stove.)

When Sarah is away, as she was for a few days last week, I usually try to do something in the garden for her to spot when she comes home. Ideally something that she wants done. This time I chose the herb garden - I lugged up some stone that I had removed from extending the veg garden, and made a small wall. And I beavered away for a few days weeding and cutting back. The lovage is just showing its head - this spicy, rampant herb becomes my greenery (needs a good boil) at the end of the 'hungry gap' and before the salads have come on line. My neighbour watched my progress each day, and asked (every day) 'Are you on a promise, James?' Sarah is now home, and I have been avoiding my neighbour. She will want a result!

They are easy to grow (and propagate), expensive to buy and they taste totally different to watery, insipid shop-bought fruit. So, at the weekend we re-vamped our strawberry planter. Last time we did it I was too mean to buy the correct compost and sand mix so the plants struggled. This time we followed the instructions carefully: stones at the bottom, and then a 3:1 compost to coarse sand mix. Then we planted thirty-two plug plants that we had grown from runners last year. (Never buy more than about 6 plants - after a year or two these will provide enough runners to fill a full-size planter.) To complete the perfect bowl of Summer strawberries we are of course relying on Murray to do his stuff at Wimbledon . . .

Some of you may remember a month ago when I went to Tyn Dwr and took some rooted blackberry cuttings (see post 154). I looked at them yesterday morning and was not that hopeful, but I dug a hole and filled it with compost regardless. Removing the cutting from its pot was a revelation - it was already pot-bound! In only 4 weeks, and cold, wet weeks too, it had grown a good system of roots. Really, Sarah should be eating her hat, or perhaps her boots this time!