30th April, 2008. In the Kitchen Garden, the weather in April was much better. Total rainfall for the month was about 3.5in/90mm.
The bullfinches arrived early this year, mid-January. Last year I had purchased, but not planted out, many fruit trees so, when the bullfinches arrived, I decided to put the trees in a spare polytunnel (we don't need them all now since retiring from business). I don't know how the trees will do but at least the fruit buds will not be eaten. I expect pollination will be a problem so we will hand-pollinate them using a grey squirrel tail from my fly-tying days. Apricots and peaches are flowering now and plums about to. There are also pears, apples and cherries. **Update - most of the trees flowered well and pollination has been at least partly successful whereas the very large plum tree outside the tunnel lost every blossom to the bullfinches**.
Vegetable plants are growing well in the glasshouse and the tomatoes will be planted out in a week or two. Broad beans and onion sets have already been planted outdoors and the tunnels are being prepared for the new season crops.
The remaining veg in the tunnels is starting to bolt so there will be a gap in production which we hope to rectify for next spring by growing more winter crops in the tunnels.
For more plant details see - This month in the garden at Ardtornish
Wildlife This month's highlights were the return of greenfinches, goldfinches and siskins to the feeders. Also coal tits which are less frequent than the others. The greenfinches are great jessies and allow the siskins and blue tits to bully the off the feeder despite them being twice the size.
The first cuckoo was heard about a week ago and willow, wood and garden warblers are heard daily.
We have been concentrating on sorting out the kitchen garden at the weekends to the detriment of our strolls down the lochside so I am not sure what is going on there.
The bird feeders are still in use from first to last light. Great-spotted woodpeckers are chasing one another off the peanut feeder.
Here are some of my recent pictures.
Left to right and top to bottom:-