Peter got Stefan and his friends out of bed at 5am to get the plastic up over the tunnel before the wind got up.  Just in time -they managed to get the ropes fixed before it got too breezy.  Now the ground will warm up really quickly during the day and we'll be able to start planting next weekend.

I was working today so Fred helped Peter to plant the Timo (early new potatoes).  Just one row of 25 seed poatatoes. 
They are covered with fleece as we will have more frosts..  

We bought a sack of Timo seed potatoes and I set them out in egg cartons to chit.  
Given how warm it is (+10C forecast for this afternoon) and the fact that the snow has melted, we are hoping to get them in the ground before Vappu (1 May).  This will hopefully guarantee a few new potatoes for Juhannus (mid-summer).  Timo is the most popular new potato in Finland.   They don't keep, their best flavour is straight from the ground into the pot.

I've had trouble getting the tomatoes to germinate, it is just not hot enough in our house (we are quite frugal with the heating), so I ended up plugging in an old radiator and sitting them on top of that for a couple of days. Now the Moneymaker are all through but no sign of Shirley so I'll probably give up on them and buy plants (as usual).  I just have to remember to buy my plants early: last year I left it way too late. 

The aubergines, peppers, herbs (except the parsley) and salad are all through.

I also repotted the artichokes that I retrieved from the root cellar. I needed huge pots as the roots are quite substantial and I didn't want to cut them down to size.

I have a rough plan for the rest.  Will start sowing the winter squash and the brassicas soon, but most of the root veg will be sown direct in situ. 

The parsley will be planted out in the vegetable garden in May.
The Little Gem lettuce will go into a raised bed in the cooler end of the polytunnel (as soon as the weather warms up)
I will keep the watercress indoors: the water needs to be changed regularly and the shoots need to be cut and used to keep the plants growing. If successful I might try growing some outdoors, in one of the springs or streams in Pojo but they would have to be protected from the wildlife! 

I have also planted some Microleaf Radish Sangria - radishes that are grown for the shoots and eaten on salads or in sandwiches (a bit like cress).  These are grown on kitchen paper on a tray and can be cut after 7-14 days.  Presumably they taste like radishes: slightly peppery.