I planted my first Christmas present today. I was thinking a few days ago that I should do what some gardening correspondent suggested – plant some fruit trees. If we have enough space it is much better to grow something that is either too difficult to buy or too expensive. Vegetables like potatoes or onions are quite cheap to buy but soft fruit or fruit in general is more expensive.

I had a look at my plots on the allotment and decided I had enough space for two more fruit trees. As a coincidence one of the seed companies I use advertised bare root trees and they had a special offer too. Exactly what I wanted. I have been looking to  buy a greengage and here it was. And one more that I didn’t ever hope to get, a mirabelle.

The roots had to be soaked before planting. I had to cut the supports so the trees had enough time in the water.

Fortunately I cleared this strip of land only a few days ago so it was all ready. I remembered to dig a square hole – in a round hole the roots tend to follow the shape and don’t spread out where as in a square hole they tend  to reach out into the corners.

The two trees were delivered today, my very first Christmas present from Frank. Never mind the weather, they had to  be planted. It was very overcast when I went to the allotment and the rain started as I was half-way through but I finished – it is only water after all. Now they can settle in and start growing.

By now it was raining quite hard so I sat in the greenhouse with a cup of tea and noticed that the little chilli plant still  had some fruit on. This one is called Biquinho, it is not really hot, very nice to eat fresh from the plant.