Bitter Vetch

The bitter vetch I planted in straw bales appears to be thriving - strong new shoots are beginning to emerge everywhere - in this photo you can see four shoots at the bottom centre poking through the bird netting. As a rule wild birds aren't a problem but a flock of chicken like to sit on the bales so it's to deter them!

If you've got seed pods ripening then aim to pick them when they start to blacken - the photo on the left shows how they ripen from the bottom of the stem upwards. Do watch out because the early season pods can get lost in the later flush of foliage. You need to keep an eye on the weather because if it's warm and dry the black pods burst and scatter their seeds - it was mild and damp when the left hand photo was taken. If it's dry and warm then be vigilant because sometimes they can go from green to brown and then burst - then the best way to tell is to feel the pods and if they feel dry and brittle pick a few and see what the seeds are like.

I've put the photo on the right in because these are beginning to turn - I'll aim to post more shots of them over the next few days so you can see how they mature.

Lovely shot of straw bale doing its stuff - Bitter Vetch has grown through the netting with mushrooms popping up in front left foreground.