tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89838987675344283852024-03-18T09:48:09.721+00:00The Urban Veg PatchGrowing my own food and flowers with a balcony, a few pots and a tiny urban plot. Grown not flown; always learning.Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.comBlogger547125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-70192248764816897742024-03-10T13:57:00.001+00:002024-03-10T13:57:53.279+00:00And sow it begins - an early March update<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutEF2X1RKCHDqZnqkbyo4WUNgmupvtYo_xJYj-cPojn7TocqbzdgFzpJejZmC9yltyUuCB_xdNOEb6PKs0rVYg23UjJQbXVL0ukXVXvI4BYUPfgZxjwxBvGR1UoAxp0m8RX7sBN3Bx9MjFbBxBJFy6GLmkP5LZzn8FNFZvc1Z2Tyi0NVumne8NlZmrJI/s3024/IMG_0510.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutEF2X1RKCHDqZnqkbyo4WUNgmupvtYo_xJYj-cPojn7TocqbzdgFzpJejZmC9yltyUuCB_xdNOEb6PKs0rVYg23UjJQbXVL0ukXVXvI4BYUPfgZxjwxBvGR1UoAxp0m8RX7sBN3Bx9MjFbBxBJFy6GLmkP5LZzn8FNFZvc1Z2Tyi0NVumne8NlZmrJI/s320/IMG_0510.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Tulips have started to flower already!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Today I've been wondering why spring is called spring. Yes, I know, my brain frequently flies off at a tangent. The answer should be obvious but I love a bit of etymology. In Old English 'spring' meant a welling up of water, a wellspring ... rather than a falling down of water from the sky as is the case today! The word also meant to arise, gush or burst forth which is certainly the case with my garden this year. </div><p>It's a fabulous season, from the daffodils and violets blooming to the whole garden visibly coming back to life. But it's the magic held in a few packets of seeds that holds the power to excite. I love every stage of the process from sowing the seeds, the thrill of seeing them germinate and then nurturing my plant babies into maturity. (And then, of course, eating some of them. Although I often find the plants so beautiful that I can hardly bear to denude the garden of their loveliness.)</p><p>So, on that basis, February was pretty exciting despite torrents of rain; the winter was relatively mild here in the UK south so February saw the first seeds being sown here in Veg Patch Villas. </p><p>I poopoo-ed the advice of the 'experts' telling me not to sow until mid March. I worked on the assumption that if it all failed, I would have time to start again. So ... into little Jiffy coir pellets on Valentine's Day went seeds of tomato, chilli, aubergine, and lunchbox cucumbers. Cosmos and courgettes were sown in the last days of February and Tagetes (marigolds), leeks and physalis (Cape Gooseberry) were started in module trays in the first week of March. </p><p>Outside, at the beginning of February, I filled the gaps between overwintered parsley and chervil in the Veg Trugs with spinach and radish - both of which are coming along nicely. The soil in the Veg Trugs is fairly free draining so the seeds probably enjoyed the regular downpours and sheltered location. I've not grown spinach in early spring before (who knew it was so hardy!) but it's worth doing as it will bolt more readily in hot weather. Another lesson learned. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5fGHvm3uYio__CdYf7rVHntJCVkcgDuMkAwQsK6EMiw_Unxmsb4IX7Sc-PE7j0AYWth0zDxcsSdTqy2FA9UfxqFjj3nZe13s7TfYW5W3Tw2b4Fk9wVv3pW-RuKUAN2Aw4IURhbhj4nbfLJsXdacEAk626WRbtzEHDr2lB8_qco3kLSugdaEkyA6GFkVI/s1280/IMG_0488.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Vegetables growing in a soil border" border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="1280" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5fGHvm3uYio__CdYf7rVHntJCVkcgDuMkAwQsK6EMiw_Unxmsb4IX7Sc-PE7j0AYWth0zDxcsSdTqy2FA9UfxqFjj3nZe13s7TfYW5W3Tw2b4Fk9wVv3pW-RuKUAN2Aw4IURhbhj4nbfLJsXdacEAk626WRbtzEHDr2lB8_qco3kLSugdaEkyA6GFkVI/w400-h288/IMG_0488.jpeg" title="Broad beans planted out early March" width="400" /></a></div><br />Broad beans that I sowed into pots at the beginning of December and germinated on my balcony were planted out at the end of February - all sturdy little plants that have survived a few deluges in the past week. Regular checks show no slug damage ... so far so good.<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj60iy68cyJc9DDWATaYHhv22zGmt0Uz04IpFD9BL6POFCTBsa8LQJRRBqnTbYWtP2vNCT327m2aQUzp7pNUO8Mr3ilw7UrLEyjLqUrzt6pRmYmRCO45P7ayla49SyP07UVABWMGTMT1M1QkPcTPnVQTbhUK7esuuQBguuvlh3fH-Oaq5qSl9Mz4PpzL1U/s4032/IMG_0211.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2200" data-original-width="4032" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj60iy68cyJc9DDWATaYHhv22zGmt0Uz04IpFD9BL6POFCTBsa8LQJRRBqnTbYWtP2vNCT327m2aQUzp7pNUO8Mr3ilw7UrLEyjLqUrzt6pRmYmRCO45P7ayla49SyP07UVABWMGTMT1M1QkPcTPnVQTbhUK7esuuQBguuvlh3fH-Oaq5qSl9Mz4PpzL1U/w400-h219/IMG_0211.heic" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pea and Sweet Pea seedlings enjoying a spot of high-rise sunshine.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Lastly, as I reckon peas are fairly hardy and I had a spare set of root trainers, I sowed 32 tall pea seeds (Champion of England from DT Brown) on the 23rd Feb - they're now a couple of inches tall (fast growers!) and have escaped any hungry mice that would have devoured the seeds if sown direct into the soil.</p><p>I'll plant those peas out next week and sow another patch of peas (Kelvedon Wonder, a short pea) towards the end of the month, together with another round of broad bean seeds. This time, the Crimson flowered variety; I sowed white and crimson flowered beans next to each other a few years ago and had some very beautiful variations in the flowers as the bees cross pollinated the plants! That, in my view, is what keeps things interesting. </p><p>The next job will be potting on my tomatoes. Those little three week old seedlings already have their first set of true leaves so I want to bury the stems a bit and give them more root room. It will be a while before they're ready to go out into the shelter of my balcony so burying the stems will strengthen the plants and reduce any etiolation.</p><p>And then I'll have to find space for germinating the next round of seeds indoors; I'll be adding kales, beetroot and broccoli to my seed starting station (aka my breakfast table). But, you never know, by mid March the soil may well be warm enough to sow direct outdoors. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitmPoycrOZ_F9Cqw1dhko5KAfp2IMbr9DtWGEwYno4vfYV1_yncbD2xEavVgGun2hQowBybZ9XLf0fZqeUiYVHzYWxisanwNgCIHgTKTV9dHdtfUEycPYlr-JZKdsfBMX6u0iQb4FGhaEz6AOS5tT19JT_gTXqkHdWOzx2tSGYUI2UjzaFQciv5MKKi2M/s4032/oOnc4qZDQ46lL%252hYQYJ8w.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Green leaves of wild garlic growing in spring" border="0" data-original-height="2529" data-original-width="4032" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitmPoycrOZ_F9Cqw1dhko5KAfp2IMbr9DtWGEwYno4vfYV1_yncbD2xEavVgGun2hQowBybZ9XLf0fZqeUiYVHzYWxisanwNgCIHgTKTV9dHdtfUEycPYlr-JZKdsfBMX6u0iQb4FGhaEz6AOS5tT19JT_gTXqkHdWOzx2tSGYUI2UjzaFQciv5MKKi2M/w400-h251/oOnc4qZDQ46lL%252hYQYJ8w.jpg" title="Wild garlic growing with Ajuga reptant" width="400" /></a></div><br />Down in the veg patch, milder temperatures are having a noticeable effect. Wild garlic is ready to be harvested, as is chard and broccoli - and, no, I haven't finished digging up the Jerusalem Artichokes. I've taken a couple of half bucketfuls to a friend who adores the tubers, makes a fine soup from them (must get that recipe!) and isn't troubled by the gurgling gastronomic consequences of eating them. <p></p><p>What I have done though is cleared a lot of the self seeded violets, feverfew, and forget-me-nots to create space for more food growing. Plants to encourage pollinators will now have to be interspersed with veg as companion plants which is definitely a good thing and in true cottage garden style. </p><p>One useful and timely tip for a companion plant is that garlic has a beneficial relationship with strawberries. Thank you Ben from Grow Veg YouTube channel - he mentioned this tip in his Strawberry Masterclass video. I've been sorting out my strawberry bed as I didn't give it enough attention last year; this year I've cut off old leaves, transplanted the plants from last years runners, given it all a sprinkling of blood, fish and bone to boost the soil and will now plant my module grown garlic in between the strawberry plants. And then, as usual, I'll surround the plants with a layer of Strulch - the straw mulch that gradually composts down to benefit the soil and that will also protect my strawberries from slugs and snails in the summer. </p><p>So, as ever … onwards! </p><p>Happy gardening 👩🌾 </p>Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-29623610460315089602024-03-07T15:25:00.001+00:002024-03-07T15:25:39.990+00:00Travels with my Clematis<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83aDwiZxEbAeaeARTmoyqejCiT38-1qo_kM12pgZMHXQ0LK8vhGOoXeGPHGaah8LIYOPIBI_nkurB6jOxyqAkP54sFkALvQ5_uXZZ3IUCnxl_3j9IOLKy2O8OBaSCHjwfkJrtjM7VyczTGRtW1L77kAa2E82tWY-4_ZKpKDWWMN3OOp2Y76cOzxynAB4/s640/IMG_0192.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83aDwiZxEbAeaeARTmoyqejCiT38-1qo_kM12pgZMHXQ0LK8vhGOoXeGPHGaah8LIYOPIBI_nkurB6jOxyqAkP54sFkALvQ5_uXZZ3IUCnxl_3j9IOLKy2O8OBaSCHjwfkJrtjM7VyczTGRtW1L77kAa2E82tWY-4_ZKpKDWWMN3OOp2Y76cOzxynAB4/w640-h480/IMG_0192.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br span="" style="text-align: left;" />A couple of weeks back I braved the evening rush hour commute on London’s Underground with a rather beautiful and very tall purple clematis bobbing about under my arm. I let four crowded trains go by before I could get on board and even then struggled to gain enough space for me and my precious plant. It was worth the effort though - that gorgeous plant was gifted from The Guernsey Clematis Nursery via the Garden Press Event where I had spent many happy and worthwhile hours during the day. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">🌿🌿 🌿 🌿 🌿</div><div><span style="text-align: left;">The Garden Press Event is an annual gathering where the garden media (bloggers, journos, podcasters and other interested parties) get to explore new products, chat with the companies that created them and listen to talks by industry notables. Those talks included (among others) Huw Richards and Niall McCauley (both popular gardening YouTubers) talking about small space self sufficiency (Huw) and how to start a YouTube channel (Niall). </span><p>The event is for one day only so choices have to be made between exhibitors and talks; as a result, I missed hearing Anne Marie Powell (renowned garden designer and all round lovely person) talking about the garden she’s designed to celebrate Octavia Hill, the founder of the National Trust. That garden can be seen at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this summer. And if you want to recreate your own little piece of Sissinghurst or other National Trust gardens, Blue Diamond garden centres have teamed up with the NT to produce a range of seeds to inspire your dreams.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQ5b_1PI_DB7af2It29QX4GhVsDfWNAb17CUNMmsju3eOMJDJSnWdOqmfYAipGaJNTQp6Eyt76lE1UcoJGskvJcFmcWW1bD6nJsXNWCFtEyPG7l_mFCEIloViO7pNEtoVboDUwpEvg5t7C5zwVBKPy2xVG5HEVHuKEvYGQ7InDpXjkjkKqFhnHV_7t5M/s3512/IMG_0185.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1669" data-original-width="3512" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQ5b_1PI_DB7af2It29QX4GhVsDfWNAb17CUNMmsju3eOMJDJSnWdOqmfYAipGaJNTQp6Eyt76lE1UcoJGskvJcFmcWW1bD6nJsXNWCFtEyPG7l_mFCEIloViO7pNEtoVboDUwpEvg5t7C5zwVBKPy2xVG5HEVHuKEvYGQ7InDpXjkjkKqFhnHV_7t5M/w640-h304/IMG_0185.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>... if only I had enough space for a white garden! </i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;">And, of course, it’s important to make time during the day to catch up with friends old and new! </span></span></div><p>So, all in all it was a very busy day. There’s always seeds, soil (peat free, of course) and pest control companies offering something new each year as well as an abundance of inspiration, education, garden equipment and generally useful stuff. </p><p>With my gardener’s brain fired up, and over 100 exhibitors there, these were a few of the products that piqued my interest ...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz7bSa0N_unbeDlvaHY7mphNs30j4MWbb6srOYVDuB4Ou0LFus9D_rW4CaDeHLtXxjkMjNKAFSoXNEL98bjpWF_g7URiXXhhXG2tehMYuA_6NTgOViKNu4ieT38VJoGjqd6RDljklVRqIGmcmIy0_JsaA1G3DtrFyNCkpd-a4eau47tnEg4GnNxqZbYUU/s2880/191201FD-3F24-4F94-B170-EB25C95484CE-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="2880" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz7bSa0N_unbeDlvaHY7mphNs30j4MWbb6srOYVDuB4Ou0LFus9D_rW4CaDeHLtXxjkMjNKAFSoXNEL98bjpWF_g7URiXXhhXG2tehMYuA_6NTgOViKNu4ieT38VJoGjqd6RDljklVRqIGmcmIy0_JsaA1G3DtrFyNCkpd-a4eau47tnEg4GnNxqZbYUU/s320/191201FD-3F24-4F94-B170-EB25C95484CE-COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Primeur rubber products (bottom left of photo). Made from recycled tyres, I could see the potential for using their stepping stones, patio tiles and curveable edging in a variety of situations … keeping gravel away from borders, enclosing a grassed area, marking out paths and seating areas. In fact many of those products would be very useful in both my gated garden and the veg patch.</p><p>At another stand I gazed longingly at the ever desirable tools from Niwaki. I already have one of their Hori Hori knives, and a pair of their garden snips, but am now lusting after the mini shears and a larger pruning saw. Heaven forbid if I was to go to the Niwaki shop, I’d probably empty my bank balance! </p><p>Throughout the show there was a noticeable emphasis on gardening in a changing climate, ecological awareness, peat free, sustainability and wildlife. </p><p>At the entrance I noticed new product clogs made with sea algae by French company Rochette. (Middle right of above collage.) Sadly not available until later in the year, I love that someone is finding a useful way to clean up the oceans. New gloves from Town and Country are also made from recycled ocean plastics - and very comfy they were too. My next glove purchase for sure. </p><p>Plastic free Bio Fleece made from plants also addressed the perennial problem of too much plastic in the industry. Good to know that this fleece degrades in a couple of years so gardeners don’t have to worry about yards of torn mucky plastic fleece ending up in landfill. (Something we should all be thinking about!)</p><p>Along those same lines, Hortiwool, a Staffordshire based family run company, were promoting their wool products - large naturally degradable pads for insulation, nutrition (naturally degrades to feed the soil) and hydration (keeps basket plants moist when used as a liner) ... oh yes, the pads also (allegedly) deter slugs. I might give these a try when the beans and brassicas are planted.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqX3ZKtxtcEqLXPqVtdBW_o1mp98S7EgCCTVI0Qqq8fR2kthK1sFkUzla54bubw0K595BqnZ7XxAb5Q1yLzmRBjo7v2DLMr9vfQitim-BiCAwyiSEg1K9AssCSJYfpvwPtcOPzvT_boaFPOWofPN_Tj8V8Y6bu0iPZV4D3MRGN6PnuAkqEkZjHO5uSSvQ/s2046/IMG_0173-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2046" data-original-width="1535" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqX3ZKtxtcEqLXPqVtdBW_o1mp98S7EgCCTVI0Qqq8fR2kthK1sFkUzla54bubw0K595BqnZ7XxAb5Q1yLzmRBjo7v2DLMr9vfQitim-BiCAwyiSEg1K9AssCSJYfpvwPtcOPzvT_boaFPOWofPN_Tj8V8Y6bu0iPZV4D3MRGN6PnuAkqEkZjHO5uSSvQ/w300-h400/IMG_0173-COLLAGE.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="text-align: left;">There were funky children’s gardening sets from Burton and Ball, gift sets for rose lovers from David Austen, Coco + Coir compost that also allegedly deters slugs and snails (one to watch!), box moth pheromone traps and seed collections galore to inspire visions of bountiful harvests! Mr Fothergill seeds are also launching a new coir based compressed seed compost later in the year - click on the collage pic </span><span style="text-align: left;">to read more. </span><div><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhcqmQVugUl6Zbl71xf1kV5F8oP6PZgFp7T1T0rWvgNqvY5xbv3OBVYEzmaKnB7vtK6lMVV9UHOBqJyewpV9eRwZVz93bN_bcsn9EpJJG1gYpqypj3JdHmNAb1wztOCwT3VK7PKpqcD1NIEQZ_j_pSnYzJV-hEijceIht4O3dNw__7khurcd-FlGWLhQY/s3656/IMG_0179.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2742" data-original-width="3656" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhcqmQVugUl6Zbl71xf1kV5F8oP6PZgFp7T1T0rWvgNqvY5xbv3OBVYEzmaKnB7vtK6lMVV9UHOBqJyewpV9eRwZVz93bN_bcsn9EpJJG1gYpqypj3JdHmNAb1wztOCwT3VK7PKpqcD1NIEQZ_j_pSnYzJV-hEijceIht4O3dNw__7khurcd-FlGWLhQY/s320/IMG_0179.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="text-align: left;">But as a veg grower, one of the most alluring stands for me had to be that of new heritage seed company She Grows Veg. Lucy Hutchins is well known on social media (@shegrowsveg) for the beautiful, healthy and sometimes quirky food she grows and now that expertise has been channelled into her new seed company. Lucy’s beautifully presented range offers seeds of unusual varieties of vegetables - rose chicory, pink celery, ‘Molten Fire’ amaranth and Toona sinensis, aka the Beef and Onion tree, to name just a few.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;">(<i>F</i></span><i style="text-align: center;">ind these seeds at <a href="http://www.shegrowsveg.com">www.shegrowsveg.com</a>)</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="text-align: center;"><br /></i></div><div><span style="text-align: left;">Despite already buying all the seeds I need for the season ahead, I think I might have to create a whole new list! Tempting for all growers but Lucy has found that her seeds are appealing to a style conscious youthful market. It’s a beautiful range and Lucy’s enthusiasm and background is evident in both her website and her instructional videos. I genuinely wish her every success. </span></div><p>So that was me at The Garden Press Event; a wonderful day to mingle with my ‘tribe’ … but now it’s back to the real world and putting all those garden thoughts and ideas into action! </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuf3a52wYs_RR-EMGDyRVj7vHjkgEbRBcJ5lAUiGsDfPirMfm0fpSFJsP7RCvpQW0bRPf3397us-yVrVDoHiXRBN8jCnh0QaFd9rnOgnpFke8MXv1pALV1uPwcGVcqwLptBpgWHjQtWJKztA5ZUjcqfKamKcIq6uSa5dwNhZAtR6Z4r2PelsxHKq46SMA/s4032/IMG_0194.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="Cork covered notebook with National Trust inspired seed packets" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuf3a52wYs_RR-EMGDyRVj7vHjkgEbRBcJ5lAUiGsDfPirMfm0fpSFJsP7RCvpQW0bRPf3397us-yVrVDoHiXRBN8jCnh0QaFd9rnOgnpFke8MXv1pALV1uPwcGVcqwLptBpgWHjQtWJKztA5ZUjcqfKamKcIq6uSa5dwNhZAtR6Z4r2PelsxHKq46SMA/w320-h240/IMG_0194.jpeg" title="Cork covered notebook with National Trust inspired seed packets" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p>Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-86677611878813301282024-02-20T08:41:00.003+00:002024-02-20T08:41:48.139+00:00My Frankenstein garden<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-OaCO7IUXZM_3MCqYqmW7c3Ig-sA1ro6oY31jY5_L0s4GB0dRQSrVJKCjuwbshjj1y_IpK7i2cPdkCr-twhXc0jboJ9qNlBHQvvHq15x_AJ9onKhv6tYjdYu1X-Yd8uA1YoOh4Rv_qeGt4Yd_6mgr94dTI7xKLf9pwuAiAmypdML273fCtcDsh9V5cxI/s4032/3F1BFBE1-2A4C-441A-82A0-950A911A3976.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-OaCO7IUXZM_3MCqYqmW7c3Ig-sA1ro6oY31jY5_L0s4GB0dRQSrVJKCjuwbshjj1y_IpK7i2cPdkCr-twhXc0jboJ9qNlBHQvvHq15x_AJ9onKhv6tYjdYu1X-Yd8uA1YoOh4Rv_qeGt4Yd_6mgr94dTI7xKLf9pwuAiAmypdML273fCtcDsh9V5cxI/w640-h480/3F1BFBE1-2A4C-441A-82A0-950A911A3976.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A picture of my violets just because they are so beautiful </i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>What <i>is</i> going on in my veg garden? My laziness in the garden last year is producing some unexpected results in that some of the non-perennial plants have decided to regenerate and come back to life with renewed vigour. Hey, I’m not complaining! </p><p>I gave up on the garlic cloves planted last year; they just didn’t grow much. Too shady, too wet, too warm? I don’t know. Inexplicably, those same cloves started to grow again last month and currently stand at 10 inches of leafy growth. They seem to be behaving like shallots with several stems from each clove. Definitely one to watch.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8yJJiWh3BpAJEgAK-HWtDrbdqsxpCszCRCKcLVVrTA5TfRX4FpO9g-kCGunAqs_EWgQys-V6xZ5zkjGMmdOwCXGhDOk5VlmkAP882tDG-mgzkEwd5fGqGQX1VTl6xo_cfVCY-5TOSYrwrrWxsRyilFI3Zs8skfoNVEXVIF-hKzcq_Yzc8ODnKA-Cvm4Q/s4032/CF2817B8-F7EA-43DE-926B-48E939C5CE72.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8yJJiWh3BpAJEgAK-HWtDrbdqsxpCszCRCKcLVVrTA5TfRX4FpO9g-kCGunAqs_EWgQys-V6xZ5zkjGMmdOwCXGhDOk5VlmkAP882tDG-mgzkEwd5fGqGQX1VTl6xo_cfVCY-5TOSYrwrrWxsRyilFI3Zs8skfoNVEXVIF-hKzcq_Yzc8ODnKA-Cvm4Q/w400-h300/CF2817B8-F7EA-43DE-926B-48E939C5CE72.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Also last summer I left one of my purple sprouting broccoli plants to set seed as it had been a very good plant. I’m never hasty in removing the big plants anyway as the frothy yellow flowers are a magnet for bees and I think they look lovely. </p><p>In due course, having collected seed and cut back the stems, I noticed that the plant was still producing tiny shoots so I let it be. (Out of curiosity and because I had nothing to go into that space.) </p><p>That broccoli is now acting like a perennial; there are two tennis ball sized heads almost ready for harvest! Surely that’s not usual? In 15 years of veg growing here, I’ve never known a broccoli to behave this way - even continuing to sprout while it sets seed - but perhaps I’ve been too quick to clear the beds. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFqQDByCRJ_NFRyN6YXk9qkyw2iwdAnWYv8SLgDUI_NuKyOe3gihYOVAZbMrSC-SJC0GkfnYZ6bRgilCVdQSNd_YDP6RuOFbv17Dz8gY0MpXMwXhsdGDDESWChPd25cwWdzHmfM2wdja1YiB4Sp5qyp4BfVQjHXibclkGO0TwcFS9nbelV_FPxBpdcoFs/s1280/F68CF7EE-F2FD-4A57-BC78-290CE9C31EE4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFqQDByCRJ_NFRyN6YXk9qkyw2iwdAnWYv8SLgDUI_NuKyOe3gihYOVAZbMrSC-SJC0GkfnYZ6bRgilCVdQSNd_YDP6RuOFbv17Dz8gY0MpXMwXhsdGDDESWChPd25cwWdzHmfM2wdja1YiB4Sp5qyp4BfVQjHXibclkGO0TwcFS9nbelV_FPxBpdcoFs/w400-h300/F68CF7EE-F2FD-4A57-BC78-290CE9C31EE4.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Elsewhere, the Jerusalem artichoke ‘fence’ is slowly being dismantled. As expected it produced both cheerful yellow flowers on tall stems <i>and</i> an abundant harvest of delicious tubers. Win:win. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kzZNRKHZ89UeFcI2dMAv7ITDtGw-utOcjYK5ogWhsmsSZuQSN9tKbMiI0pu6aC4SOiVipd8OpYE421s9_GzADjBnHq2IGMnPdamxjjAybciG3vEWN0GdwEXMsfDb-R89rMBxfXNmIUci2-aAiw0GFWIM7mqj54XrwbVVQjO6TMZ1Ay60L8dxzkHAFJg/s1280/741B715A-EBA6-4530-A59A-46580AEBB2FF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kzZNRKHZ89UeFcI2dMAv7ITDtGw-utOcjYK5ogWhsmsSZuQSN9tKbMiI0pu6aC4SOiVipd8OpYE421s9_GzADjBnHq2IGMnPdamxjjAybciG3vEWN0GdwEXMsfDb-R89rMBxfXNmIUci2-aAiw0GFWIM7mqj54XrwbVVQjO6TMZ1Ay60L8dxzkHAFJg/w400-h300/741B715A-EBA6-4530-A59A-46580AEBB2FF.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>I could leave it to regenerate but, when you get 20 to 50 tubers for each one planted, it’s quite the challenge getting through the 10 metres I grew last summer … even when I distribute the bounty among friends! So this year I’m opting for sense over sensibility and planting up just one smallish square of tubers - as well as some real sunflowers. </p><p><br /></p><p>And lastly, one plant that I hope will continue in its new life is the Red Champagne rhubarb which I relocated. Yes, probably the wrong time of year to do that but in the ten years since I planted it near the fruit trees, the annual harvest has amounted to a couple of spindly stems. So here’s hoping that nature gives a lot of love to this little plant. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-87889418498219061522024-02-01T13:50:00.003+00:002024-02-01T13:50:49.486+00:00As the seasons turn<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6A9UBKad6u5ykr5iDK_CHMwU6nmRRoKwvsMoBUm5YdNyN498trzX-zgKER18qFsdeIM5vedwk8qrBZRi40_9eUinpM99L4Q4xPmO4YdpJQH9o5GSJoJ9b9H68cgYKRedoTnrPdJTb9Z3mVoH6HK2S0xsIbTOwuVBn92ZIWRMDRzqXfRMcoYnwxeas_k8/s4032/IMG_0317.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Crows sitting in bare branched tree against blue sky" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6A9UBKad6u5ykr5iDK_CHMwU6nmRRoKwvsMoBUm5YdNyN498trzX-zgKER18qFsdeIM5vedwk8qrBZRi40_9eUinpM99L4Q4xPmO4YdpJQH9o5GSJoJ9b9H68cgYKRedoTnrPdJTb9Z3mVoH6HK2S0xsIbTOwuVBn92ZIWRMDRzqXfRMcoYnwxeas_k8/w640-h480/IMG_0317.HEIC" title="Hampstead has many crows" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsPjB2r5F3ZaMyDt1sGBa_2y1sO7ghHS72Hhe3yaN8rsQ4xSOguOKyyP0w8xLLXA4ki5ct1qePZ0FEeBL49U_aXaGTnY1K5T3tiQhwAzOAkNR6haTk3nTuRVe2hi0_dZ2wu_wAMc4Id7NpscPs1JbLs3iJbcYPyJcdp4VrhNofj0eRUwohMA-Y90_iBoA/s4032/IMG_0319.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Path around a pond filled with reeds" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsPjB2r5F3ZaMyDt1sGBa_2y1sO7ghHS72Hhe3yaN8rsQ4xSOguOKyyP0w8xLLXA4ki5ct1qePZ0FEeBL49U_aXaGTnY1K5T3tiQhwAzOAkNR6haTk3nTuRVe2hi0_dZ2wu_wAMc4Id7NpscPs1JbLs3iJbcYPyJcdp4VrhNofj0eRUwohMA-Y90_iBoA/w640-h480/IMG_0319.HEIC" title="Hampstead Heath pond" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvtbVpdYh3IPCfZPDSHYWdD8F7nVvZ411AtpO4PqaFYVN1aLhXbzSOL4SvFy3KM6ZmEbk9hi4Mnb_-ttGzo-a6VzYXDmTNzznJUGhyphenhyphenKgEH5D7bKoKja2wxPsnNP4HWcxm6mIG_P_czxzfjBlrdDfe9J6YbXLa_zKKXa0S4wU7izPSvzzazuvagrCMysk/s4032/IMG_0321.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sunrise over pond" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvtbVpdYh3IPCfZPDSHYWdD8F7nVvZ411AtpO4PqaFYVN1aLhXbzSOL4SvFy3KM6ZmEbk9hi4Mnb_-ttGzo-a6VzYXDmTNzznJUGhyphenhyphenKgEH5D7bKoKja2wxPsnNP4HWcxm6mIG_P_czxzfjBlrdDfe9J6YbXLa_zKKXa0S4wU7izPSvzzazuvagrCMysk/w640-h480/IMG_0321.HEIC" title="Sunrise over Heath pond" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjexN_kC16eQO8DXdUGR4T1tJFTsl-I5wkovg4DbpK-_jwm8HkR2x2bF4f3fa4FxSHmr-BDts-ScICUdB6I6F-qc2gYKDMTzYH0FyCScvU3-Ek_5lLG_jleQMzTNxN0aZ-x0VDglLy-iBY1YXgd7Jyrz1Dev8GXUhJk8kwDYhJIqs5MFC_s6NZB-GLB9TY/s4032/IMG_0324.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pink Hellebore flower" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjexN_kC16eQO8DXdUGR4T1tJFTsl-I5wkovg4DbpK-_jwm8HkR2x2bF4f3fa4FxSHmr-BDts-ScICUdB6I6F-qc2gYKDMTzYH0FyCScvU3-Ek_5lLG_jleQMzTNxN0aZ-x0VDglLy-iBY1YXgd7Jyrz1Dev8GXUhJk8kwDYhJIqs5MFC_s6NZB-GLB9TY/w640-h480/IMG_0324.HEIC" title="Hellebore in early morning sun" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">At last there’s a tangible feeling that winter may be moving on. That’s easier to imagine on a day like today when the sun is shining, the wind has dropped, skies are blue, snowdrops and hellebores are flowering and daffodils are pushing their way up through the soil - the perfect crisp winter’s day that inspired me to an early morning run on Hampstead Heath.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Last year, I didn’t prioritise the veg garden and consequently played catch up with seeds all year; I’m ashamed to admit that my best harvests were apples and lettuce! Even the birds left me with only one small basket of cherries. This year I’m determined to do better and be more productive. I’m tempted to walk my fingers through the seed box but I know most seeds will be happier if started off next month .. I’ve already made a monthly list of what to sow when.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Although ... let's see now .... it <i>is</i> possible for me to make a tiny start; I have radishes and spinach that can both be sown outdoors now. I’ll sow them in my raised Veg Trugs in a sunny corner and cover them with horticultural fleece. I’m optimistic for good germination as my urban gardening spaces benefit from slightly warmer temperatures thanks to nearby heated buildings so (keeping fingers firmly crossed for luck) it’s unusual to get a severe frost here. (The water butts have frozen only twice this winter.) Plus, daytime temperatures here in North London are hovering around or above the 10℃ mark. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPzK9WixJLfuHyg0oqoL4GiPDIHNjMFB0be_Dypn98MPmJWeTue9bMyx70SOaEguPNj_07ljI7hyphenhyphencmKuKEJIfBC75gBoVgjwlYV-fcTEArBvT6ShxFV9fvciMqnVrE-YcBLmjZa4pc2uQ5X9DGT6KsFyVwRs1dgLmj2BbFG4DAr6e1BrfdyF30I87qpjE/s4032/IMG_0058.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Green broad bean (fava) plant" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPzK9WixJLfuHyg0oqoL4GiPDIHNjMFB0be_Dypn98MPmJWeTue9bMyx70SOaEguPNj_07ljI7hyphenhyphencmKuKEJIfBC75gBoVgjwlYV-fcTEArBvT6ShxFV9fvciMqnVrE-YcBLmjZa4pc2uQ5X9DGT6KsFyVwRs1dgLmj2BbFG4DAr6e1BrfdyF30I87qpjE/w320-h240/IMG_0058.HEIC" title="Winter sown broad beans" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I’ve also got small broad bean plants to go out, sown in modules on the last day of November and grown outside in the shelter of my south-west facing balcony. Never overlook any outdoor space - my tiny balcony is currently also hosting sweet peas on their third set of true leaves, Cavolo Nero kale in pots, parsley and a trough of winter salad leaves ... all grown outside throughout the winter.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">By the end of February I’ll be popping tomato, chilli and cucumber seedlings out there - under a plastic cover, of course! The jury is still out on whether I can be bothered to grow aubergines; if I have enough space, they’ll be out there too … or maybe I’ll have to requisition my friend’s nearby greenhouse?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In the garden itself there’s still time to move plants, tidy and replant strawberries, prune apple and pear trees and mulch the soil. And if I get the time, I'll be pruning roses. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Although I planned to take a small step back from gardening throughout the winter months, there will always be plenty to do. Which reminds me ... I've gotta get those leaf-filled sacks stashed away in an unobtrusive corner and empty my Hotbin composter! Onwards!</span></p><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ_4UEz5uAN5dQ24bhdNO_ExNX1IJgJbxq7quvr3kn2_JUBleq_qEcONnQiz94YFHVs0aUt0eqdr4u6ZO27OiHDnD2peaYyMGLcNx1fdU-sAjjuNmU-0oAFbq1KgyGYfNPsGCGYjMJNe_y-uvaAnKfHYabDx2tGp3m-InPppFPzmo0SEF9FHAymr7_Flo/s4032/IMG_0325.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rhubarb stalk emerging from soil" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ_4UEz5uAN5dQ24bhdNO_ExNX1IJgJbxq7quvr3kn2_JUBleq_qEcONnQiz94YFHVs0aUt0eqdr4u6ZO27OiHDnD2peaYyMGLcNx1fdU-sAjjuNmU-0oAFbq1KgyGYfNPsGCGYjMJNe_y-uvaAnKfHYabDx2tGp3m-InPppFPzmo0SEF9FHAymr7_Flo/w640-h480/IMG_0325.HEIC" title="Champagne rhubarb emerging" width="640" /></a></div><br />Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com0London, UK51.5072178 -0.127586223.196983963821154 -35.2838362 79.817451636178845 35.0286638tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-63980924190328928692023-08-18T08:00:00.000+01:002023-11-24T08:30:13.464+00:00Garden Watch: Mid August in the gardens<p>What's happening in the garden this month ? Weeds, weeds, weeds! That's what. And spiders ... so many spiders. And because it feels like the wrong time of year for spiders to be stretching across every plant in the garden, I'm crashing through them on a daily basis. How is it with everyone else?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP4PsjeZYD4MUvefVWHuCwUcRAVsYwTA2VSmp_nKOHX2wmaU8ncHCTgZa7IL9KQCrAODS1PYgCZ14MCmML653Pz3IvIHrl4tw4upfm7G6w_FlAZ6H3BZe2xa9GOe3OqW-Hr5uWO0OpJfIJUe4yE32_7wOIA5VXQXpfcawQBWDSTEJSsN089TR5Gn11SZQ/s2224/D68100B0-1629-4592-B0CC-B85D16CD135A.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1480" data-original-width="2224" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP4PsjeZYD4MUvefVWHuCwUcRAVsYwTA2VSmp_nKOHX2wmaU8ncHCTgZa7IL9KQCrAODS1PYgCZ14MCmML653Pz3IvIHrl4tw4upfm7G6w_FlAZ6H3BZe2xa9GOe3OqW-Hr5uWO0OpJfIJUe4yE32_7wOIA5VXQXpfcawQBWDSTEJSsN089TR5Gn11SZQ/w640-h426/D68100B0-1629-4592-B0CC-B85D16CD135A.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Not surprisingly everything in my garden is responding to warm wet weather - not just the weeds. Everything tells me autumn is just around the corner but when did summer slide out of the picture? (Admittedly we are having a week of heat atm.) But I'm not ready to think about autumn until the equinox (23rd September) and already the days are getting shorter; fading light has me back indoors before 9pm. </p><p>Has this cloud got a silver lining? Yes. </p><p><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Core Blimey apples</span></b> </p><p>These are ready to be plucked from the tree (the Braeburns usually mature later) and blackberries are ripening by the bucketload. There are wild blackberries throughout the gardens here thanks to untamed brambles and, in my kitchen, windfall apples are being peeled, chopped, stewed and eaten or frozen. I love how nature helpfully gives us these lovely ingredients at the same time.</p><p>I still have several jars of last year's apple and blackberry jam in the store cupboard so of course, my thoughts turned to pie - and who doesn't love pie! Apples, blackberries and a few elderberries (yes, those are ready for picking as well) went into a pie topped with sweet shortcrust pastry to which I added lemon zest and crushed pecan nuts. Dare I say that the pastry is almost (but not quite) better than the filling? </p><p><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Compost! </span></b></p><p>This week the Hotbin composter reached 140F! Now <i>that</i> was a very thrilling moment I can tell you - such is the stuff that a gardener’s dreams are made of.</p><p>My previous attempt at making quick compost was a failure. I'd been told by the Hotbin people that as I'd left it unattended for too long, the contents were likely to be anaerobic (without oxygen) and so the process had died. Learning curve: I thought the bin had to be topped up and fully composted before I could start to empty it. (I was wrong.)</p><p>So, a few weeks ago I finally emptied, cleaned and half-refilled my Hotbin composter - this time with grass clippings, chopped up comfrey leaves and lots of torn up cardboard to get it up to speed quickly. I'd read that the bin would need to be half filled before adding any kitchen waste (food, plate scrapings, etc) - that way the heat needed to effectively compost food waste had already been generated. Then, within 60 days, fresh compost should be ready to be taken out from the bottom hatch; so far, so good.</p><p><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #38761d;">Calendula skin cream.</span></b> </p><p>I caught the @LovelyGreens reel on Insta which reminded me of Tanya's recipe for diy skin cream using garden plants. I have loads of unintentional calendula in the veg patch so I like the idea of putting it to good use. I need a soothing cream for my hands and arms which are getting very bashed and bloodied with all the chopping and pruning I'm doing!</p><p><b style="color: #38761d;">Topping up the gaps. </b></p><p>Ever hopeful, even after a disappointing growing season, I've been reading the back of my seed packets and am surprised at how many seeds can be sown in September and October. Always worth giving a late sowing a go so I've been making the most of late summer warmth ...</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>I've filled a few pots and planters on the balcony with fresh soil and sown seeds for salad leaves, herbs, radishes, micro leaves and pea shoots. </li><li>Gaps in the Veg Trug garden have been sown with parsley, chervil, baby turnips and radishes. </li><li>Beetroot sown in modules several weeks ago have all now been planted out - and I've only lost one to fox cub digging so far. (Yes, way late but let’s see what happens.)</li><li>Romanesco and ordinary cauliflowers grown to a good size on the balcony have been planted out and have (so far) resisted slug and caterpillar damage.. </li><li>Dark Cavalo Nero Kale will be next - I know it's all rather late in the year for this but if it works then the plants should grow away strongly as winter loosens its grip.</li></ul><div>Ever optimistic, I'm now hoping for one of those glorious 'Indian summer' finishes to the year - I still have lots of tomatoes slowly ripening!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-37891265899759618642023-08-16T13:47:00.006+01:002023-08-16T13:47:53.109+01:00Back in the kitchen with foraged Elderberries<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuipr4kTV8M9hX1nbAGjrGKNxoz1OrK46SGBGBHl5fhT4SPt6UBSkI6QSd8i1LCNmvkHIBrYOn7kahQOfK5BlwneYj3jbvXWfLdEI5VSa-UR5kmH3sy0Vjfy1f5_oQaGrZvoNwfz628VB-HqmSDNDrf7zAm5tXnTWgbYIrstXUF3NNU65-0viiAdNN58o/s4032/IMG_9595.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuipr4kTV8M9hX1nbAGjrGKNxoz1OrK46SGBGBHl5fhT4SPt6UBSkI6QSd8i1LCNmvkHIBrYOn7kahQOfK5BlwneYj3jbvXWfLdEI5VSa-UR5kmH3sy0Vjfy1f5_oQaGrZvoNwfz628VB-HqmSDNDrf7zAm5tXnTWgbYIrstXUF3NNU65-0viiAdNN58o/w640-h480/IMG_9595.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Can it be that time of year again already? I'm just finishing off my summer batch of elder<i>flower</i> cordial and yesterday, as I walked home, I saw that my favourite spot for collecting the elder tree's bounty was positively dripping with ripe elder berries. </p><p>I'm sure a lot of people would either not notice this beautiful spectacle or might think "lovely" and pass on by. But not me. I paused to 'see something of the beauty of nature' (to quote John Mortimer) then dashed home to fetch a bucket and secateurs. </p><p>Of course I left plenty for birds and other wildlife and, believe me, they'll have those berries stripped to the stalk in days. </p><p>So my berries are now washed clean of bugs and dirt and frozen ready for pies, jam and syrup. Why freeze? The berries don't last long in the fridge so freezing is an excellent way of preserving them until needed. Also, the berries pop off the stalks more easily when frozen, which is a better option than squishing them and getting purple fingers (and clothes!). </p><p>I simply laid them out flat on several baking sheets and popped them in the freezer overnight. De-stemmed them in the morning then bagged them up, and returned the berries to the freezer. It can be a time consuming (or shall we say, meditative) process so quite a few went into the freezer still on the stem. That's okay as I'll discard the stems when I have more time.</p><p>It's worth noting that while the flowers are edible, the raw berries are toxic, as is the rest of the plant. But the good news is that cooking the berries destroys the toxins making them a useful addition to all sorts of recipes. </p><p>Me, I'm starting with Elderberry Syrup. I've found a recipe on The Spruce Eats, an American site, which sounds rather like the warming winter tincture I usually buy to boost my immune system during the colder months. In that recipe the berries are cooked, mashed, strained and then lightly spiced with honey, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and lemon. Sounds delicious. (Find that recipe <a href="https://www.thespruceeats.com/elderberry-syrup-4845433" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> if interested.)</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-73998450315995992002023-08-09T15:05:00.006+01:002023-08-09T15:11:00.582+01:00Perfecting the art of growing big gooseberries in a small space<p>This past week the last of the gooseberries have been picked (a bit later than usual, the weather has been so unhelpful this year) and now it's time to reshape the plants with a summer pruning. </p><p>This was supposed to be done in early July but I'm banking on everything being a bit late this year. And, flushed with the success of squeezing two more gooseberry plants into my overstuffed garden, I want to make sure they're trained properly.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0eDdcxyVnCJTJ-uZHdi-j2u8f2TVnWkpUvcEdij4BF1RUh8SYtmA3DTqycjPb5RZlRp_ssr6rdt-YkHhjcTvsLMi_L3uI1TPyQ6LJyTwpm9ZQdPIaw8WIk_-cSs0yZJJQxq-9wCX0bIAaM6zqYs5TAtg_Z1h2PsU7e-6i_ZVbp6rO0BJng60mnEMNhsY/s1280/F3794953-B04B-464B-98E8-11DC70EE3DC1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0eDdcxyVnCJTJ-uZHdi-j2u8f2TVnWkpUvcEdij4BF1RUh8SYtmA3DTqycjPb5RZlRp_ssr6rdt-YkHhjcTvsLMi_L3uI1TPyQ6LJyTwpm9ZQdPIaw8WIk_-cSs0yZJJQxq-9wCX0bIAaM6zqYs5TAtg_Z1h2PsU7e-6i_ZVbp6rO0BJng60mnEMNhsY/w640-h426/F3794953-B04B-464B-98E8-11DC70EE3DC1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>In my gardens I have four red gooseberry bushes - one bush, two fans and one in a pot that's been ambushed by sawfly again this year. </p><p>Gooseberries were never my favourite fruit; at school I couldn't stand the stewed (green) gooseberries served up under soggy pastry as pudding. Not any more though - these days I happily eat beautiful ripe Hinnonmaki Red gooseberries straight from the bush ... the jury is still out on the green ones though!</p><p>Having seen gooseberry bushes pruned into an open bowl shape during my garden design studies, I followed suit for my first gooseberry bush. It enjoyed its spot in my veg patch but, confession time, I didn't prune regularly so it grew large and tangled albeit with abundant berries. So now I'll prune this week to start reshaping it and again at the usual time in winter while it's dormant. </p><p>I acquired a second tiny plant, and then a third and, finally, a fourth. Where to put them all? They languished happily in 5 litre pots for a good while. As ever, my impulse to buy plants had got the better of me. </p><p><b><span style="color: #800180;">A good idea</span></b></p><p>And then I rescued lengths of slim bendy plastic pipe from a builder's skip. These were destined to be arches to support the fleece over my veg but it occurred to me that I could use them to train my gooseberry bushes into freestanding fans. (Fans are usually grown against a wall or fence.) The plants were moved from their pots and they're now in the car park garden, growing in semi-shade, regularly watered and fruiting prolifically thanks to the beautiful soil there. The fruit is more visible, the thorns less threatening (more easily seen and thus avoided!). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCSrPpzJzzp5qvNCUrSK2kMSaTecrGza62Arjw53BJUXTcEG48w0jFi0IAkbNiXFXOwkaNIYgM0UIvd6BdVhCe4ZSkA8ievVrHsjKdK60YVL9edxflFbDh_GA19o-BgyVTTDe_kRWSaWlHBVD5p6wj1fKmnbeA_0FEMUqmJwx6K-rZyqNxFhUp4VV7lr4/s640/IMG_9370.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCSrPpzJzzp5qvNCUrSK2kMSaTecrGza62Arjw53BJUXTcEG48w0jFi0IAkbNiXFXOwkaNIYgM0UIvd6BdVhCe4ZSkA8ievVrHsjKdK60YVL9edxflFbDh_GA19o-BgyVTTDe_kRWSaWlHBVD5p6wj1fKmnbeA_0FEMUqmJwx6K-rZyqNxFhUp4VV7lr4/w640-h480/IMG_9370.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>But in doing so, I had to learn to prune correctly... with sturdy leather gloves on!</p><p><span style="color: #800180;"><b>Pruning ... aka shaping the beasts!</b></span></p><p>Gooseberries fruit on old wood; to grow in a fan shape any stems growing out, rather than up, should be pruned back to the framework - which in this case are the five tall stems tied in to the arch. Gooseberries growing in an open bowl shape should have inward growing branches and any branches trailing on the ground removed, all being taken back to an outward growing bud and the main stem at ground level left clear of any growth - cut off stems below 10-15 cm. (Imagine a goblet shape glass on a very short stem.)</p><p>Gooseberry bushes have vicious spiky thorns so keeping the centre open, or space between the fanned out branches, helps with easier access to the fruit in summer. And good airflow helps to prevent mildew. </p><p><span style="color: #800180;"><b>How I planted my fan gooseberries</b></span> </p><p>Having planted the 'bushes' and pushed the hoops deeply into the soil 2 feet (60cm) apart, I tied the long upright stems in a fan shape and pruned the rest back to two buds. This would have been quite traumatic for the plant so, after pruning, they were watered and mulched around (not up to) the base. </p><p><span style="color: #800180;"><b>How to get bigger berries</b></span></p><p>In early summer when the fruits have appeared it's time to direct the plant's energy into quality rather than quantity. So, as with thinning out top fruit (apples, etc) to get bigger fruit, the same is true of gooseberries. Reduce the number of berries as they start to ripen so that the plant concentrates on developing those that remain. The underripe berries needn't be wasted as, although still hard and quite tart, they can be used for savoury sauces, mixed berry jams (usefully high in pectin!) and chutneys. It's not essential to do this but if you want bigger gooseberries, take two pickings a month or so apart. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx0e0k-xPck7TookD2nxhbTw6S8_XzcTl2uP33bj84b4rUaWoWzu8IvphtUMQlbItOqh8K9MCT038Cop0b86s3ipLNnfTmCZmhb8bOe2tPYwMpXgcZiFkLEikDERaerFLiVPbhC9cM7IrfR716fGqXUdEaqgvkazHnTrWxuUR3dwUO9xrunHatOqCh8Hk/s1280/IMG_0941.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx0e0k-xPck7TookD2nxhbTw6S8_XzcTl2uP33bj84b4rUaWoWzu8IvphtUMQlbItOqh8K9MCT038Cop0b86s3ipLNnfTmCZmhb8bOe2tPYwMpXgcZiFkLEikDERaerFLiVPbhC9cM7IrfR716fGqXUdEaqgvkazHnTrWxuUR3dwUO9xrunHatOqCh8Hk/w640-h480/IMG_0941.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Here's some I grew earlier ... </i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>And what of Hinnonmaki #4? </p><p>The fate of this plant is undecided. Growing in a large pot, its leaves have been eaten two summers running by sawfly and now a Cape Gooseberry aka Inca Berry, Ground Cherry or <i>Physalis peruviana</i> is taking over the pot. I have no idea where this interloper came from but I like it! </p><p>And, by the way, despite the similarity of nomenclature, Cape Gooseberries are related to tomatoes, peppers and potatoes (the <i>Solanaceae</i> family) and not ordinary gooseberries which fall into the <i>Ribes</i> (ie currant) family. So now you know.</p><p><br /></p>Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com1London, UK51.5072178 -0.127586223.196983963821154 -35.2838362 79.817451636178845 35.0286638tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-19133982776059007342023-07-31T15:43:00.001+01:002023-07-31T15:43:11.904+01:00Carry On sowing! Crops for autumn, winter and beyond to sow NOW<p>It's been a pretty disastrous year for veg growing in my patch and this morning, late July, it feels positively autumnal. (Not in a good way.) But I've been through my seed packets and found potential for quite a lot of late summer sowings. By taking advantage of the (relatively) warm and wet weather currently in play here in London, I'll have quick growing crops in the next few months, plus winter leaves and spring harvests.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl2O6dNVH41ghYfUHswTagbfQx3wXWkibp6pzG6ZbPsxBO9PV91M2Npb-J3kaOzIMXn1HExVds_RtvA51yN4woIebUp6iefzihtCMZTRYxoVRwEWA7M26vzdvm1FTwzWPrEjg9Oom66gvSb6yT3LrB8kVprtB0Ys_yuz734vvUwVuRKKx7HlJo6Vd5XgU/s1280/30978288_Unknown.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl2O6dNVH41ghYfUHswTagbfQx3wXWkibp6pzG6ZbPsxBO9PV91M2Npb-J3kaOzIMXn1HExVds_RtvA51yN4woIebUp6iefzihtCMZTRYxoVRwEWA7M26vzdvm1FTwzWPrEjg9Oom66gvSb6yT3LrB8kVprtB0Ys_yuz734vvUwVuRKKx7HlJo6Vd5XgU/w640-h426/30978288_Unknown.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Just a small selection of what can be grown this autumn!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I don't usually give much thought to late summer sowing at this time of year (there's usually plenty more to be getting on with, like picking, freezing, pickling) and I also have balcony sown crops waiting to go out (kale, beetroot, spring onions) ... but this year there's precious little to harvest. However, accentuating the positive, I'm excited to realise exactly how much growing is still possible. </p><p>Erring slightly on the optimistic side, I've sorted food seeds into chronological piles: Last Chance for sowing, Sow By end of August, Sow By the end of September and Balcony Baby Leaves. This way, I can pace myself and sow when I have/make time. And, of course, there's also seeds to sow in the next few weeks for flowers. </p><p><b><span style="color: #800180;">Last Chance ...</span></b></p><p>Dwarf Beans. As my broad beans produced only a few usable pods and my french and runner beans were annihilated by a dastardly extreme heat:no water combo, I'm going to take a gamble on sowing some Dwarf Beans. The best results are from sowing between May and <i>early</i> July but as they're fast maturing, I may just get a harvest by the end of October. I'm sowing Elba from Mr Fothergill seeds for round stringless pods and 'Atlanta' from Johnsons seeds for flat pods that promise to have a crisp texture and excellent snap. Yum!</p><p>I've also added peas to this category as I remember sowing Kelvedon Wonder peas late one year and having many pods to pick before winter. This time I'm trying 'Champion of England' from D T Brown seeds. </p><p>And I mustn't forget carrots. I was harvesting a summer sowing in December last year so it's well worth sowing these, particularly Amsterdam Sprint (Mr Fothergill seeds) for sweet baby carrots. These should be ready in under 3 months, so I may do a couple of successional sowings.</p><p><b><span style="color: #800180;">Balcony Baby Leaves ...</span></b></p><p>aka Cut and Come Again. Always useful to have an instant salad bar to hand but it doesn't matter if this doesn't go to plan, it's a good way to use up seeds which may or may not still be viable ... and seeds that should have been sown much earlier. So for baby salad leaves, into my window box planters will go peas (for pea shoots), spinach, red kale, Cavolo Nero kale, mustard leaf, little gem lettuce and fancy salad leaves. I could also throw in a few herb seeds like chervil and coriander.</p><p><b><span style="color: #800180;">Sow By End of August ...</span></b></p><p>It looks like I'll be busy during the next few weeks (the sooner sown the better). Pink stemmed chard, winter spinach, spring onions, radish, saltbush (Sea Orach), lettuce, lamb's lettuce (corn salad) and Kohl Rabi are all on my list. Another early veg patch success was a bed full of parsley, vigorously sown by the children here, which flourished after a downpour of warm rain shortly after sowing. So parsley (curly and flat leaved) is going in, as is Coriander (crops in 6 weeks, allegedly).</p><p><b><span style="color: #800180;">Sow by the End of September ...</span></b></p><p>According to packet instructions, it's okay to sow seeds for kales, pepper cress, onions and breadseed poppies from now to the end of September. These won't be ready this year but I can look forward to earlier crops next year. And if there's any space left, I'll pop in some rocket, radishes and turnips for an early winter crop <i>this</i> year. </p><p><b><span style="color: #800180;">Flowers ...</span></b></p><p>It's well known that intercropping flowers with veg not only makes the veg patch pretty but has the added benefit of keeping pollinators happy. Flowers that drop their seeds in late summer can be sown now - foxgloves, nigella, poppies, calendula, cerinthe and poached egg plant (<i>Limnanthes</i>). The nigella I'm sowing is called Black Caraway (Mr Fothergill seeds) - the seeds can be used in cooking and I save the seed pods for decoration. </p><p><br /></p><p>After the challenges of this year, I admit I have entertained thoughts of planting perennial flowers and having done with it. But could I bring myself to do that? Probably not. My secret passion, like most veg growers, is munching my way around the garden, nibbling at gooseberries, peas, radishes, et al. And the satisfaction in bringing freshly harvested fruit and veg - yes, even courgettes - back to the kitchen is addictive. And so, of course, the work continues. </p><p><br /></p>Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com1London, UK51.5072178 -0.127586223.196983963821154 -35.2838362 79.817451636178845 35.0286638tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-19031354018121912712023-07-18T15:58:00.007+01:002023-07-31T09:07:08.389+01:00Prunella - weed or wonder?<p>Once again, Prunella vulgaris, aka Self Heal, has returned to the veg patch with renewed vigour. It's a perennial, an enthusiastic self-seeder, low growing, edible, medicinal and a food source for bees. Sounds good, yes?</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmI6108RHogHKaDFD4BzLMBa314putOQHhPujwBMJehPjkvwmRRaiSJEuPSveHH0xegU_bm44HztMDgLuu0vo8NeEPdwcXy4jXQmpWvRxLaB4sIpNUUwE8lnFeQXHNJSL7cPrvysHT2Ir4F6g0wNHWz__0x34hh5VzEBBMjszdMV7CgXvt0stCGV6p7Jc/s910/prunella-vulgaris-self-heal-heal-all.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Prunella herb selfheal, purple flowering in meadow" border="0" data-original-height="485" data-original-width="910" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmI6108RHogHKaDFD4BzLMBa314putOQHhPujwBMJehPjkvwmRRaiSJEuPSveHH0xegU_bm44HztMDgLuu0vo8NeEPdwcXy4jXQmpWvRxLaB4sIpNUUwE8lnFeQXHNJSL7cPrvysHT2Ir4F6g0wNHWz__0x34hh5VzEBBMjszdMV7CgXvt0stCGV6p7Jc/w640-h342/prunella-vulgaris-self-heal-heal-all.jpeg" title="Prunella vulgaris in meadow" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo via Google Creative Commons licence from Wallpaper Flare</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I sowed seeds for this about ten years ago because of its appeal to bees and other pollinators and since then it has sporadically re-appeared over the years to fill cracks in the brick paths. </p><p>Initially I was drawn to the look of the flowers and their appeal to pollinators. Its flower stems should reach a height of at least six inches but, in the drought conditions of my veg patch, flowers remained tucked among the leaves and it looked more like a weed between the paths. A few were left to make the paths look inhabited but most were dug out of the borders.</p><p>More recently I have had to reevaluate my opinion of this plant as I've discovered what a useful herb this is - both medicinal and edible. Like so many herbs, they're not just tasty but have hidden benefits (see my post on <a href="https://urbanvegpatch.blogspot.com/2023/03/immune-boosting-herb-tea.html" target="_blank">Immuni-tea</a>!). I've not yet tasted Prunella but will remember to try a few of its leaves in my salad in future ... although bearing in mind that the leaves are best picked in spring or early summer. (So late July is possibly a bit late in the season for first tastes.) </p><p>Prunella has a common name of Selfheal or Heal All. It's antibacterial, antiviral, edible and a useful summer herb for bites and stings when made into a decoction, ie, steeped in boiling water. I've been nibbled several times in this hot weather so that's definitely good to know! </p><p>Another of Prunella's folk names is Carpenter's Herb, so called for its effectiveness in healing cuts; this makes it a good herb for me in my gardening work as I'm regularly nicked by rose thorns and pyracantha! </p><p>If you like the sound of this useful herb, more can be learned about it <a href="https://grassrootsremedies.co.uk/herb-profile-self-heal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> and seeds bought from <a href="https://www.jekkas.com/products/pp43" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jekka's Herbs</a>. I, for one, will definitely be resowing more Prunella next spring or looking to propagate a few plants by division.</p><div><br /></div>Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com0London, UK51.5072178 -0.127586223.196983963821154 -35.2838362 79.817451636178845 35.0286638tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-56498924552784859822023-04-26T17:37:00.005+01:002023-04-27T10:44:28.668+01:00 Improving and re-nutrifying my clay based soil with PeatFree mulches<p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjTd-ce1tDUZa5FR8c4cycdsd-s9nhptqILNonhBqI5tyKxtlNjEuWHv9MWR8azaYWIie8RiP24sehKLvylDJTHFcxdRaducT76DZdWWD8HciPcPLbZtA9o-LYAz2-Anb4h_TTTLXSUcJT9TzELfVMs3s4QpmWFq55WlJjcQGogKpDKoR9dT-TErC9/s3018/RocketGro.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3018" data-original-width="3018" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjTd-ce1tDUZa5FR8c4cycdsd-s9nhptqILNonhBqI5tyKxtlNjEuWHv9MWR8azaYWIie8RiP24sehKLvylDJTHFcxdRaducT76DZdWWD8HciPcPLbZtA9o-LYAz2-Anb4h_TTTLXSUcJT9TzELfVMs3s4QpmWFq55WlJjcQGogKpDKoR9dT-TErC9/s320/RocketGro.heic" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Peat based composts will be banned for domestic markets from 2027 although trade growers can use peat based products until 2030, if they so wish. This is good news for peat bogs and the wildlife they support but would have been even better if UK's government had kept to their original deadline of banning peat products from 2024. Thankfully, there is now quite a range of good peat-free composts available to buy and I've been privileged to use several of them. A few years ago, peat-free composts were no contest for more traditional peat based ones but a lot of research has gone into improving peat-free and I've found they're now pretty good. </p><p>Some of the top names to look out for are Melcourt/Sylvagrow, Dalefoot, RocketGro - all of which I've used in my own gardens and in client gardens. Two more that I found this year are from Newleaf composts (in Northern Ireland) and Brontë. I smiled at the name when chatting to one of the founders of Brontë ... were they from Yorkshire, I wondered? No, they're both from Lancashire - Colne and Darwen, both of which I've visited - and adopted the Brontë name due to their relative proximity to Haworth, the Brontë family's historic home village. Memorable. </p><p>But I digress.</p><p><b><span style="color: #9f1dad;">Mulching ...</span></b></p><p>Earlier this year I used SylvaGrow Farmyard soil improver as a mulch over the veg patch beds; last year I used home made compost from my Hotbin composter and in the years before, Dalefoot Lakeland Gold. All are 100% peat free and I can already see the positive difference these additions have made to my soil. </p><p>A word of caution: I look out for 100% peat free products as it's important not to fall for 'peat reduced' or 'organic' composts. Products are not guaranteed peat free unless specifically stated!</p><p>Mulching is not something I bothered with in the very early veg patch days as we used raised beds over the hard clay soil; those early raised beds have mostly been removed now in favour of maximising space and planting straight into improved soil. </p><p>Which is where mulching comes in ... vegetables are hungry plants and it makes a huge difference to keep the soil healthy by boosting the soil's eco-system by adding living organisms and micronutrients. Good natural mulches will do that so now I consider it an essential task in spring and late autumn, for both my gardens and for clients. </p><p><b><span style="color: #9f1dad;">Peat-free products I've used for mulching and seed sowing ...</span></b></p><p>The Melcourt SylvaGrow Farmyard is a new one to me, although certainly not new on the market. I'm particularly interested in seeing how it performs over the year as the company claims the product will help with water retention (remember I have to water by hand), with soil structure <i>and</i> will renutrify the soil. Plus, being made from anaerobic digestate rather than the more traditional straw and horse poo, there should be no herbicides ruining my crops. Sounds like a winner to me! I'm also a big fan of the Melcourt Sylvagrow products just because they're high quality. </p><p>Somerset-based RocketGro is another company whose products I've embraced this season. I intend to use their Magic Mulch soil improver in the herbaceous borders of my flower garden as well as around my fruit trees ... especially the plum trees. I think it will help enormously. Their composts are all 100% organic and peat free, made with a clever process inspired by the way cows digest their food. You had me at cow. I love it.</p><p>Dalefoot composts are an old favourite that I've used where possible for many years. They have a range of composts tailored to different uses, all of which are made to an old 'recipe' using bracken from the Cumbrian hills mixed with sheep's wool from their farm. The company is also actively involved in restoration of peatland bogs; read more about this on their website via this link: <a href="https://www.dalefootcomposts.co.uk/saving-peat-bogs.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Saving Peat Bogs</a></p><p><span style="color: #9f1dad;"><b>Seed sowing ...</b></span></p><p>This year I was given a bag of RocketGro's Peat Free Seed and Cutting compost which I've been using for most of my seed sowing. It feels like beautiful stuff but, to keep things fair, I've sown half my seeds into Dalefoot Seed and Cuttings compost to see if the two composts produce equal results. </p><p><b><span style="color: #9f1dad;">Reducing plastic ...</span></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3GesO2FDiUTDpeNHF-RBzTOD75hfqY_-NqKXY0qk_CDx8nu8398sj_zgxWfDRy94znqt9uvPyyX4xgjOy_2p2rjPlbLbVg8TQejCNY9zPgr_xnvQV0lwQYJ-jcX6u5-KZhviLRpMjktgbenYoAsbYFjaV7cZejhRS80Ej-QsUF40WXM9akZIz1Av/s800/Wool%20Pots.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3GesO2FDiUTDpeNHF-RBzTOD75hfqY_-NqKXY0qk_CDx8nu8398sj_zgxWfDRy94znqt9uvPyyX4xgjOy_2p2rjPlbLbVg8TQejCNY9zPgr_xnvQV0lwQYJ-jcX6u5-KZhviLRpMjktgbenYoAsbYFjaV7cZejhRS80Ej-QsUF40WXM9akZIz1Av/s320/Wool%20Pots.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>From pots to potted ...<br />© Images from Wool Pots</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>While writing about seed sowing, I should also mention Wool Pots as I'm using these for my larger seeds like squash, pumpkins and courgettes. I spotted these at the Garden Press Event in February this year and was allowed to take a sample away with me. </p><p>The company was founded when the owners leapt into action to think up an alternative option to the plastic plant pots that would otherwise end up in landfill; they created knitted tubes of unwashed raw British sheep wool from unwanted excess that would otherwise have been burnt. </p><p>The website gives several very logical (to my mind) reasons to use their wool pots - growing plants in the pots will allow the roots to be air pruned for stronger growth; there's no need for transplanting as the wool pot can be planted (as in the above image); the wool acts as a slug and snail deterrent (hopefully!); the wool will break down in 6-7 weeks to add nutrients to the soil. By watering the pots from underneath, the water is drawn towards the roots. </p><p>It all makes a lot of sense but there's one drawback ... the wool pots have a one time use and although I hate the idea of overwhelming amounts of plastic being chucked away, if you've already got plastic pots, use them. I take care of my sturdy plastic pots and have reused them for many years now. So there's a financial argument against using wool pots but let's see how the seedlings fare as I won't have to disturb the roots when planting them out.</p><hr /><p>Has anyone reading this had success with peat free? And what do you think about any alternatives to plastic pots? I'd love to know what has worked for you!</p><p><br /></p><p>Some more information (if you want 😉) ... links open in a new window</p><p>New Leaf's guide to mulching - <a href="https://www.newleafcompost.com/pages/mulching" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a></p><p>Wool Pots - <a href="https://www.wool-pots.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website here</a></p><p>RocketGro - <a href="https://rocketgro.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website here</a></p><p>Dalefoot - <a href="https://www.dalefootcomposts.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website here</a></p><p>Melcourt SylvaGrow - <a href="https://melcourt.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website here</a></p><p>New Leaf - <a href="https://www.newleafcompost.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website here</a></p><p>Brontë Heritage - <a href="https://www.bronteheritage.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website here</a></p><p><br /></p>Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-16467285818095377132023-04-24T15:43:00.002+01:002023-04-24T15:43:14.381+01:00GardenWatch: April in the Veg Patch<p style="text-align: center;">After a winter that seemed to go on for <i>ever, </i>I've barely started sowing and it already feels like the summer solstice is drawing near! Let's see what's happening in the garden...</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHd7n7m0jxcTHR2pBdY4RIUBAuEzp_oNlWMB1Iil6bhFrV4JA5gJ4ve2jS5di_TedoXSdiTwJEQDyPltJ-MrTY2CRaznXl112XQqsUTAlt5HBvsKS5JtOK8rc61vGzkSsinJQSMz1Xw5zsay8Ya3KpHoYaLg-kjVqiBQMVef-HkQp7-JGSix7KRyAQ/s2722/IMG_8573.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1531" data-original-width="2722" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHd7n7m0jxcTHR2pBdY4RIUBAuEzp_oNlWMB1Iil6bhFrV4JA5gJ4ve2jS5di_TedoXSdiTwJEQDyPltJ-MrTY2CRaznXl112XQqsUTAlt5HBvsKS5JtOK8rc61vGzkSsinJQSMz1Xw5zsay8Ya3KpHoYaLg-kjVqiBQMVef-HkQp7-JGSix7KRyAQ/w640-h360/IMG_8573.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Yep, it's blossom time again. The pear trees never fail.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span><div><span style="text-align: left;">Now that we're half way through the spring months, the air temperature is warmer making it a real pleasure to potter around the garden as the plants put on some </span><i style="text-align: left;">very</i><span style="text-align: left;"> vigorous growth. I have two garden spaces that I look after here in my urban Eden - the veg garden which is languishing while waiting for sowing and planting to begin, while the car park garden is verdant with colour and greenery from the hedges, perennials, bi-annuals and spring bulbs. </span><p><span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjegKNQ6QtL4fvObyoiu3VM3wb2-1Q0Iwx8J8ht4PeAkkJ0T45kiiEC0UYh7OCVwxDDJ9gXm6L5eYVjg_5avCky1LCC5PtGO9L3qpX8sfM9mvvDW_KykvuytG80-YxmpNuBnPGEHsaPoCXdom_pvYnaVGQPTYLeiFZlherWsTQ3DBlY5ONSp5xCYVab/s4032/IMG_8565.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjegKNQ6QtL4fvObyoiu3VM3wb2-1Q0Iwx8J8ht4PeAkkJ0T45kiiEC0UYh7OCVwxDDJ9gXm6L5eYVjg_5avCky1LCC5PtGO9L3qpX8sfM9mvvDW_KykvuytG80-YxmpNuBnPGEHsaPoCXdom_pvYnaVGQPTYLeiFZlherWsTQ3DBlY5ONSp5xCYVab/w640-h480/IMG_8565.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pretty little spring veg patch</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>But it's not <i>quite</i> true to say that the veg garden languishes ... flowers to encourage early pollinators have been blooming - daffodils, violets, forget-me-nots, tulips ... while on the food front, late summer planted purple sprouting broccoli is doing me proud with regular pickings of delicious sprouts and there's also some chard that has stood over the winter. The PSB was planted out so late that I honestly didn't expect the plants to produce anything. They didn't have time to grow to their full stature before winter so to see heads forming and sprouts shooting up this month was genuinely and unexpectedly thrilling. </p><p>And then there's my expanding patch of wild garlic leaves - so delicious in a risotto or used to make pesto. I bought one plant almost a decade ago from Jekka McVicar's herb farm that now covers a metre and a half under the fruit trees. As it's away from pollution and organically grown, I can harvest without worry. Am I concerned about it taking over? No. Besides, is there such a thing as Too Much Wild Garlic? For now, there's little landing space for any seeds as the wild garlic is growing through Cerinthe (Honeywort), Ajuga and leaves of Hemerocallis (Day lilies). </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTI__7009DXK0sBIRkaxS3xfhrSR78VRA8Ui1bYPA1RPMrlxJN2b8UOQPtZg4e41MSumALcynjHEtjfvLZYpA0zVEduNyCBta4_m2x702hRSMSekvy2Eo3Lt00R2MRCF9gLbmBnKDH5o7ZHS1zyMHOBJ7MFbTkfBC1f-SZED4L1lR27dyLGoub8vAx/s1200/April%20veg%20patch%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTI__7009DXK0sBIRkaxS3xfhrSR78VRA8Ui1bYPA1RPMrlxJN2b8UOQPtZg4e41MSumALcynjHEtjfvLZYpA0zVEduNyCBta4_m2x702hRSMSekvy2Eo3Lt00R2MRCF9gLbmBnKDH5o7ZHS1zyMHOBJ7MFbTkfBC1f-SZED4L1lR27dyLGoub8vAx/w400-h266/April%20veg%20patch%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>PSB, rhubarb, gooseberry flowering;<br />Sweet Cicely, Wild Garlic, Sweet Woodruff (all edible!)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>A rare week of warm weather interspersed with heavy rain has done the garden (and me) the world of good; the fruit trees are a riot of blossom (until spring storms blow it all away), rivers of Sweet Woodruff and Sweet Cicely are about to flower, ever dependable rhubarb has appeared, honeyberry and gooseberry bushes are flowering. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for plums, as usual. </p><div><br /></div><p><b><span style="color: #800180;">Where I'm at with seed sowing ...</span></b></p><p>So while there are a few plants to pick from, I have to confess that I neglected to grow many other veg that could be filling the hungry gap at the moment. To remedy that, I've just sown kales, butternut squashes, leeks and Chioggia pumpkins indoors. </p><p>As ever, I long for a greenhouse. It wouldn't be empty for long if my tiny balcony is anything to go by. Currently filling every nook and cranny are trays of beetroots, nasturtiums, courgettes, spring onions, salad leaves, tomatoes, lamb's lettuce, beans, and pollinator friendly annuals of cosmos, calendula, gypsophila, verbena, sweet peas and echinacea. If I can find space for them, I also want to grow Bunny Tail grass for some winter wreaths. </p><p>I'm keeping veg sown into modules in the shelter of my balcony for now but outside the soil is warm enough to sow some veg (and flowers!) direct ... at least in the south of the UK. In the past week, broad beans have gone into the soil, garlic and onions that were overwintered in modules have been planted, the Jerusalem artichoke hedge is in, and peas, radishes and carrots will be next. </p><p>Spring has truly arrived with all its thrilling moments! </p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-77700828131241856232023-03-31T14:26:00.002+01:002023-03-31T15:08:42.218+01:00Revisiting an immune boosting tea from the herb garden<p> </p><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #333732; font-family: Calibri; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="color: purple;">And, finally, there was tea ...</span></h3><div><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: purple;">It's probably a bit early for all the herbs in this tea to be available in the garden but as many of my friends and family have colds at the moment, it seems timely to revisit this delicious tea. </span></div><div><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: purple;">Some readers may remember this tea ... I initially wrote this as part of a look back at May 2020 in the garden - a time when we needed all the immune support we could get! So, if these plants are not flourishing in your garden yet (take heart, it won't be long), bookmark this post to come back to it. And while the plants are available, pick and dry some of the leaves to store for winter colds. </span></div><div><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: purple;">And if you don't already grow these plants, can I suggest that all of these are well worth growing? Lemon balm is so easy to grow, loves shade and still it tends to self seed vigorously. I now also grow Lemon Verbena - it's a glorious herb, and I keep the lemon balm shorn to a more manageable blob. </span></div><br style="background-color: white; color: #333732; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px;" /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GNZuxtdBNgw/XtZffteh7cI/AAAAAAAAG-Y/IUn92L94G6gjCBq8J2qgmhaNDz_fRSyNwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/tea.jpg" style="color: #e172c6; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="Five herbs to steep in a teapot for a delicious immune boosting herb tea - achillea, calendula, mint, lemon balm, thyme." border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GNZuxtdBNgw/XtZffteh7cI/AAAAAAAAG-Y/IUn92L94G6gjCBq8J2qgmhaNDz_fRSyNwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/tea.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 20px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" title="5 herbs for an immune support tea" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br style="background-color: white; color: #333732; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333732; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px;">An Australian permaculture channel posted a video for what they call 'Immune-i-Tea' ... a delicious immune boosting drink made from garden herbs. To my delight, I found that I had all of the necessaries in my herb garden.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333732; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333732; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333732; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px;">Just five herbs needed in roughly equal quantities, a small handful of each of yarrow (achillea), calendula flowers, mint, thyme and lemon balm. Put into a large teapot, cover with boiling water and put the lid on. Leave for at least 10 minutes and then pour. It was surprisingly thirst quenching, tasty and uplifting and, I imagine, would also be lovely chilled. I think I may never buy another herbal tea bag.</span>Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com2London, UK51.5072178 -0.127586223.196983963821154 -35.2838362 79.817451636178845 35.0286638tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-75590545483349906612023-02-20T23:39:00.004+00:002023-04-06T18:58:25.223+01:00The How and Why of growing Jerusalem Artichokes<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBoYOs5Ibq6rH0DpP0bEo1zUNiQnCGUYww0exTZNLqRsNluoU-zpFwhpnYyAO_qMzH8XcmPkv0RS_TwOMtkwbznJiUgDLGZogQp64rKkZl33awGhETLnS__QeHuB52_e34yt__8vUnN5vvRC9fEHerAhRpe_N9Ut83mjJUyC15ffgBzW5bM1FFajPb/s3144/IMG_7033.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2095" data-original-width="3144" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBoYOs5Ibq6rH0DpP0bEo1zUNiQnCGUYww0exTZNLqRsNluoU-zpFwhpnYyAO_qMzH8XcmPkv0RS_TwOMtkwbznJiUgDLGZogQp64rKkZl33awGhETLnS__QeHuB52_e34yt__8vUnN5vvRC9fEHerAhRpe_N9Ut83mjJUyC15ffgBzW5bM1FFajPb/w640-h426/IMG_7033.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spot the real sunflower - most of these are Sunchokes <i>(Helianthus tuberosus)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>My new discovery for the veg patch last year was Jerusalem Artichokes, also known as Sunchokes. I grew them for the sunflowers, little knowing of their many health benefits!</p><p>I'd resisted growing Jerusalem artichokes until the day they were served up as a side veg at a particularly posh restaurant meal that I was invited to attend. First tastes didn't provoke a eureka moment but that smooth blob of puréed sun-chokes piqued my curiosity. Was this a useful addition to the veg patch? And was their reputation for causing flatulence justified? </p><p>There were two important things that started my growing experiment: </p><p>One, the plants are in the same plant family as sunflowers; so it's a double win for the veg garden to get cheerful pollinator attracting sunflowers and, of course, those edible tubers after the flowers have faded. Plus seedheads in the autumn for birds to munch on. Triple win! </p><p>Secondly, I read that specialist tubers are not obligatory so I grabbed a bag of Jerusalem artichokes from the veg aisle in my local supermarket to start the experiment - and, even better, they were at sale price being at their 'best before' date. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO-CJg6TUa8_N6FKVNqc7J_6DrVOmjMYPnTJzJ1PD0MqJwQXf-n4wx7S63l2SF5pfT6ONlS-B6vtZhGEV_EvHpC4ZQoOYzhONLvJNuAF-_OfYLA90372OWSQgs9HjxHua2CiiPDEO_RhpU1QaDCXwOfweM0SrpK7Rohza_9oCO2XsjkH-qFciJUANq/s2304/Sunchokes%20growing.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2304" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO-CJg6TUa8_N6FKVNqc7J_6DrVOmjMYPnTJzJ1PD0MqJwQXf-n4wx7S63l2SF5pfT6ONlS-B6vtZhGEV_EvHpC4ZQoOYzhONLvJNuAF-_OfYLA90372OWSQgs9HjxHua2CiiPDEO_RhpU1QaDCXwOfweM0SrpK7Rohza_9oCO2XsjkH-qFciJUANq/w640-h391/Sunchokes%20growing.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunchoke leaves are less serrated than regular sunflower leaves.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b>Growing them is easy: </b></p><p>I dug a foot wide shallow trench in a sunny corner of the veg patch, forked in some compost from my Hotbin (although any compost would do), buried the tubers about 4 inches deep, spaced them 8 inches apart, then covered them over again with soil. Job done. And then watered and waited. Probably longer than was necessary but the tubers can be left in the ground until needed. Just wait until the flowers have finished. So simple. </p><p>They didn't need earthing up like potatoes, they didn't need staking like tall sunflowers - unless your site is very windy - plus they're fairly pest resistant. And each tuber planted produced around 10 to15 more which I have roasted, pureed and mashed. Deliciously nutty, but their gassy reputation is warranted in my case. Enough said.</p><p>But not to be put off by their wind producing side effects, this year I'm bordering the veg patch with an extended row of Jerusalem Artichokes. Why? because they have some very good health benefits.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElXdc2yCSUidH34hpupISNoTaHlV9_Im08h4PvmjGZQBe_igiEoE4aOflh4ZKDZRASvfPu-MerHaVLH9Lv5_JzI6JM8Pf_5Jrmfo3Kh1OZXLjaEcEy-tEKu-Crk4C_sf-xxupWiNg_aUmOrNd5GozW64tBGekQTQuPw-Y96TyroJOefifgoAOZ0VK/s3349/Sunchoke%20harvest.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A harvest of home grown winter vegetables" border="0" data-original-height="2231" data-original-width="3349" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElXdc2yCSUidH34hpupISNoTaHlV9_Im08h4PvmjGZQBe_igiEoE4aOflh4ZKDZRASvfPu-MerHaVLH9Lv5_JzI6JM8Pf_5Jrmfo3Kh1OZXLjaEcEy-tEKu-Crk4C_sf-xxupWiNg_aUmOrNd5GozW64tBGekQTQuPw-Y96TyroJOefifgoAOZ0VK/w640-h426/Sunchoke%20harvest.heic" title="A winter harvest of vegetables" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harvesting Jerusalem artichokes from October through to January! </td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b><p></p><p><b>So let's talk health benefits ...</b></p><p>These tubers are allegedly a nutritional powerhouse. They're a good source of antioxidants which makes them gut-friendly and immune-boosting. They're also packed with fibre, iron, potassium and phosphorus. (Huh? I had to find out what phosphorus is in relation to the human body, rather than soil! It's a mineral that supports the formation of bones and teeth, repairs cells, normalises the heartbeat, kidney function and muscle contractions. So .. pretty important stuff.)</p><p>But what they're most famous for is their high inulin content. Inulin is a carbohydrate that acts as a prebiotic, feeding your good gut bacteria to keep your innards healthy. It's hard to digest so when it reaches the intestines, it feeds the gut bacteria which then produce methane gas ... yes, the source of their nickname, fartichokes. </p><p>That aside, Jerusalem artichokes are touted as a good substitute for potatoes being low carb, low sugar and full of fibre. </p><p>They're still a bit of a novelty for me and I now know to eat them as a treat rather than every day and certainly not in any great quantity as I could feel (and hear!) the effect they had on my intestines for a couple of days. </p><p><b>There is a way to lessen the gassiness ...</b></p><p>I've read that there are three ways to reduce the side effects of Jerusalem artichokes. The first is to gradually increase the amount eaten in order to get your body to adapt; the second is to boil the sliced tubers in lemon juice which turns the inulin into fructose thereby making them sweeter but less gassy. The third is to slice and pickle them, retaining the nutty flavour and crunch. Option 3 sounds interesting!</p><p>So, a potato substitute with health benefits and cheerful flowers ... will you give them a go this year?</p><p><b>A few of the ultra-delicious recipes I've tried!</b></p><p>If you're new to cooking Jerusalem artichokes, can I steer you in the direction of Riverford Organic Farmers website? Here you'll find not only a few of the recipes that inspired me but also some good advice on preparing the tubers if you watch the video in the first recipe listed below.</p><p><a href="https://www.riverford.co.uk/recipes/roasted-jerusalem-artichokes-mushrooms" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Roasted Jerusalem artichokes with mushrooms, rosemary and garlic</a> - still my favourite</p><p><a href="https://www.riverford.co.uk/recipes/jerusalem-artichoke-and-bacon-gratin" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jerusalem artichoke and bacon gratin</a> - cheese, bacon, cream and sunchokes, delicious.</p><p><a href="https://www.riverford.co.uk/recipes/jerusalem-artichoke-and-leek-soup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jerusalem artichoke and leek soup</a> - the perfect soup using available veg from the winter garden. </p><p>Happy munching! </p><p>And here's Charles Dowding showing how he grows his Jerusalem Artichokes:</p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/jIM2mxswJZ8">https://youtu.be/jIM2mxswJZ8</a></p><p><br /></p><p> </p>Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-74249823665430115542022-11-24T10:46:00.003+00:002022-11-24T10:46:44.634+00:00Getting the garden ready for winter<div class="separator">Before thinking about any seasonal holidays, and before the weather turns frosty, there are still a few pre-winter jobs to complete by way of thanking the garden for its sterling work this year and give it a boost to prepare for next. But perhaps you're already ahead of me on that one?</div><div class="separator"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0td9YOJ50CVSPIFZoUWPXCjSBrt7sEG-xx_lkAHid2mM4rlbJJnrjnQYPK26Ek0IqSQ-WDOwoR7y0hkR4PbpEkfwiU-lemXiwyB0v5AxFMApcVj1OoVnplP3H44yLm1ddxF9US_14cJgagojVBp8OEqURon6nRiDYGXK300TwT9dHX3RWR_RV3Oja/s1280/92D3C4C6-1FBD-4327-BB47-2627DD095E88.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0td9YOJ50CVSPIFZoUWPXCjSBrt7sEG-xx_lkAHid2mM4rlbJJnrjnQYPK26Ek0IqSQ-WDOwoR7y0hkR4PbpEkfwiU-lemXiwyB0v5AxFMApcVj1OoVnplP3H44yLm1ddxF9US_14cJgagojVBp8OEqURon6nRiDYGXK300TwT9dHX3RWR_RV3Oja/w640-h480/92D3C4C6-1FBD-4327-BB47-2627DD095E88.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: left;">These are questions I'm asking myself: Have you gathered and bagged up leaves? Emptied the compost bin? Mulched your borders? Cleared the summer veg beds? Started off garlic cloves? Planted pots for a bit of winter pizazz? Pruned the roses? Given the hedge a last trim? Got all those spring bulbs planted? Yes? Ah, maybe that's just me falling behind then. Time to get busy!<br /><p>I regret not making the most of the gorgeously warm start to autumn now normal service has resumed - damp foggy mornings and dropping temperatures ... but the golden hues of trees heading towards their winter hibernation and shrubs dripping with berries is a trade off I can live with. </p><p>During the day I garden for other people so my own garden goes to the back of the queue - see list above and the reason why I still have bulbs to plant - tulips, snowdrops, leucojum, fritillaries and iris reticulata; I can't resist buying them and adding to my pots and borders. November is a good time to get bulbs in the ground before the soil (and air!) becomes noticeably colder. So that's got to be one of the first tasks on my list of self-perpetuating garden work. </p><p>This month is also good for dividing perennials and moving plants. I've a chunk of rhubarb to move and have also promised to dig up some of my hellebores for a lovely 90 year old for her garden. Last year I took round a few of my self seeded forget-me-nots; they flowered frothily in spring and have spread prolifically. I've relocated a few clumps to create flower drifts across her borders ... just dig them up with a good root ball attached and replant straight away into the new position. </p></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9GS5H5SIGrWSwz5dXjt1MFk0JGrAWaz_SR37AbGVb3yXqwfJPQ-XJSwXfIJzWac6uhB-exkJv6oc_lej5HJuvYKJaxF_uHv12pxisbdpvIdXb2cPTRYA6XoAm3CFQP9SWCQEbwIqgXLdKtuA5FTzBEe3QXF8sjmt9FMHadvpIy8kD8PL49-iNba5/s1280/B9D704F3-8370-46AC-8BB3-8AA224E2B446.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9GS5H5SIGrWSwz5dXjt1MFk0JGrAWaz_SR37AbGVb3yXqwfJPQ-XJSwXfIJzWac6uhB-exkJv6oc_lej5HJuvYKJaxF_uHv12pxisbdpvIdXb2cPTRYA6XoAm3CFQP9SWCQEbwIqgXLdKtuA5FTzBEe3QXF8sjmt9FMHadvpIy8kD8PL49-iNba5/w400-h300/B9D704F3-8370-46AC-8BB3-8AA224E2B446.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Back in my little veg patch, I’ve been harvesting tomatoes, beetroot, carrots, apples, rosehips and chard for weeks now and trying to ignore rising energy costs as I process it all into chutneys, soups, jams, butters and cordials. <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGMGeF_0pJd76D5YDrFkqseluG8jONvU-D2esVRp5LVa8S4RpQg40ZT4rYmFQWmmqT9WKNu0ReYQuyyaGKf1ZwjvvjIWdQkPKwtlIm2LdzN8aI5DMNLwxJeXniwGeztq-FKTz21C9ExNntbXsIyfCEiw68IFnyK0S6_AA0zC01br1d5M7G9wBlPyu/s1012/A3F4A2DD-572F-4197-BFF3-70D62DFFD265-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="1012" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGMGeF_0pJd76D5YDrFkqseluG8jONvU-D2esVRp5LVa8S4RpQg40ZT4rYmFQWmmqT9WKNu0ReYQuyyaGKf1ZwjvvjIWdQkPKwtlIm2LdzN8aI5DMNLwxJeXniwGeztq-FKTz21C9ExNntbXsIyfCEiw68IFnyK0S6_AA0zC01br1d5M7G9wBlPyu/w400-h400/A3F4A2DD-572F-4197-BFF3-70D62DFFD265-COLLAGE.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The endless stream of tomatoes has now, unsurprisingly, finished. I grow mostly cherry types with Mr Fothergill's Cherry Falls doing well for me every year. Four plants provided at least half a kilo of fruit week after week - most were bottled or preserved; I can recommend the Tomato Kasundi recipe in The Modern Preserver book, a warm Indian spiced chutney. Larger beefsteak tomatoes from a friend's allotment were deskinned and deseeded, combined with onion and peppers and made into an easy and delicious soup for the freezer. I must put seeds for big tomatoes on my list for next year. <p></p><p>Beetroot have been roasted, eaten, made into chutney or delicious muffins (my thanks to <a href="https://bramblegarden.com/2022/10/25/chocolate-and-beetroot-muffins-family-favourite-recipes/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Karen for the recipe</a>; my waistline applauds you!) or frozen. Yes, <i>frozen</i> - who knew that was even possible! Well, I do now. (Cooked, peeled, sliced for ease of defrosting, and laid out on a tray to flash freeze before being bagged up, labelled and frozen for up to 6 months.) </p><p>Carrots. I was gifted seeds from Premier Seeds in Poland to try. By summer's end, the roots were still frustratingly small but tasty so I left them to grow on a bit. By the end of October, after a warm and wet month, the roots were fat, large, and delicious. Those seeds will definitely go on my list for late autumn veg next year!</p><p>My apples have mostly been windfalls, but nothing has been wasted. The bruises and wildlife munchings have been chopped out and the good bits made into utterly delicious Spiced Apple Butter or stewed for the freezer. Fruit butters are a thickened spiced purée - a spread I hadn't come across before which has now introduced me to a whole new world of toasty deliciousness!</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">November in the garden. I will ...</h4><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Cut autumn fruiting raspberry canes down to a few inches above the soil once the leaves have all dropped. Mulch the soil to feed the canes once done. The fruit was not good this year; hoping for better next.</li><li>Stake and mulch around broccoli plants - they get big and hungry!</li><li>Gather leaves for leaf mulch. A large black bag with air holes punched in will do but any large container that lets water and air in and out will do; leave for a year or two. </li><li>Plant garlic cloves</li><li>Divide rhubarb and replant divisions. Mulch around the crowns. </li><li>Sow Aquadulce or Sutton broad beans (these are winter hardy types), sweet peas</li><li>Plant spring bulbs! </li><li>Start to prune apple, pear and quince trees for shape and to cut away dead, diseased or crossing branches</li><li>Empty the compost bin (My least favourite job!)</li><li>Put out bird feeders or check food levels in existing feeders.</li></ul><p></p><p>Next in my client gardens I'll be pruning back untidy shrubs (but not those that flower in spring!), relocating a rose bush that's outgrown its space, planting bare root roses (perfect time for this!) and reducing other roses by up to a third to avoid wind rock to the roots. There's also still time to plant up some large pots for a bit of winter colour.</p><p>If you've enjoyed reading this, come back for more inspiration for edible and colourful winter pots!</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">The preserving books I refer to:</h4><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>National Trust Complete Jams, Preserves and Chutneys - for apple butter. Windfall Chutney and the best blackberry and apple jam.</li><li>The Modern Preserver, Kylee Newton - for Tomato Kasundi and Beetroot & Orange Chutney</li><li>Gardener Cook, Christopher Lloyd - for Old Fashioned Quince Pudding and other quince recipes.</li></ul><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-3807876025889534092022-04-26T09:20:00.201+01:002022-04-28T10:38:30.381+01:00Progress at last!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2ZYW_wT9TIewcHVVIyqEolc4wH-C36OUVPklNNe5JYwHwGZCxvguoIA-z5EVH4FHKx8WLIdNvj4ZhC38QLhqqR0m-IqCxtclCzhvgDdqM8JlqaGV5t6OSwtx_dzSyQA7olJaqHZC2gUydXigg9UMUBNngPtrD6cngb_GKLfP4YmiZxjv_l4_dNv0/s1280/EBDF16E8-D1FB-48AC-A56C-A19887033E2A.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2ZYW_wT9TIewcHVVIyqEolc4wH-C36OUVPklNNe5JYwHwGZCxvguoIA-z5EVH4FHKx8WLIdNvj4ZhC38QLhqqR0m-IqCxtclCzhvgDdqM8JlqaGV5t6OSwtx_dzSyQA7olJaqHZC2gUydXigg9UMUBNngPtrD6cngb_GKLfP4YmiZxjv_l4_dNv0/w640-h480/EBDF16E8-D1FB-48AC-A56C-A19887033E2A.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The seed sowing begins ...</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>This month I've been pondering on why some seeds fail and the relativity of time ... days pass quickly when enjoying yourself but waiting for seeds to germinate? Not so much. Having sowed trays of peas and broad beans late in March (and loads more seeds throughout this past month), I check daily for signs of life and get excited when tiny green shoots poke up above the soil. <i>(Hello cape gooseberries and ahoy Pak Choi!) </i>This month has been more of a waiting game though and I’m feeling the pressure to get plants growing and planted out in a timely fashion.</p><p>The weather hasn't helped ... after a blast of sunshine early in the month, the skies then became grumpy and rather chilly. This was not ideal for the bean and pea seeds growing outside in the shelter of my tiny balcony. I start hardier seeds off outside as I like to keep windowsills indoors clear for the deluge of more tender seeds to come. Sometimes my optimism is misplaced.</p><p>Earlier in the month, having monitored daily for the appearance of broad/fava bean and sweet pea seeds, I began to wonder if they were all duds - and then it dawned on me to check the label I’d put with the plants. Even though it seemed like ages since I'd sown the seeds, it had only been a week and temperatures were chilly. Doh! </p><p>However, sigh of relief, after a respite indoors on the kitchen windowsill, shoots appeared within a few days; at 2 inches tall, the plants went back onto the balcony. And now I have ten sturdy little plants planted out and growing well. (There were supposed to be fourteen but four seeds <i>did</i> fail to germinate, such is life.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0CpP15asXprCM9CD8x6J-89TLLO0tGl8Y52ofsH5-lVOgzSTg0XOq0uJAAl54NtvZWGL7hMYJPfk33yUU2tqh0fxOeNwQAp-ioNeaS63MJdXatB8jMN0dwtjOndtajY0NyGFiQTM8h8MCXBEa2fvWj4Vdg7jU0rVIi6VePE3kdZgma-_VrppRyTM/s640/E15C8EFF-F2FD-4343-9504-72A638D17C46.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0CpP15asXprCM9CD8x6J-89TLLO0tGl8Y52ofsH5-lVOgzSTg0XOq0uJAAl54NtvZWGL7hMYJPfk33yUU2tqh0fxOeNwQAp-ioNeaS63MJdXatB8jMN0dwtjOndtajY0NyGFiQTM8h8MCXBEa2fvWj4Vdg7jU0rVIi6VePE3kdZgma-_VrppRyTM/w400-h300/E15C8EFF-F2FD-4343-9504-72A638D17C46.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Why so few plants? Well, the broad beans were destined for two 12 inch wide rows in the Abundance Bed which is my project this year. I decided to dedicate an area of the veg patch for an Abundance Bed after reading Huw Richard's book 'Veg in One Bed' <i>(<a href="https://urbanvegpatch.blogspot.com/2021/12/belated-book-review-veg-from-one-bed.html" target="_blank">reviewed in December</a>)</i>; I love being told what to do and when. Sticking to the book's plan of action, my broad beans were planted out mid-April when the plants were about 4" high. Whew ... just in time! </p><p>But why do seeds sometimes fail?</p><p>Sometimes the seeds are just too old if kept from year to year. Once packets are opened, seeds start to deteriorate and the energy stored up for germination is lost - basically, they run out of puff. I’ve started marking new seed packets with the date that I opened the foils and pay attention to the year packed as well as the ‘sow by’ date.</p><p>Some seeds will last longer; I’m sprouting a few old orca and Borlotti beans in cotton wool to test their viability rather than wasting seed compost. I first saw this done with slow germinating seeds like parsnips, tried it for myself and it worked. I’ll plant the seeds when (if!) signs of life are seen. </p><p>It's guesswork knowing the best time to sow seeds; the sowing timelines on the packet caters for gardens at all extremes of the country but it is only guidance. Too cold and they’ll struggle to germinate. Too early and they struggle for light. Too late and annual plants don't have enough time to fully develop. That's particularly true for chillies (always hit and miss for me) but I've finally got my tomatoes, cucumbers, chillies, leeks and peas sown. All in modules, destined for the windowsills - the first lot for the warmth needed to germinate the seeds and the peas to (hopefully!) keep the mice from eating them. </p><p>I've sown runner beans, sweet corn and french beans into root trainers this morning; squash and courgettes are next - maybe a teeny bit later than usual but with slightly warmer weather now, they should quickly grow into strong plants. Fingers crossed, eh?</p><p>And the sweet peas? Well, after three weeks of daily checking, a few tiny shoots popped their heads above the soil, just fifteen out of the 30 tubes sown. That'll do. But lesson learned: noticeably it's the freshest seeds that have germinated (plus a few from last year) so some ruthless seed culling is needed! </p><p>So, as ever at this time of year ... onwards!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3oQyey72fESdymNRV1fUx911ueQ1gxqbQPy6qwn_KOKNS3Fp8aZCNfULLxJwY9CdwwifGtlN9sC1fKY5MREsm8El0bI0JjIs3TnOdLGwmdbDD-HEP_JMXKP87I-0bpgwO6G4KP2JJ5Ic4XiDHo6Jw9wMaapUfca-TbSXhGrFxO69O22_t7tsgOWU/s640/AE649000-2A3E-4FE2-B790-230F2C3B58C1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3oQyey72fESdymNRV1fUx911ueQ1gxqbQPy6qwn_KOKNS3Fp8aZCNfULLxJwY9CdwwifGtlN9sC1fKY5MREsm8El0bI0JjIs3TnOdLGwmdbDD-HEP_JMXKP87I-0bpgwO6G4KP2JJ5Ic4XiDHo6Jw9wMaapUfca-TbSXhGrFxO69O22_t7tsgOWU/s320/AE649000-2A3E-4FE2-B790-230F2C3B58C1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com3London, UK51.5072178 -0.127586223.196983963821154 -35.2838362 79.817451636178845 35.0286638tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-20569223731084924242022-04-17T13:18:00.000+01:002022-04-17T13:18:00.944+01:00Gardening by the Easter moon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8BjMaYu59YTbosXpbvW3Ofn86fYQVfWPsltSfgGJ6AOabgCdHiDtQU75lbOSq-hyapvhkYzfv30KhUmcXRcSS-Gzx7ko_1S5bxsGCLy3FJjCdDWLTWv6_VXV_HWlaK7aBliMct_nwFPW8aPS23eE0GhMGwQu5H9zRtr7Qan2MBc1qQfJLPZh209I/s1280/85A85855-792D-4E77-9ADE-35D6EAC30345.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1280" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8BjMaYu59YTbosXpbvW3Ofn86fYQVfWPsltSfgGJ6AOabgCdHiDtQU75lbOSq-hyapvhkYzfv30KhUmcXRcSS-Gzx7ko_1S5bxsGCLy3FJjCdDWLTWv6_VXV_HWlaK7aBliMct_nwFPW8aPS23eE0GhMGwQu5H9zRtr7Qan2MBc1qQfJLPZh209I/w640-h384/85A85855-792D-4E77-9ADE-35D6EAC30345.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Last night's skies were lit by April's Full Moon - also sometimes known as the Paschal Moon as Easter falls on the first Sunday after its appearance which, in this case, is today. But that’s not its only folklore name … Native Americans know this moon as The Moon of the Red Grass Appearing - which is rather poetic, and beautiful in my opinion. </p><p>All this moon's names relate to spring getting underway. Anglo-saxons called it Egg Moon; extraordinary how there's a link back to all these names in today's culture ... spring chicks, Easter eggs ... not too sure about Easter bonnets though! The Celts on the other hand were possibly more in tune with nature? They called this Full Moon the Budding Moon, New Shoots Moon and Seed Moon. Yep, it's the month to get sowing. </p><p>The general idea seems to be that while the moon is going from new (no moon) towards full, it exerts a growing (waxing) influence over water and therefore plant life. That period is allegedly good for sowing or planting out crops that develop above ground - beans, chard, brassicas, leafy veg.</p><p>The reverse is true after the full moon starts to wane. The next seven days is a good time to sow seeds and tubers for plants developing below the soil ... beetroot, radish, carrots, leeks, parsnips, spring onions, potatoes (2nd early and maincrop), Jerusalem artichokes, dahlias, lilies, gladioli - you get the idea. </p><p>I've planted up all my dahlia tubers in pots on my balcony so the next week should get them off to a good start. And I'll head out to the veg patch today to sow carrots, beetroot, another row of radish and plant more Jerusalem artichokes. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAEEkCJRO9aiwUeUiYTz-EDtG1qy285x-1FzRgI_a15Y9us1kspaR9tetag1Bq-Dalg8MQsruvW2Xk7WEqJObyWlkhYXt0luqqB5-6x8_fx1gOvtCB3oYdquO9O8hIzramVUdMmclR3LKhRDzk57gDB8mHg0DMQn1sXKuZor9e5Epmbo_cniFIRNgw/s1280/B555AB49-C377-4B2F-8CA3-BB83531CA41F.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAEEkCJRO9aiwUeUiYTz-EDtG1qy285x-1FzRgI_a15Y9us1kspaR9tetag1Bq-Dalg8MQsruvW2Xk7WEqJObyWlkhYXt0luqqB5-6x8_fx1gOvtCB3oYdquO9O8hIzramVUdMmclR3LKhRDzk57gDB8mHg0DMQn1sXKuZor9e5Epmbo_cniFIRNgw/w400-h300/B555AB49-C377-4B2F-8CA3-BB83531CA41F.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>The 'drawing down' energy is strongest straight after the full moon but fades as it wanes towards the new moon on the 30th. My almanac advises that the last week of the month is a dormant period with poor growth. Obviously my energies will be best directed towards garden maintenance - a good time to prune, weed, mulch and build supports for peas and beans. </p><p>And with the weather here in the south of England forecast to be warm and dry, I think I should add watering to that list. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com1London, UK51.5072178 -0.127586223.196983963821154 -35.2838362 79.817451636178845 35.0286638tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-86605427963538026332022-04-14T14:35:00.003+01:002022-04-14T14:44:31.715+01:00Ginger Nuts! How to grow fresh ginger (part 1) <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlr8qRA9oZH6xNb9A8poCN67d69UOAAKkvN3sOKSWsd-Ct--fnec7X8JXQhC1oEtHuwrj0E4kXvG-VGl0ax2fzS1dpQmrCryg36Q_afntLU_4UDAYjIJur0qK4vCGtIHx2KiXxo4XwRPz7Zo71JP0dn1BbdL6wa7HFzEzXCnZOf7ak8xEivOt2HH-2/s1280/F2998689-CEF3-4E98-A3CB-6552DAD970E3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1280" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlr8qRA9oZH6xNb9A8poCN67d69UOAAKkvN3sOKSWsd-Ct--fnec7X8JXQhC1oEtHuwrj0E4kXvG-VGl0ax2fzS1dpQmrCryg36Q_afntLU_4UDAYjIJur0qK4vCGtIHx2KiXxo4XwRPz7Zo71JP0dn1BbdL6wa7HFzEzXCnZOf7ak8xEivOt2HH-2/w640-h428/F2998689-CEF3-4E98-A3CB-6552DAD970E3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><p>I've been trying not to get too experimental with what I'm growing this year but ginger is a staple in my kitchen (so useful for warding off winter colds). So, for the past few weeks, I've been nurturing a root into life in the dark warmth of my kitchen cupboards.</p><p>I last tried growing ginger <a href="https://urbanvegpatch.blogspot.com/search?q=Ginger" target="_blank">seven years ago</a>, and failed. But, inspired while watching Marcus Wareing's Tales from a Kitchen Garden on the BBC, my thoughts turned to the summer warmth in my sun trap of a salad garden and I decided to try again. And on my next shopping expedition, I came home with a sturdy chunk of promising looking ginger in my basket.</p><p>I've followed the method shown in episode 8 of the show where Marcus chats to a grower about spices. And that included ginger. Compulsive viewing for a food grower - I now know where I went wrong before! </p><p>As the saying goes ... if at first you don't succeed, try and try again. Especially as I've now seen a tried and tested method that practically guarantees success. (I'm nothing if not optimistic.)</p><p>So this is what I've done (so far) ...</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>First, sprout the ginger. Soak the ginger chunks in water for a couple of days; that helps to revitalise it.</li><li>Next, seal the chunks in a clear plastic tub and store it somewhere warm. I found the gentle warmth of the cupboard near to my oven perfect.</li><li>Finally, try not to forget about it! In a couple of weeks, buds on the ginger had started to form a tuber with visible roots (<i>see main pic). </i>The whole chunk of ginger was then potted up into good peat free compost, leaving the growing shoot above the soil level and the new roots just buried. Keep the plant warm and the soil moist (never wet) and in six months or so, I should be harvesting my own fresh ginger. </li><li>I used a 3 litre/7.5" pot because it's what I had to hand but a 10 litre/11" pot would be even better. I'll pot mine on once it's established. </li><li>Ginger <i>(Zingiber officinale)</i> is a subtropical plant, thriving in humid conditions and nutrient rich soil. It spreads along the ground as it grows (hence the need for a big pot or greenhouse bed) and will need feeding weekly. </li></ul><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBA2CD-t-TflPRXJSHHdcgs27m9bFSztUMDb6nrKd0OJZ7QcgaHVkDjAvqAPQkE3EIa1djzLdL-geyXbMEPM9SumET0GFj0NSNKKFbECgrHh5-Ugwzh5iy5C7Y4uEDADi6zDgIBkoj4MYzsYmZgoQMxQIU_3mMBT0dy9CUNdLFWhJdrM5uPBkvEPWB/s1280/680D6D76-85C3-4AB4-A058-4A99803EA00C.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sprouted ginger root planted into pot." border="0" data-original-height="822" data-original-width="1280" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBA2CD-t-TflPRXJSHHdcgs27m9bFSztUMDb6nrKd0OJZ7QcgaHVkDjAvqAPQkE3EIa1djzLdL-geyXbMEPM9SumET0GFj0NSNKKFbECgrHh5-Ugwzh5iy5C7Y4uEDADi6zDgIBkoj4MYzsYmZgoQMxQIU_3mMBT0dy9CUNdLFWhJdrM5uPBkvEPWB/w400-h258/680D6D76-85C3-4AB4-A058-4A99803EA00C.jpeg" title="Ginger sprout" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Snuggled into it's new home ... </i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Part Two of this post will be if/when this experiment progresses ... and my next experiment will be the lemon grass stalk previously destined for a pot of Thai breakfast soup but now sitting in a jar of water on my windowsill.</p></div></div>Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-9063514541675714192022-03-14T18:06:00.002+00:002022-03-14T18:06:36.527+00:00Goodbye Storm Moon, Hello Worm MoonOr to put it another way, goodbye February, hello March. And hello rhubarb, wild garlic, spring flowers and first tiny blossom on the fruit trees!<div><br><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8UfhzTRJYfCilQRrVwFcX3tybjmWbKFR5u47plAxMlROI4LDA5jvz2V5JsvBhJmRQ_KUamiRSJpirGfAS0a0IWK-yPUyzCWlq8-UoS74s7BMFfCFW_ZGX7dCMyTqQHgFsPGrjik-EjGaVTORqCqU6dFKFIPu2B0ZOXi2asFVuc1bH1yOEsMppv159=s1280" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Fresh picked rhubarb, chard, carrots" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="465" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8UfhzTRJYfCilQRrVwFcX3tybjmWbKFR5u47plAxMlROI4LDA5jvz2V5JsvBhJmRQ_KUamiRSJpirGfAS0a0IWK-yPUyzCWlq8-UoS74s7BMFfCFW_ZGX7dCMyTqQHgFsPGrjik-EjGaVTORqCqU6dFKFIPu2B0ZOXi2asFVuc1bH1yOEsMppv159=w640-h465" title="Plot to plate, it’s what it’s all about" width="640"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Harvested this morning - love that Peppermint Chard!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a class="separator" div="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></a></div><p><br></p><p><span></span></p></div></div><a href="https://www.urbanvegpatch.co.uk/2022/03/storm-moon-worm-moon.html#more">Continue reading ... »</a>Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-21852009480361421882022-01-26T08:58:00.001+00:002022-01-26T17:29:02.378+00:00Herbs, the Wolf Moon, and the first snowdrop<p>Last week, at half past four in the afternoon, I realised that it was still daylight ... <i>and</i> I spotted my first snowdrop. Now that doesn’t seem much to get excited about does it, but daylight has lengthened by almost a full hour since new year; spring is on its way. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFZwxC9pGp82b9_AVKZ-Jz9Ckrasj-LH_ku5JRiVDKEzwfuI4KDvRuu71R-yPzbkRJWtanQmblqZZ_4On2eckILFywfUmbwjVgbdmgtfbUdylNPvfxzP-C_7CtefUToq-_LH5xbxhmutHXyydPG7gk0Gf9AEgyFWc8L5xjPvJg-o9WNfFKzyuFt3pr=s640" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFZwxC9pGp82b9_AVKZ-Jz9Ckrasj-LH_ku5JRiVDKEzwfuI4KDvRuu71R-yPzbkRJWtanQmblqZZ_4On2eckILFywfUmbwjVgbdmgtfbUdylNPvfxzP-C_7CtefUToq-_LH5xbxhmutHXyydPG7gk0Gf9AEgyFWc8L5xjPvJg-o9WNfFKzyuFt3pr=w640-h360" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Little flower, huge significance</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />In the past week, clear night skies have settled a good crusting of frost on rooftops, plants in the garden have gently iced over and I’ve seen a bright full moon in the dawn sky. That was the start of the waning as the moon gradually reflects less of the sun’s light ... the phase when it’s allegedly beneficial to start off crops that grow below ground. That’ll be the garlic then. </p><p>These days most people pay little attention to the moon unless its something really spectacular but, in folk lore, each monthly cycle is named to reflect what’s happening in nature. The January moon is known as the Wolf Moon as this is the month when wolves would call to each other by, literally, howling at the moon. (The upward trajectory allows their voices to travel over greater distances. Fascinating.) While the name is wildly romantic, I’d guess it’s less relevant in the UK today but other Celtic and Old English names for January include Stay Home Moon and Quiet Moon. Given that the Covid pandemic rumbles on, that’s definitely a moon for these times.</p><p>I’ve been thinking a lot about herbs this week, mainly because of Alys Fowler; I’m reading her book, A Modern Herbal. I’ve already got several books on the subject, mostly for reference rather than a good read. But Alys’s book <i>is</i> that good read - quite the page turner for a herb geek like me. It’s made me rethink some of the herbs that I’ve grown in the past and got rid of or moved - lovage, for one. I might have to reinstate my thuggish Lovage plant back into the herb garden ... when I can find it, which will be when it starts growing again.</p><p>Lovage is an enormous plant so I relegated it to a spot behind the fruit trees a few years ago where it’s no longer in the way but usefully ornamental. Which also means that I can’t easily reach it. I’ve now read what a useful herb it can be. It’s supposed to be helpful for digestive problems (including, <i>ahem</i>, wind) as well as gout, arthritis and kidney stones. Luckily, I don’t need it for those reasons. But, on a brighter note, the stems and leaves make a great addition to a Bloody Mary cocktail. Good to know.</p><p>As Alys says, ‘it’s the giant cousin of parsley and celery’ ... <i>giant</i> being the operative word here! I used to use a few leaves to flavour soups, stews and stocks but the smell would linger for hours. Not bad if you like the smell of celery spiced with cumin but a bit much when it dominates for the rest of the day! </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRGP-GgJB004IPf21NeB3Fbsa69eVvF8xbhiNn4k8h2nX1JKrYcuXJExWzjLoSUNaK8JNK2vK43zWZjtKUmc2r46qpAVy7cVRDv560enj4JN8O6i9KpFGSknrOc2AUQmpjj2cWon95UVpqsj3N4S0ia0Azm9ZB6i-tlFhNcpqoeG4Z6Sv5D26hCMAo=s3780" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3780" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRGP-GgJB004IPf21NeB3Fbsa69eVvF8xbhiNn4k8h2nX1JKrYcuXJExWzjLoSUNaK8JNK2vK43zWZjtKUmc2r46qpAVy7cVRDv560enj4JN8O6i9KpFGSknrOc2AUQmpjj2cWon95UVpqsj3N4S0ia0Azm9ZB6i-tlFhNcpqoeG4Z6Sv5D26hCMAo=w400-h320" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Woundwort, as she shall henceforth be known.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Another novelty inspired by the book was to discover how useful my <i>Ajuga reptans</i> can be. She’s been left alone to quietly colonise a patch between the cherry and plum trees for several years for the sole purpose of reducing weeds. But now her hidden qualities have come to light; apparently she not only excels as ground cover but, made into a poultice, will speed up healing of surface cuts and grazes! Very, very useful as I’m forever scraping my arms in the garden. <i>Ajuga’s</i> folk name is, aptly, woundwort. Obviously I need to be nicer to her (them? for she has been very prolific) and will move a few of her offspring into the herb garden. This is easily done as <i>Ajuga</i> spreads by putting out runners (like strawberries) that will root into any damp spot.<p></p><p><b>So, this week I’ll be ...</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>planting garlic</li><li>cutting down last year’s autumn fruiting raspberry canes</li><li>clearing the last of the leeks</li><li>starting a new Ajuga/woundwort patch</li><li>... and watching the hellebores flowering. </li></ul><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbW6p5iMjuUQxwbL0Dl7p_7dC-WPSdewqzUHlSVC89FKgGr8b3tDcFVIHHn80pU_qQ1_KdB55ikSi2tLuJiu0sbsj19B_8jVi0AYEcMTarqRg-xQqwb8k0lOY46CTwwodnrsAkQ-AuLrP9mMvnpOUXS--RzrOyZ_rnhBfIMJThgnfEyNOtT-HND2-s=s1280" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1022" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbW6p5iMjuUQxwbL0Dl7p_7dC-WPSdewqzUHlSVC89FKgGr8b3tDcFVIHHn80pU_qQ1_KdB55ikSi2tLuJiu0sbsj19B_8jVi0AYEcMTarqRg-xQqwb8k0lOY46CTwwodnrsAkQ-AuLrP9mMvnpOUXS--RzrOyZ_rnhBfIMJThgnfEyNOtT-HND2-s=w400-h320" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Spring is on its way ...</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Stay warm, stay safe x </div>Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-64235568706694216882022-01-09T19:19:00.001+00:002022-01-09T19:19:33.710+00:00The Winterlude<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180;"><i>Happy New Year and welcome to the Winterlude - the ‘dormant’ phase of the garden year and a perfect time to read, take stock and plan ahead. </i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9J1NAtLo04Wo4eg2QXg8qaZzZCBnLG30uyFfeRN7GGvLRFXvPQ4sHFYLveZRg9-EQNq8ZhVx96c-ZjjV7b2RYhVNUlPhyueSt1amjfT9-Y3ARoZObbHcPm4ZzSFKITjLYa0sK_lnvRKKqWu4AXhKdxdr4Gi4U1OtBBnyeaVpm_p1PdXd9SjQwtFJi=s640" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9J1NAtLo04Wo4eg2QXg8qaZzZCBnLG30uyFfeRN7GGvLRFXvPQ4sHFYLveZRg9-EQNq8ZhVx96c-ZjjV7b2RYhVNUlPhyueSt1amjfT9-Y3ARoZObbHcPm4ZzSFKITjLYa0sK_lnvRKKqWu4AXhKdxdr4Gi4U1OtBBnyeaVpm_p1PdXd9SjQwtFJi=w640-h480" width="640"></a></div><br><span></span><a href="https://www.urbanvegpatch.co.uk/2022/01/the-winterlude.html#more">Continue reading ... »</a>Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-3083632420348578042022-01-06T02:01:00.020+00:002022-01-10T09:19:18.286+00:00So that was 2021<i><span style="color: #351c75;">2021 has been an eventful, challenging and fun year ... but it hasn't all been about the veg...</span></i><div><br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVhELkc_riDBakpWUcBIF-TbfDay4qvrcTePcjnB9qoA5pXnpn1f0XaaHcYOpzJNqrfSdh0x7TCagwTvdHDe6ilAVWRsXcZMzQnjzywAgvOOfW86JTheAISGOutbXVni3KKQWdPTBnWtMlzP9zaKW4qYPnlPgE0GZM0FGonLroOceo7doGNzvzbc_a=s640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVhELkc_riDBakpWUcBIF-TbfDay4qvrcTePcjnB9qoA5pXnpn1f0XaaHcYOpzJNqrfSdh0x7TCagwTvdHDe6ilAVWRsXcZMzQnjzywAgvOOfW86JTheAISGOutbXVni3KKQWdPTBnWtMlzP9zaKW4qYPnlPgE0GZM0FGonLroOceo7doGNzvzbc_a=w640-h480" width="640"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hampstead Heath ponds frozen over in February</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br><p>Well, there she goes ... goodbye to 2021; a bittersweet year but one that I will remember fondly. That may seem a strange thing to say, given that the country was in lockdown for the first part of the year, and held to ransom by the coronavirus pandemic, but I was one of the lucky ones who remained in excellent health and was grateful for vaccines when offered. </p><p>So, for me, conversely, lockdown was a time of freedom; freedom to improve my run across Hampstead Heath, to potter in the garden in the morning sun, to walk by the Thames and its tributaries, and to explore the Greater London area. <span></span></p></div><a href="https://www.urbanvegpatch.co.uk/2022/01/so-that-was-2021.html#more">Continue reading ... »</a>Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-60420963221388278482021-12-26T10:23:00.003+00:002022-01-10T09:20:30.645+00:00Solstice - And the world turns back to the lightThe winter solstice can be considered to be a dual edged sword for it brings both the start of gradually lengthening days as well as the true start of three months of winter. Brrr... but not quite yet. And there's unlikely to be any snow over the holiday festivities, let me explain why.<br><br> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvJtO9gWZlc1W7LYjIOAlJ7gYxS4M--fqXkfwmi0JgsRWCsyEJHz6GDcsVE0a7yIQfZ5u5whBQUwmUigYYtT2vcs3ZJMDoQQ6A7iOJf01RpzYQUfx-j234IV2B2NdV9mXljX6k7vzscRxHK-zvaBxTPhrqeANZHUw_ACHw7Tyb6-usinoEHVJvpMMw=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="960" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvJtO9gWZlc1W7LYjIOAlJ7gYxS4M--fqXkfwmi0JgsRWCsyEJHz6GDcsVE0a7yIQfZ5u5whBQUwmUigYYtT2vcs3ZJMDoQQ6A7iOJf01RpzYQUfx-j234IV2B2NdV9mXljX6k7vzscRxHK-zvaBxTPhrqeANZHUw_ACHw7Tyb6-usinoEHVJvpMMw=w640-h508" width="640"></a></div><br><p></p><div><span></span></div><a href="https://www.urbanvegpatch.co.uk/2021/12/solstice-and-world-turns-back-to-light.html#more">Continue reading ... »</a>Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com2London, UK51.5072178 -0.127586248.226968254144545 -35.28383620000001 54.787467345855454 35.028663800000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-87429731616752126482021-12-20T16:00:00.001+00:002022-01-10T09:21:30.183+00:00Belated Book Review: Veg from One Bed - an excellent book for new veg gardeners<p><i><span style="color: #674ea7;">This is not a newly published book but having recently discovered it for myself, I wanted to highlight it for readers of this blog because it provides a foolproof way of building confidence and growing success for</span></i><i><span style="color: #674ea7;"> a beginner veg gardener.</span></i></p><p><i><span style="color: #674ea7;">Disclaimer: I have not been paid for this review; as ever, all opinions are my own. </span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxEpC3hhnM5-zApg6p6TXDPUtmBcBtpEIvfPKsAgDQHP8V9vexw6yfdC4NXHsAVbMA4QeOGDiPIodEzqZm0h30QXBSglraj7k7VBNOemG6JXlvNLtYjqBC7TqvUXCBTgyHvREwss7BvpHUkEgAEJd1_RGzaICTfgF-1-MBgaUg1xYRtgeXZ6704_XO=s1280" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxEpC3hhnM5-zApg6p6TXDPUtmBcBtpEIvfPKsAgDQHP8V9vexw6yfdC4NXHsAVbMA4QeOGDiPIodEzqZm0h30QXBSglraj7k7VBNOemG6JXlvNLtYjqBC7TqvUXCBTgyHvREwss7BvpHUkEgAEJd1_RGzaICTfgF-1-MBgaUg1xYRtgeXZ6704_XO=w640-h480" width="640"></a></div><br><p></p><p><span></span></p><a href="https://www.urbanvegpatch.co.uk/2021/12/belated-book-review-veg-from-one-bed.html#more">Continue reading ... »</a>Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com4London, UK51.5072178 -0.127586223.196983963821154 -35.2838362 79.817451636178845 35.0286638tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-4936882380953474102021-12-15T11:25:00.001+00:002022-01-10T09:21:50.741+00:00Less veg, more bulbs<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqy70BJ_nKbZyNpJCwinuJhFk5uEPpPQXP-aAEhBqCoMmx6F83u8F9ap9QWvddM2j-GjRNyQJZ06Q7mn1gLKNZ8wbsVhbxgEtCYwgZCWBT42jtFSqG_-3Ew5n_WlhSzsr96FS0CNXAv6Hl1680Uz7F41ghTQZy2hxvQ9GWDNx_kNqt1AxvfXJ_u1iS=s1037" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Beetroot, carrots, pink chard harvest" border="0" data-original-height="691" data-original-width="1037" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqy70BJ_nKbZyNpJCwinuJhFk5uEPpPQXP-aAEhBqCoMmx6F83u8F9ap9QWvddM2j-GjRNyQJZ06Q7mn1gLKNZ8wbsVhbxgEtCYwgZCWBT42jtFSqG_-3Ew5n_WlhSzsr96FS0CNXAv6Hl1680Uz7F41ghTQZy2hxvQ9GWDNx_kNqt1AxvfXJ_u1iS=w640-h426" title="Winter harvest" width="640"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Not quite nailing self sufficiency but very pretty</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br><p>Even though I've now acquired a little christmas tree (one that I have to keep alive in its pot), I still can't quite get my head around the fact that it will be christmas in just ten days or that there’s less than three weeks to the new year. Work in the garden is never finished but I’ve spent most of last week working in other people’s gardens. However, it looks as though this will be the week that I get some time to sort out my own garden spaces and <i>finally</i> plant my spring bulbs. They could be summer bulbs if I don’t get on with it.<span></span></p><a href="https://www.urbanvegpatch.co.uk/2021/12/less-veg-more-bulbs.html#more">Continue reading ... »</a>Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com2London, UK51.5072178 -0.127586222.869021791649711 -35.2838362 80.145413808350284 35.0286638tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983898767534428385.post-18345873703397917452021-12-06T00:54:00.007+00:002022-01-10T13:34:32.475+00:00Absolutely Autumn<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KDs46HhxjCQ/YaddTVNAiZI/AAAAAAAAHoY/cofuxb_2g7M6LEAr3ZGzPRzot-vKKcCuACLcBGAsYHQ/s1037/Conjoined%2Bapple.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="conjoined red apple" border="0" data-original-height="691" data-original-width="1037" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KDs46HhxjCQ/YaddTVNAiZI/AAAAAAAAHoY/cofuxb_2g7M6LEAr3ZGzPRzot-vKKcCuACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/Conjoined%2Bapple.jpg" title="Core Blimey! conjoined apple" width="640"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The quirkiness of nature - conjoined apple from my Core Blimey tree</i> </td></tr></tbody></table><p>When I set out to write this post (a few weeks ago!) it was most definitely still autumn ... and now here we are at the start of winter. In fairness, I did take time out at the end of October to climb to the top of a small mountain in the Western fells of the Lake District - a beautiful, challenging, sometimes scary and totally wonderful life changing experience. But time in the garden is certainly marching on. The last apple has fallen, fruit trees are now almost bare of leaves, all potatoes have been lifted, lavender bushes trimmed back and asparagus ferns cut down ready for next year. But before I embrace the winter months, why not join me on a look back over the autumn?<span></span></p><a href="https://www.urbanvegpatch.co.uk/2021/12/absolutely-autumn.html#more">Continue reading ... »</a>Carohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.com2