Tales from the Veggie Patch

[MaryN]

It’s that time of year when the seeds are straining to get out of their packets, and cabin fever strikes anyone who has been confined indoors by the bad weather.

It’s time to get out there and start thrashing the life back into your garden/allotment. For those of you who are already deep into the new year’s growing season, I apologise for preaching to the converted, but for anyone who is hopeful of starting into gardening, get your coat on and get out there. Now is the time to dig over the borders to break down the clods and get some air into the soil. Clear those perennial weeds away – compost anything that doesn’t have a seed head (except dandelions which I suspect would survive a nuclear attack), and burn off anything suspect.

This time of year is perfect for starting off seeds for next winter’s vegetables. Yes, I know it seems an age away, but brassicas and the like have a long growing season and need to be well established to provide the best crops. Start the seeds off in pots of compost – on a sunny windowsill will do – and keep them slightly moist, but not wet. As soon as you have the first pair of “permanent” leaves it is time to prick the little dears out.

It has been a really hard winter, and where I am in Norfolk, the NE wind is still whipping across the Fens, so some things are going to take a while to get going. You might be luckier if you are down where BP is – I think he has probably got better weather. Be patient. Don’t sow all your seeds at once. If the first sowing fails, try again, just a few seeds at a time. This way you save money and you do not get overwhelmed by hundreds of unwanted seedlings. Just because seed is tiny does not mean it will not grow into a whacking great plant.

I know it is very tempting to buy all sorts of weird vegetable seeds because they look interesting or some TV cook has recommended them as the latest in thing, and it is fun to try new things. However, if you take the view that your veggie garden is there to save you money and provide food, then it would probably be more sensible to grow things that you know you will eat. Some things, all glossy and colourful on the seed packets, are a pain to grow and the end results can be disappointing. You have then wasted time, space and money. Stick to the tried and tested, and if you must venture onto seeds new, then just try one newbie at a time.

Even this time of year when the ground is really hard (well it is here!), I can still find loads to eat in my garden. To give you an example, I can provide food on the table from my garden each day – which is my aim. How about a nice bowl of leek and potato soup, followed by a plate of steamed purple sprouting broccoli? Too veggie for you? Well, my chickens are laying like the dickens at the moment, so what about a nice omelette with chunks of leek and potato and a scattering of herbs (yes, don’t forget to grow herbs for flavour and vitamins)? All of these things will come out of my garden. You can do this too.

Happy planting.