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.

[Tartar Horde]

I'm chomping at the bit to start planting and bought myself a Rhubarb plant today. I tried my first row of broad bean Aquadulce but nothing shown yet and the snow and frost might have done them in. Hopefully this year I will not see the return of the dreaded lily beetle either.

[Luci_ferson]

just ordered a great greenhouse.
only a small one 8 x 6 but its big enough to get all these peppers and chilis off my window ledges and out of my house .
not planting anything outside yet. (except under coldframes)

im looking forward to next winter for a change.

cant wait to get into leek and soup and stews made with fresh veges. it will be like being a kid again.

[MaryN]

(3 April 2013, 16:03)Luci_ferson Wrote: just ordered a great greenhouse.
only a small one 8 x 6 but its big enough to get all these peppers and chilis off my window ledges and out of my house .
not planting anything outside yet. (except under coldframes)

im looking forward to next winter for a change.

cant wait to get into leek and soup and stews made with fresh veges. it will be like being a kid again.

Sounds like things are rolling for you up there, Luci.

[Highlander]

Well I have the new Polly Tunnel planted up,... all systems `go`

[MaryN]

(3 April 2013, 20:54)Highlander Wrote: Well I have the new Polly Tunnel planted up,... all systems `go`

Looking forward to the next batch of photos....

[Straight Shooter]

I will be up for lunch tomorrow mary ....nothing fancy though omelette with leek is just fine ....I will bring the bread....I am hungry now think it was the leek and potato soup yum yum...great advice thanks mary

[Luci_ferson]

leek and potatoe soup is one of my favourites.
which is lucky cos il probably be eating a lot of it if shtf since they both pretty easy to grow lol
im imagining im gonna struggle with a few of my other first crops.
luckily Ive got MaryN to let me know where I went wrong when I inevitably do lol

[Scythe13]

Ripping up the garden and getting it all ready to begin the boring (but I like it, because I'm a bit of a nerd) planning of the garden. Going for a semi permaculture style mixed with a bit of technological advancement! I call it PermaPonics haha, as much of a joke as that is, it's a pretty awesome name hu?

Will be greenhousing down the south facing side of the garden, and mirroring the back wall to then mix with a solar powered air pump to get a bit of windowfarm fun in there too!

Thinking of adding a small duckweed grower built from guttering along the bottom of the back wall, to add nutrients into the water for the window farm and for the drip feed system for the main plants as well. It might not work, but it's well worth a try and a bit of experimentation is always fun.

[bigpaul]

not planting anything in the garden yet until we are sure the frosts have finished.