the good 2 grow garden diary

2007-05-17T18:53:00.000Z

Hello - I now blog here. Come over for some nettle soup.

2007-04-02T18:02:00.000Z

This afternoon I excavated a horrible overgrown bed in 'the orchard'. It was covered in meadow grass and couch and had been bothering me for weeks. After attempting to lever the tussocks out with a fork, I gave up and cut them like turf with a spade. Boring but effective, and created enough space for three new crowns of rhubarb (Early Champagne) all planted in a hole filled with composted weeds. Any empty spaces among the fruit trees got a sprinkling of either: red clover, poached egg plant or phacelia. I also picked about a dozen slender stems from an established crown. I saw my first bee of the year, and a wasp, and the pond is full of frog spawn.

Earlier in the day I'd picked some nettles for soup. Elsewhere the perennial herbs have put on enough growth to harvest: thyme, winter savory, hyssop, fennel, chives, french tarragon, rosemary, bay, sage and marjoram all on offer. Less edibly, the lavender, valerian and pulmonaria are all off and running.

In the greenhouse it was over 28 degrees. I potted on some purple cauliflower from 3" to 5" pots and, for the first time, everything needed a proper watering.

2007-04-01T18:17:00.000Z

The great start to the growing season continues... cool, but not freezing, at night and sunny most days. Temperatures in the greenhouse are in the mid-twenties and even the aubergines seem at home there.

The amazingly dry conditions are perfect for opening up new beds: I created one just for some Jerusalem Artichokes today. A new variety for me, called Gerard. I also planted some Horseradish thongs in another unpromising corner of the allotment. Seems better to have some unpopular crops in these areas rather than just a bunch of weeds.

With the exception of the flowers and those going directly into soil, most of the March sowings are done. It's looking all set for an Easter weekend planting scores of spuds.

2007-03-28T18:34:00.000Z

Undaunted by the impending break in the weather I planted out the first lettuces and rocket into the raised beds in the garden - about forty plants in all. The rocket 'Apollo' and lettuce 'Barba dei Frati' seemed to be the best of the bunch, vigour-wise. I also potted on a dozen Tomato plants and the Artichokes. I finally got around to sowing more flower seeds: mainly Nicotianas.

Harvest-wise we had the first of the chard and the first of the rhubarb. Both very welcome. And the purple-sprouting broccoli I'd been waiting for turns out to be white sprouting. Not sure how big the florets should be before I cut them, but I'm looking forward to trying it.

Whilst pottering about I've noticed quite a few ladybirds already and three butterflies: two Peacocks and, I think, a Fritillary.

2007-03-26T13:15:00.000Z

Another sunny morning to be grateful for not having a proper job.

I rehabilitated a bed which will house a neighbour's onions (long story) and hopefully my turnips subsequently. I should be thinking more about what's following what I'm planting now, but there's enough to consider.

Back in the greenhouse I sowed 3 types of lettuce: Sucrine, Chartwell and Salad Bowl; plus a couple of Endive: Ascalano and Grobo. I also sowed a new carrot (to me): Sytan - on the packet it claims to be everything you could ever want from a carrot. All I want from a carrot seed is, well - a carrot. I potted on a chervil plant and will now go and soak some parsley seeds before I forget...

2007-03-25T06:09:00.000Z

A beautiful early-spring day. I planted 18 Arran Pilot seed potatoes into trenches filled with composted grass cuttings. I finished preparing the rest of the First Early bed: the annual weeds aren't making an appearance yet, but the perennial ones are flourishing in the warm weather.

The potatoes in the greenhouse have nearly reached the top of their sacks and the first-sown tomatoes need potting on into 5" pots.

With April just around the corner it feels like now or never when it comes to preparing the soil.

2007-03-24T18:26:00.000Z

For the first time this year the 5 day weather forecast has no shades of blue. Even though the wind is cold, there's real heat in the sun and the sense that the worst is behind us. The hour change tonight may be man-made but is also a watershed in real gardening terms: instead of watching TV there's almost a duty to get out in the evenings and to do futile battle with the burgeoning weeds.

In anticipation of this extra working hour or two, I moved anything higher than a slug's elbow out of the greenhouse - ostensibly to harden off - but in reality just to make room for some new things to sow. Not boring brassicas or more tomatoes, but nice big seeds like courgettes and melons. And interesting things like couve tronchuda and red spring onions.

Harvest-wise things are looking grim. What's left of the kale is flowering away and the overwintered bunching onions are starting to form seed heads. Fortunately, the salad crops are going well and the baby salad leaf mix provided a first crop, albeit tiny, from a 2007 sowing.

2007-03-20T17:00:00.000Z

Well it was lovely weather last week, for March. Definitely warm in the sun if you could escape the wind. Beyond the plot there was change all around. The grass in the meadows thickening up with celandine and other weeds. Curlews and pheasants breaking the late winter silence.

This week: the check. Seedlings standing around looking bored. With the greenhouse full to the gunnels - especially at night when it's full of plants sheltering from the frost - and the soil cold as a grave, there's nothing for it but to sit back and wait. Tomorrow I'll mend my strimmer, maybe. And water some ungrateful looking sowings. I could prune the soft fruit too... But all I really want to do is smell the spring air, plant potatoes and sow things.

2007-03-12T15:39:00.000Z

At last - the first tentative outdoor sowings of the year. (Well seed sowings, the shallots went in last month). Having knocked the appointed bed into shape, I sowed about 100 broad beans: Purple Seeded, Express and Hangdown Green. All new varieties for me so it's a bit of a gamble with my favourite crop of all. Just to hedge my bets I'll sow some Windsor types next month and some Suttons in late July. Who knows? I may even achieve that elusive succession...

Encouraged/ fooled by the recent mild weather I put some First Earlies in too. Ulster Chieftan to be precise. If you could judge the quality of the potato crop from the size of its seed then this should be a huge crop. Unfortunately, you can't. Just to defend myself from the inevitable, pessimistic comments of my beloved allotment neighbours, I hid this rash potato sowing under a layer of leaves and covered the lot in black polythene.

Yesterday the cloche came out and covered the kohl rabi and radish transplants. It seemed like a lot of faff for the sake of kohl rabi and radish. But with most of the kale gone to seed and the sprouts just a memory, any old brassica will do. I got my kiwi and fig plants in their places and thus finally completed the fruit planting for this year. No, hang on, I ordered some rhubarb crowns too...

2007-03-11T16:15:00.000Z

Late as usual: March's list of sundry sowings. Just a few this month:

FLOWERS
Achillea Ptarmica
Black Eyed Susan Beauty Spots
Cynoglossum Amabile Mystery Rose
Elecampane
Larkspur Giant Imperial
Linum Grandiflorum Rubrum
Morning Glory Split Personality
Morning Glory Star of Yalta
Nasturtium Milkmaid
Nemophila Maculata Five Spot
Nierenbergia Mont Blanc
Phlox Peppermint Candy
Poached Egg plant Meringue
Poached Egg plant Sunny Side Up
Poppy Californian Single Mix
Stock Night Scented
Sunflower Russian Mammoth
Virginian Stock Mix

HERBS
Basil Basket of
Basil Fine Nano Compatto a Palla
Basil Lemon
Basil Lettuce Leaved
Basil Lime
Basil Siam Queen
Basil Violetto Aromatico
Burnet
Salad Chamomile
Evening Primrose
Heartsease
Joe Pye Weed
Lady's Mantle
Lemon Balm
Marjoram Sweet
Motherwort
Mugwort
Oregano Greek
Peppermint
Pyrethrum
Sage English
Skullcap
Sweet Cicely
Tansy
Wormwood

SALAD LEAVES
Asparagus Lettuce Cracoviensis
Celtuce
Purslane Golden
Purslane Green
Rocket Turkish
Rocket Wild

ASTERACEAE
Artichoke Green Provence
Burdock
Cardoon Bianco Avorio
Cardoon Gobbo di Nizzi
Chicory Barba di Cappucino
Chicory Catalogna Puntarelle Brindisina
Chicory Catalogna Puntarelle di Galatina
Chicory Grumolo Nero
Chicory Grumolo Rossa
Chicory Intybus
Chicory Selvatica da Campo
Chicory Spadona
Chicory Taglio Bionda a Fofglie Larghe
Chicory Zuccherina di Trieste
Dandelion Dente di Leone
Endive Ascolana
Endive Bionda a Foglia di Lattuga
Endive Grobo
Endive Jeti
Lettuce Amorina
Lettuce Chartwell
Lettuce Corsair
Lettuce Red Wave
Lettuce Tonale Ice Queen
Lettuce Salad Bowl
Lettuce Sucrine
Rampion

POLYGONACEAE
Bistort
Patience Dock
Rhubarb Glaskins Perpetual
Sorrel Blood Veined
Sorrel Buckler Leaved

LEGUMES
Asparagus Pea
Broad Bean Hangdown Green
Broad Bean Medes
Climbing Bean Dolichos Lab Lab
Dwarf French Bean Aiguillon
Dwarf French Bean Canadian Wonder
Dwarf French Bean Cannelino
Dwarf French Bean Hildora
Dwarf French Bean Tendergreen
Dwarf French Bean Triomphe de Farcy
Pea Avola
Pea Balmoral
Pea Cavalier
Pea Early Onward
Pea Endeavour
Pea Ezethas Krombek Blau
Pea Hurst Greenshaft
Pea Jaguar
Pea Onward

SOLANUM
Aubergine Prosperosa
Chilli Pepper Caribbean Blend
Chilli Pepper Pinochio's Nose
Chilli Pepper Prairie Fire
Chilli Pepper Red Cherry
Pepper Antohi Romanian
Pepper Choco F1
Pepper Eves Apple
Pepper Gourmet
Pepper Sweet Banana
Pepper Sweet Orange Baby
Pepper Unicorn F1
Tomato Black Krim
Tomato Buissonante
Tomato Costoluto Fiorentino
Tomato Maskotka
Tomato Rose de Berne
Tomato San Marzano Nano
Tomato Sweet Olive F1
Tomato Tondino Maremmano
Tomato Yellow Pygmy

AMARANTHACEAE
Beetroot Forono
Chard Lucullus
Chard Verde da Taglio
Good King Henry
Orache Red
Spinach Matador
Spinach Scenic
Wormseed

VALERIANACEAE
Lambs Lettuce d'Olando Seme Grosso 'Ortolani'
Lambs Lettuce Louviers

BRASSICAS
Brocolli di Albenga Precoce
Brocolli Early Purple Sprouting
Brocolli Sprouting Early Purple Red Arrow
Brocolli Summer Purple Sprouting (Wok Brok)
Brocolli Tenderstem Green Inspiration F1
Cabbage Bacalan de Rennes
Cabbage Caramba F1
Cabbage Frostie F1
Cabbage Hispi
Cabbage Primero F1
Cabbage Tundra F1
Calabrese Decathlon F1
Calabrese Veronica F1
Chinese Cabbage Wong Bok
Chinese Cabbage (small) Fong San Improved
Chinese Cabbage (small) Green Seoul
Choy Sum Hon Tsai Tai
Cima di Rapa Greleiro Temporao
Cima di Rapa Namenia
Cima di Rapa Sessantina
Kale Flanders Purple
Kale Ripbor
Kohl Rabi Purple Danube F1
Komatsuna
Mispoona
Mizuna
Mustard Bau-Sin
Mustard Big Stem
Mustard Golden Streaks
Mustard Peacock Tail
Mustard San-Ho Giant
Mustard Tai Ping Po
Mustard Zlata
Pak Choi Canton White
Radish Big Ben
Radish Scarlet Globe
Radish Zlata
Texel Greens
Turnip Market Express
Turnip Golden Ball
Turnip Ivory
Turnip Manchester Market
Turnip Purple Top Milan
Turnip Tops
Vitamin Green

ALLIUMS
Bunching Onion Feast F1
Bunching Onion Ishikura
Chinese Chives New belt
Chives Polycross
Leek Blauwgroene Herfst Ardea
Leek Blue Solaise
Leek Bluegreen Winter Solaise
Leek Natan
Leek Oarsman F1
Leek St Victor
Leek Startrack
Leek Autumn Giant
Onion Brunswick
Onion de Setubal
Onion Hystar F1
Onion Puplette
Salad Onion North Holland Blood Red Redmate
Salad Onion White Spear
Salad Onion Winter White Bunching
Shallot Ambition F1
Shallot Prisma F1
Welsh Onion Red
Welsh Onion

UMBELLIFERAE
Anise
Carrot Autumn King 2
Carrot Navarre F1
Carrot Sytan
Celeriac Alabaster
Chinese Celery White Stem
Coriander Cilantro
Coriander Confetti
Cumin
Edible Carrot Leaf
Florence Fennel Mantovano
Florence Fennel Zefa Tardo
Hamburg Parsley
Mitsuba
Parcel
Parsley Italian Giant
Parsley Plain Leaved 2
Parsley Titan
Parsnip Countess F1
Skirret

CUCURBITS
Gherkin Beth Alpha
Squash Rugosa Friulana
Courgette Bolognese
Courgette Cavili
Courgette Coucourzelle
Courgette Custard White
Courgette Striato di Napoli
Gherkin Diamant
Gourds Crown of Thorns
Melon Ananas
Melon Cantalupo di Charentais
Melon Charleston Gray
Melon Crimson Sweet
Melon Retato Degli Ortolani
Melon Tendral Valenciano
Pumpkin Fester F1
Pumpkin Lumpy F1
Squash Giraumon Galeuse d'Eysine
Squash Hubbard Blue Ballet
Squash Table Ace F1
Squash Table Gold

2007-03-04T14:19:00.000Z

I planted the second Walnut ('Franquette') just before the heavens opened. They're still more than ajar some four hours late.

I retreated to the greenhouse only to find that most horizontal surfaces are now covered in growing things... very nice, but not good for the schedule. This corner of North Yokshire is usually mild but usually soggy which means the soil takes ages to warm up properly. Hence the policy of filling at least half the plot with overwintering crops (onions, garlic, kales, chicories, broad beans) and fruit - both of which can thrive in the damp early months. Then, by late May, the stage is suddenly all set. From a long wait massed in the greenhouse, within four months most half hardy crops have to come to fruition.

I guess the tailoring of cultivation to local conditions is a big part of the draw of this pastime.

2007-03-04T06:40:00.000Z

A combination of warm sun and cold wind. There are a few lambs and birds are chattering in the hedgerows, but no first flush of weeds yet to signal the arrival of spring garden-wise.

I'm finally getting to the end of the fruit tree planting: a plum, a gage and a damson went in yesterday. Hopefully the other walnut, a fig and two kiwis will all be planted in the next few days. A minaiture peach which I'd heeled into the greenhouse border is now happily flowering away so I guess that's staying put. Thompson and Morgan sent me some strawberries (Elsanta) I'm fairly certain I didn't order - so I did the right thing and planted them in one of the raised beds in the garden.

Vegetable-wise it's full time sowing and coaxing of improbably small seedlings. I'm hardening off some lettuces, kohl rabi and radishes. One of my stratified Alexanders sowings has germinated. Which was a suprisingly joyful experience (for me, but maybe the plant too) tempered only by the stubborn no-show of the bulbous chervil. And one of the Yuccas I proudly germinated now closely resembles a tomato seedling...

2007-02-26T13:42:00.000Z

Up to 23 deg. in the greenhouse today. One Walnut tree planted. Two grape vines and three blueberries potted up. Dwarf French beans ('Speedy') sowed into 3' pots. Nine more assorted capsicums into the propagator.

If the slugs hadn't eaten half my peas already, I'd be delighted.

2007-02-25T16:43:00.000Z

The end of February seems like the end of a prologue. The real story gets started next month, but by then it's difficult to change the outcome.

I've been focussing heavily on planting fruit this winter and most of the trees are in. I'm struggling with soil preparation for a couple of walnut trees at present. All I have to do is clear an area of 25 square feet for each tree - but when the appointed places are infested with brambles and bindweed it becomes a nightmare. One can go in tomorrow, though, and in a root control bag too... I'm hoping this will force a crop before I'm eighty and maybe keep any remnants of bindweed out of the root system. Last week I planted eighteen raspberry canes with all the attendant posts.

Elsewhere in the allotments I've planted about 100 shallots. In my continuing quest to abolish maincrop onions shallots are good allies. They taste great, store better and, unlike those redundant onion sets, they divide. The other plus is that you can get busy with them in February, filling beds and time when there isn't so much else to do. I also planted a couple of rows of peas (Meteor) which had been started off in loo rolls. I've never had much joy with early peas but this variety looks strong...

Most of that long list of seeds to sow in February are now sown. I even managed to remember to get the Alexanders and bulbous Chervil seeds out of the fridge and sow them too. Despite their negligible culinary attributes I'll be overjoyed if I can get either of these to harvest.

I planted a few first early potatoes into plastic sacks this morning to see if I can get an earlier plateful this year. As the kale goes to flower any harvest before May is worth a shot. At present, apart from the kale, I have a few winter lettuces, lots of bunching onions, chard, american cress, wild rocket, mibuna, leaf celery, chicory, endive, jerusalem artichokes, Brussel sprouts, rosemary, French tarragon, bay, winter savory, garlic out of store...and that's it. My perennial brocolli is in full production but is tough and unappetising, and the real thing is looking mouldy and unpromising after the mild winter.

Roll on summer.

2007-02-04T06:52:00.000Z

Freezing cold - at last. My little fan heater could barely keep the temperature in the greenhouse above freezing. Despite these inauspicious conditions sowing, and germination, continues. The first aubergine seedling has appeared in the propagator at last and thanks to the heated mat the beetroot, achillea and marigold seedlings are already through. I sowed some more aubergines yesterday and the perennial pepper Tepin. I could smell how hot the seeds were!

On the allotment things are on hold. My soil won't even let you look at it, let alone walk on it, when it's frosty. But at least the big compacted clods of upturned soil in the newly created potato beds will be broken down a bit. I got my seed potato order on Friday:

Arran Pilot
Ulster Chieftain
Edzell Blue
Romano
Arran Victory
Dunbar Standard
Rooster
Kestrel
Vales Sovereign
Shannon
Roseval
Bonnie

I also have in my possession 1kg each of Bleu d'Auvergne, Red Laure and Moulin Rouge maincrop seed. The latter is a Pink Fir Apple and Desiree cross.

So egg boxes at the ready, it's chitting time. I will renew my search for the requisite cool but frost-free, bright, but no direct sun, location...

2007-02-01T10:41:00.000Z

February's sowing list (deep breath):

FLOWERS
Achillea Millefolium 'Cassis'
Achillea Summer Pastels
Agastache Anisata
Amsonia Tabarnaemontana
Anemone Japonica Mixed
Busy Lizzy Stardust Mixed F1
Butterfly Mix
Cataranthus
Mediterranean Lilac
Convolvulus Light Blue Flash
Cosmos Daisy Bipannatus Mullticolor
Dipsacus Sylbestris/Teasel
Foxglove Foxy
Geranium Reflections
Geum Quellyon Superb Mixed
Impatiens Accent Mystic Mixed F1
Lavatera Mont Blanc
Linum Narbonense Heavenly Blue
Marigold Mr Majestic
Meconopsis Grandis
Mesembryanthemum Apricot Tutu
Nicotiana Breakthrough Mixed
Nicotiana Fragrant Cloud
Nicotiana Havana Mixed F1
Nicotiana Marshmallow
Nolana Blue Bird
Sweet Pea Firecrest
Tradescantia Andersonia Mixed
Verbena Moon River

HERBS
Basil Bolloso Napoletano
Bergamot Mixed
Hyssop Blue
Lemon Grass
Marjoram Pot
Oregano True Greek
Perilla
Rosemary
Savory Summer
Tansy
Tarragon Russian
Thyme English Broad Leaf
Thyme Orange Scented

SALAD LEAVES
American cress

ASTERACEAE
Artichoke Purple Globe
Artichoke Vert de Laon
Artichoke Violetto Precoce
Chicory Bianca di Milano
Chicory Orchidea Rossa
Lettuce Aruba RZ
Lettuce Barba dei Frati
Lettuce Belize
Lettuce La Brilliante
Lettuce Lizzy
Lettuce Lobjoits Green Cos
Lettuce Maravilla de Verano Canasta
Lettuce Parella Rossa
Lettuce Poulton Market
Lettuce Red Batavian
Lettuce Romana Mortarella Verde d'Inverno
Lettuce Rouge Grenobloise
Lettuce Romana Bionda Delle 7 Lune
Lettuce Ubriacona frastagliata

LEGUMES
Broad Bean Bunyards Exhibition
Broad Bean Express
Broad Bean Grand Violetto
Broad Bean Green Windsor
Broad Bean Jubilee Hysor
Broad Bean Martock
Broad Bean Masterpiece Green Longpod
Broad Bean Red Flowered
Broad Bean Stereo
Broad Bean White Windsor
Broad Bean Witkiem

SOLANUM
Aubergine Calliope F1
Aubergine Gitana
Aubergine Little Finger
Aubergine Tonda Bianca Sfumatadi Rosa
Aubergine Tres Hative de Brabantine
Chilli Pepper Piccante di Cayenna
Pepper Baby Cheesebells
Pepper Buran
Pepper Dulce Italiano
Pepper Giant Szegedi
Pepper Goccia d'Oro
Pepper Lombardo
Pepper Quadrato D'Asti Rosso
Pepper Round of Hungary
Pepper Szentesi
Tomato Cuor di Bue
Tomato Garden Pearl
Tomato Green Zebra
Tomato Marglobe
Tomato Marmande
Tomato Matina
Tomato Mixed Dels
Tomato Money Maker
Tomato Pannovy F1
Tomato Red Alert
Tomato Red Pear
Tomato Roma
Tomato Rosada F1
Tomato Tiny Tim
Tomato Totem
Tomato Tumbling Tom

AMARANTHACEAE
Beetroot Libero RZ

VALERIANACEAE
Lambs Lettuce Verte de Cambrai

BRASSICAS
Brocolli Bordeaux
Brussel Sprout Darkmar 2
Brussel Sprout Oliver
Brussel Sprout Rubine
Brussel Sprout Seven Hills
Brussel Sprout Wellington
Cabbage Hispi
Cabbage Marner Early Red
Cabbage Pyramid
Cauliflower Violet Queen F1
Couve Tronchuda Branca de Mirandela
Couve Tronchuda Portuguesa
Kale Galega de Folhas Lisas
Kale Galega Lisa
Kale Portuguese Penca Pavoa Verde
Kale Red Russian
Kale Russian Red Ursa
Misome
Radish Candela di Ghiaccio
Radish Gaudry 2
Radish Long Scarlet
Radish Rainbow Mixed

ALLIUMS
Leek Einstein F1
Leek Jaune Gros De Poitou
Leek de Mezieres
Leek Sutton's Prizetaker
Onion Lunga di Firenze
Onion Napoleon F1
Onion Red Baron
Bunching Onion Shimonita
Bunching Onion Summer Isle
Onion Cipola
Onion Owa
Salad Onion Ishikuro
Salad Onion White Lisbon
Shallot Cuisse de Poulet du Poitou

UMBELLIFERAE
Chervil
Carrot Early Nantes
Carrot Nantes Frubund (Fast Crop)
Carrot Parmex
Celeriac Bianco del Veneto
Celeriac Monarch
Celery Imperial RZ
Dill
Florence Fennel Finale
Lovage
Parsnip Avonresister
Parsnip Merlin F1

CUCURBITS
Gherkin Beth Alpha
Squash Rugosa Friulana

With the lettuce, broad beans and brussell sprouts I'll attempt a proper variety-based succession, rather than just sow them all asap as in previous years.

2007-01-31T19:58:00.000Z

I stood back from a bit of weeding this afternoon. Even though it was overcast and windy, I felt pretty grateful that this was my workplace. Then I realised it was the last day of January and only half the allotment beds are ready. I've managed to cut a couple of big beds for the potatoes and to get half of the raspberry bed sorted out. The overwintering onions and the acres of garlic are all going well.

But that's about it. The trouble with trying to grow enough basics for the family is that my allotment is starting to look like a vegetable farm. Hopefully there'll be enough room in the garden to grow something other than spuds, alliums, sweetcorn and brassicas... Oh, and bindweed.

Unusually for me and for the end of January, the greenhouse is full of growing things! I set up my new heated mat thing and, to my amazement, it works! Two days later my radishes and lettuces were through! OK, there's no sign of the leeks yet and I may have inadvertently baked the beetroot seeds in their modules ... but otherwise so far so good. All I need now is my new cloches...

There's no sign of the aubergines/peppers/chillies in the propagator. But it's ok because one Wisteria and one Yucca have germinated on the kichen windowsill. I don't even know what a wisteria is ... can I eat it? And live??

Talking about the probably inedible - I noticed the comfrey is starting to wake up and the grass is growing. The pears and quinces are almost in bud. Even my miserable cobnuts have a few catkins on them. Somebody tell Spring: 'I am not ready'.

2007-01-20T16:10:00.000Z

The sweet peas are up (apart from Mollie Rilestone - which I've re-sown), the salad mixes have germinated in the cold and the onions (Long Florence), Bergamot and Chervil are showing too...

I've fixed my efforts on preparing the potato beds for some 100 plus seed potatoes. I'm cutting new beds, not least because the existing cultivated areas are being taken over by fruit: three new gooseberries (Hinnonmaki, Pax and Invicta) went in this week and the raspberries have arrived.

The aubergines and peppers have been sown and crammed into the propagator - with the heat cranked up accordingly. The forecast looks ominously wintry for the next week so I dusted off the little fan heater to keep the greenhouse frost free when they emerge...

2007-01-15T15:59:00.000Z

Seeds are expensive. I've read this factoid a number of times regarding vegetable seeds.

But if just one of the 60 plus aubergine seeds I sowed this afternoon goes on to produce one decent plant and produces say 20 organic fruit, I estimate that - based on the equivalent cost of supermarket produce - the cost of the ten or so different packets of aubergine seed I have (recklessly) purchased is recouped at a stroke...

There is no allowance here for the cost of my time (ha!), compost, heat, light etc. but, by any measure, these costs can be factored out again thanks to the environmental savings engendered by home-produced fruit and veg.

Seeds are a steal...as long as you sow them...

2007-01-08T13:52:00.000Z

After the domestic confinement that is Christmas, it's suprising how much brighter January feels than dull old December.

I reckon the new gardening year probably starts in October, and by any reckoning on 21 December...but there's no resisting the feeling that the completely arbitrary 1 January is a new start. And it is the first opportunity in wet, windy North Yorkshire to sensibly contemplate the glorious prospect of eventually planting things out. So, having puzzled over a leaking window seal and generally dusted the place down. I was ready to begin sowing in the greenhouse.

Space in the propagator is so limited. Therefore everything has to run in a particular order according to the preferences of the seedling plants after germination. Sweet peas need a cold , but not freezing, toddlerdom so they're first in...namely: Bijou Mixed, Cream Southbourne, T&M Prize Strain, Apricot Sprite, Fragrantissima, Mollie Rilestone And Pansy Lavender Flush. There's a real mix here - old and new, tall and short...they'll end up in amongst the climbing french beans or around the garden - even in the window boxes for the shortest ones. In an effort to shorten they're stay in the propagator I chipped a few of the seeds.

The remaining space was given over to a new onion (to me): Lunga di Firenze. Which should end up as a bigger, fatter spring onion. I'm aiming to find some allium which will be ready for harvest after the leeks are used up and before the overwintering onions are ready in June. So this is a kind of onion audition.

I also managed to squeeze in four strawberry Mignonette plants and a couple of chervils - both great for pots here and there in shady places. Fortunately all these sowings should co-exist happily at a gentle heat. Next up the Solanums (Solanae?) Aubergines and Chilli peppers...

Elsewhere in the greenhouse - the seeds which aren't fussed: broad bean Supersimonia and hardy brassicas: kohl rabi Olivia and vitamin greens, which are green and, no doubt, full of vitamins...I also tried planting some spring planting garlic, Solent Wight, into 3" pots. I don't think the pots are deep enough though to give the plants a useful headstart so I'll probably sow the rest direct.

I used some deep wooden boxes to sow a mixture of hardy salad - coriander, mustard, lambs lettuce (three sorts) and rocket Skyrocket - in the hopes that I can at least get some useful leaf salad in March. Looking around though, it was clear that I wasn't going to grow much at all if the greenhouse glass didn't get a wash. A horrible job on a cold(ish) windy day and it was alarming to
see that the inside of the windows were even less clean than the outside..! I did get the benefit of seeing geese overhead, getting into formation in the clear blue January sky, heading first west then veering off to the north.

Elsewhere in the garden, I planted two quince trees (Vranja and Meeches Prolific) in containers next to front door.

2007-01-07T14:25:00.000Z

This month's sowing list:

FLOWERS

Sweet Pea Bijou Mixed
Sweet Pea Cream Southbourne
Sweet Pea T&M Prize Strain
Tree Ferns House & Garden Mixed
Wistaria Sinensis
Yucca Outdoor Mixed
Sweet Pea Apricot Sprite
Sweet Pea Fragrantissima
Sweet Pea Heirloom Mixed
Sweet Pea Mollie Rilestone
Sweet Pea Pansy Lavender Flush

HERBS

Bergamot Desert Jewel
Burning bush
Self Heal

SALAD LEAVES

Rocket Skyrocket
Salad All Season
Salad Baby Leaf
Salad Herb
Salad Niche Oriental

OTHER

Strawberry Mignonette

LEGUMES

Broad Bean Aquadulce
Broad Bean Supersimonia
Pea Feltham First
Pea Meteor

SOLANUM

Aubergine Black Beauty
Aubergine Fairy Tale
Aubergine Farmers Long
Aubergine Neon F1
Aubergine Ping Tung
Aubergine Red Egg
Chilli Pepper Beaver Dam
Chilli Pepper De Bresse
Chilli Pepper Fish
Chilli Pepper Friar's Hat
Pepper Shishitou
Pepper Tepin
Pepper Topepo Rosso
Pepper Trinidad Seasoning
Tomato Alicante
Tomato Buissonante
Tomato Rose de Berne

VALERIANACEAE

Lambs Lettuce Cavallo
Lambs Lettuce Louviers
Lambs Lettuce Trophy
Lambs Lettuce Verte de Cambrai

BRASSICAS

Mustard White
Senposai Greens No. 1
Kohl Rabi Olivia F1

ALLIUMS
Leek Einstein F1
Onion Ailsa Craig
Onion Giant Zitau
Onion Lunga di Firenze
Onion Napoleon F1
Onion Red Baron

UMBELLIFERAE

Chervil
Alexanders
Carrot Nantes Frubund
Bulbous Chervil

Everything, apart from the onions and nightshades, has been sown...some of them have even germinated.

2006-09-09T18:55:00.000Z

Set off to pick elderberries, came back with Kale Rubibor and Erbette to make the filling - along with shallots and garlic - for 'sausage' rolls.

The weather has been sunny by day but cold at night (5 degrees), perhaps cold enough to wreck the elderberries. The cultivated crops haven't been dented though, although the greenhouse has seemingly frozen in time, with the reddening of the remaining fruit the only (slow) change...

2006-09-08T18:32:00.000Z

The first seed order of the New (gardening) Year (is there another one?) arrived today from Nicky's Nursery:

Aubergine:
Neon F1

Farmers Long
Ping Tung

Pepper:
Baby Cheesebells

Trinidad Seasoning

Shishitou
Tepin

Round of Hungary

Choco F1

Antohi Romanian

Lettuce:
Sucrine

Followed by overwintering onion sets from Fothergills:

Radar

Swift

Electric

Bianco

It seems like no time since I was last planting them out - October 2005.

2006-09-07T11:55:00.000Z

The sun is shining again, but noticeably lower in the sky. The greenhouse is now in gloom until noon - at least until the leaves fall off the apple tree...

Seed sowing continues apace, encouraged by the quick germination of many seeds sown so far. The chicory is growing as fast as the brassicas.

Large sowings of Spinach Riccio d'Asti, Chard Verde da Taglio, Pak Choi Riko F1 and Komatsuna to provide, hopefully, outdoor hardy winter crops. I'm less certain if these will survive: Texel Greens, Choy Sum Tsai Hsin & Mustard Golden Streaks, but nothing ventured...

For the staging in the winter Greenhouse: Clary Sage, Chervil and Poached Egg (Sunny Side Up) plants.

2006-09-06T12:06:00.000Z

Very mild and still very wet.

The state of the haulms (brown spots, ragged) suggested it was time to cut down the main crop potatoes. I put the cuttings in with some weeds in a huge builder's sack - the idea being to pre-compost more hazardous stuff. Since I had the secateurs in hand I lopped off the unused brocolli stems in an effort to encourage even more growth. It was then back to the asparagus bed for another weeding session in readiness for their big September feed with seaweed meal.

2006-09-05T19:17:00.000Z

Hasty harvest only today under a cloudy sky.

Dinner was augmented by a mixed salad of lettuce, wild rocket, chop suey greens, land cress and salad onions. Tomatoes still big, red and sweet. The chillies are now turning red rapidly - a spectacular show in the autumnal gloom.

Four large cobs of corn proved very tasty but still a bit tough after 8 minutes boiling - just too late with the harvest again. More successful was the chard relative Erbette, just like chard should be in fact, tasty but yielding in texture. A new staple crop.

A walk down Moorfoot Lane revealed a vast number of sloes and a few rosehips. I'll wait until after the first frost before taking these.

2006-09-04T19:04:00.000Z

Less rain.

To the 'orchard' to dig up, very belatedly, the Elephant Garlic - not very elephantine in fact but a dozen cloves worth having...

Sowed: Cabbages Hispi and Pyramid (for spring greens); Onion Hi-Keeper (to wean us off sets next year); Mibuna, Chicory Orchidea Rossa and Grumola Rossa, and Chinese Water Pepper (Polygonum Hydropiper). The latter is cultivated in pots standing in water.

2006-09-03T15:54:00.000Z

More rain.

Laurie valiantly struggled around the muddy soil as I grubbed up the last of the second earlies. Another good boxful. There's almost too much harvest to handle at the moment. The corn on the cob is ready for everyone to eat on Tuesday evening. The brocolli is sprouting away still and more squash are being discovered all the time.

Back in the refuge of the greenhouse I sowed some late Carrots (Nantes Frubund), Italian Giant Parsley, Wild Rocket, Mustard Green in Snow and a final attempt at Dog Rose from seed. (If this fails again I'll give up and take some cuttings instead). I've sown some leaf chicory (Spadona and Zuccherina di Trieste) in boxes on the decking - the idea being to get a few 'cut and come again' helpings before the first frosts...

2006-09-03T05:35:00.000Z

Twenty-four hours of rain.

I sorted out my seeds: packing away beans, cucurbits and tomatoes for a few months and replacing them with lots of sturdy winter greens. Even in the greenhouse the change in season is apparent. I cut away a lot of the lower leaves on the tomato, pepper and aubergine plants to help the damp air circulate a bit. The greenhouse border remains almost completely healthy, despite closer planting and increasingly tired soil (I resolved to replace this at half term).

With the rain beating down on the glass, I sowed the following lettuces into a large grid of small cells;

Lattughino, Maravilla de Verano Canasta, Romana Mortarella Verde d'Inverno, Rouge Grenobloise, Winter Density, Rouge d'Hiver, Lattughino, Arctic King.

Six of the following into modules;

Chicory Variegata di Castel Franco, Chicory Variegata di Chioggia 'Fladige', Chicory Bianca di Chioggia, Endive Riccia, Endive Ascolana, Chard Lucullus.

All of the above will be planted in the raised beds in the garden, where they can be 'cloched' if necessary. Then, for the winter greenhouse border, a few salad onions (White Lisbon & Winter Bunching) and the following mustards:

Amsoi, Bau-Sin, Big Stem, Peacock Tail, San-Ho Giant.

I also started off some Lovage and Chinese Angelica (Dong Quai). (The roots of the latter are, apparently, a source of vitamin B12 - although I suspect this may be more to do with their cultivation). Laurie joined me at this point and, very efficiently, filled up the 3" pots with compost for the rest of the lavender and the basil.

2006-09-02T06:12:00.000Z

This month's sowing list:

Carrot Nantes Frubund
Achillea Millefolium 'Cassis'
Achillea Summer Pastels
Achillea Summer Pastels Mixed F2
Burkheya Purpurea
Bergenia Cordifolia Winter Flowering Mixed
Cabbage Hispi
Cabbage Pyramid

Chinese Angelica
Dog Rose
Geranium Pratense Purple Haze
Malva Moschata Snow White
Mustard Green in snow
Onion Hi Keeper F1
Potentilla Fireball Mixed
Wahlenbergia Undulata Melton Blue Bird
Self Heal

Last chance for:

American cress
Burnet Salad
Chard Verde da Taglio

Chard Lucullus
Chicory Bianca di Chioggia
Chicory Orchidea Rossa

Chicory Palla Rossa 'Pagoda'
Chicory Rossa di Treviso 2
Chicory Spadona
Chicory Variegata di Castel Franco
Chicory Variegata di Chioggia 'Fladige'
Chicory Zuccherina di Trieste

Chinese Water Pepper
Choy Sum Tsai Hsin
Clary Sage
Edible Carrot Leaf
Endive Ascolana
Endive Bionda a Foglia di Lattuga
Endive Bubikopf 2
Endive Riccia
Horehound
Indian Mustard Amsoi
Kale Galega de Folhas Lisas
Kale Portuguese Penca Pavoa Verde
Komatsuna
Lettuce Lattughino
Lettuce Maravilla de Verano Canasta
Lettuce Romana Mortarella Verde d'Inverno
Lettuce Rouge Grenobloise
Lettuce Winter Crop
Lettuce Winter Density
Lettuce Rouge d'Hiver
Linum Blue Dress
Lovage

Mibuna

Mustard Golden Streaks
Onion Tonda Musona
Oriental Mix
Pak Choi Riko F1
Pansy Ocean Series
Pansy Pandora's Children F1
Perilla
Poached Egg plant
Radish Big Ben
Rocket Wild
Spinach Giant Winter
Spring Onion White Lisbon

Spring Onion Winter White Bunching
Sweet Woodruff
Texel Greens
Turnip Tokyo Cross F1

Plenty of time yet for:

Alexanders
Artichoke Violetto Precoce
Chicory Bianca di Milano
Chicory Catalgna Frastagliata
Chicory Grumolo Nero
Chicory Grumolo Rossa
Chicory Grumolo Verde
Chicory Red Rib
Chicory Taglio Bionda a Fofglie Larghe
Chinese Cabbage Tatsoi
Endive Romanesca da Taglio
Geranium Pratense Purple Haze
Kale Red Russian
Lambs Lettuce Cavallo
Lambs Lettuce Verte de Cambrai
Lettuce Amorina
Lettuce Arctic King
Lettuce Barba dei Frati
Lettuce May King
Lettuce Parella Rossa
Lettuce Red Wave
Malva Moschata Snow White
Misome
Mustard Bau-Sin
Mustard Big Stem
Mustard Peacock Tail
Mustard San-Ho Giant
Rampion
Scuplit
Spinach Riccio d'Asti
Spring Onion White Lisbon (Winter Hardy)
Bulbous Chervil
Pea Meteor
Chervil
Mustard White
Senposai Greens No. 1
Tree Ferns House & Garden Mixed
Winter Cress
Wistaria Sinensis
Yucca Outdoor Mixed
Broad Bean Masterpiece Green Longpod
Cauliiflower Mexico F1
Parsley Italian Giant
Lettuce Lobjoits Green Cos

2006-09-02T05:43:00.000Z

A new year. Not that a circle has a start or a finish.

Horrible wet weather, but at least it's mild. Ysabel and I retreated into the greenhouse and potted on Lavender Hidcote, Lemon Grass and some Basils. The latter are very healthy at present but I suspect the blousy Bolloso Napoletano will suffer in the damp late summer, so the small leaved Fino is probably a better bet for Autumn basil. In both cases I reckoned it was best to plant them on top of a mound of compost in their pots to help air circulate.

The allotment is a mess and the 'orchard' a field: but they're both producing more than I deserve. The swedes are swelling and the kales are many and varied. Yesterday there were three types of endive waiting to be shredded into a salad. Which was fortunate because there's a two week hole in my lettuce succession. Lots of greenhouse tomatoes to dice and cover in a simple balsamic vinegar and basil dressing. The Autumn crops in the garden beds are thriving in this weather. It's definitely a plus to have herbs and salad crops near the house as the weather deteriorates.