Sunday 13 March 2011

Look Out Edward Woodward...


I have a confession to make. The last couple of years, my garden has been a bit of a disaster. Well, maybe 'disaster' is an overstatement, but it certainly hasn't been the picture of abundance and productivity I would like it to be.

I can blame some of this on the weather, which has been all over the place - unseasonably warm/dry/cool/wet in varying combinations, but to be perfectly honest it is my neglect of the garden that has really let things slip. To start with, after T left I was in a bit of a slump and just couldn't summon the energy or enthusiasm to do much in the garden. And then when IB appeared on the scene, well, I was having too much fun to concern myself with weeding or watering or mulching...

We did make a good start last year by preparing the garden well over the winter in preparation for the spring, but we lost momentum and the weeds took over. A few things did well - the onions and parsnips were pretty good - but for the most part it was a bit of a damp squib.

This year we are determined to do better. We have spent hours pondering over seed packets and planning. We have laboriously weeded the veggie patch, spread compost and mulched to keep the weeds at bay until we are ready to plant. We have already sown a few early crops in the greenhouse. Today was beautifully warm and sunny, and the two of us have been working hard. It is lovely to feel the sun on your back, your hands in the earth. The chickens bustled around on the grass, the birds sang, the cats looked at us as if we had lost our minds (why work when you could be sunning yourself against the hedge?).

We have now sown broad beans and turnips, and planted out the onion sets. Trays of compost sown with tomatoes and chilis are germinating in the airing cupboard. And we have packets and packets of seeds ready to sow over the next few weeks - brussels sprouts, lettuce, radish, mange touts, parsnips, carrots, beetroot, peas, calendula, cauliflower, kale, broccoli, chard, then beans (french and runner), courgettes, nasturtiums, squash, sweetcorn, pumpkin, pak choi... And of course, there will be potatoes.

We are fired with enthusiasm and determined this year's harvest will be one to remember. As IB says, if after all this hard work things still aren't up to scratch, the only thing for it is to find a policeman, a big wicker basket and some matches...

5 comments:

Breezy said...

Jealous of all the thoughts of seeds and planting and planning and anticipation but not the hard preparation work. Isn't it lovely how you get back to Spring and you can start all over again

Anonymous said...

Your garden will be an overflow of abundance!

Griffin said...

Ah yes, cat supervision. Jolly good, carry on... I'll watch you while I'm sunning myself!!! Cheeky lot!

I think there are laws against setting fire to policemen in wicker men... but I'm not a lawyer so don't quote me... now setting fire to lawyers in wicker men...! Ahem, ok, maybe not. Sigh!

Miss Robyn said...

it sounds perfect! you say you are planting broccoli & brussel sprouts? can you plant them there in springtime? here, we can only grow them through autumn and winter.. too hot in spring and summer. enjoy the rewards :)

Moonroot said...

Miss*R - here we sow brussels sprouts in early spring and grow them on through the summer to eat in autumn/winter. Same with purple sprouting broccoli. Summer broccoli (or calabrese) as the name suggests is sown a bit later but harvested in the summer months.
Perhaps as you have milder winters than us the brussels etc grow quicker there than they do here - here they seem to need a long growing season.