February 2012
23 posts
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Pancake day
Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Pancake Day, call it what you will, today marks the last day for a blow out before the traditional period of fasting and abstinence that is Lent in the Christian calendar. In Ashbourne in my native Derbyshire, Shrovetide is celebrated with a two day mass football match where the two halves of the town attempt to reach goal posts three miles apart by any means necessary....
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Spring sowing
Signs of spring were all around the other day as I cycled home; hazel catkins yellow with pollen, snowdrops in flower, daffodil buds peeping through the grass and bird song everywhere. I always get twitchy in February as I can’t wait for March and April when seed sowing happens in earnest.
Unfortunately, the unpredictable British climate can wreak havoc with delicate seedlings in the...
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Compost corner
I’m digging out two of my compost bins and spreading it on the beds where I’ll be putting some new raspberry canes and sowing a variety of salad leaves in the next few weeks. Until then, the chickens will carry out compost spreading, pest control and manuring duties. As you can see, Doris is very keen to help on these occasions and has done a great job of clearing up all the slugs...
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Chitty chitty spud spud
Most of my seed orders have arrived now so I’ve started chitting my potatoes. Chitting means growing shoots before planting to give them a head start. Potatoes are a good crop for beginners; easy to grow and their deep roots help to open up ground that hasn’t been cultivated for a long time, while their bushy tops suppress weeds. If you inherit a neglected allotment, one tactic is to...
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Reap what you sow
Buying seeds is a bit of a compulsion for me. I have a big old biscuit tin that’s always so full of seeds I can hardly get the lid on. I should really find a bigger tin but I’m worried I’ll buy more seeds to fill it. I’m not exactly sure how many different vegetables and herbs I grow, made more complicated because I often grow several varieties of the same thing.
I buy...
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Lovely leeks
I’ve just dug up a few leeks to make some soup for later. For many years, I grew huge leeks, then a few years ago, they started to be attacked by a small burrowing creature that ate them from the inside. It turned out to be a new pest that’s been spreading across the Midlands, the allium leaf miner. Last year, I planted my leeks under a fine mesh to keep them out and it’s...
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Going for a thong
These rather unprepossessing objects are sea kale thongs or root cuttings. Despite their ugly looks, I’m quite excited about them as they’re part of my plan to grow more perennial vegetables.
Sea kale (crambe maritima) is a native British vegetable. It’s not to be confused with Swiss chard which is sometimes known as seakale beet. Sea kale is forced in the same way as rhubarb...
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Golden globes
There are certain things I will never be able to grow here in Birmingham and oranges are definitely in that category. It is possible to grow lemons and oranges in the UK if you have a big greenhouse to house the tree over winter, but the fruit’s not up to much. Unless you live in a stately home with its own orangery, of course.
Sweet oranges are available all year round, but the bitter...
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Winter warmers
I have just cut into the very last of my winter squashes. I much prefer these densely fleshed globes to pumpkin that can be watery and fibrous. I grow three varieties including two which can store as late as March if they’re cured and stored carefully. Mine don’t last that long because I love their comforting flavour so much.
Crown Prince (above) has blue/grey skin and firm, deep...
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Winter green
The recent cold weather has brought a bracing reminder that we are still in the depths of winter. It’s this time of year when a bit of greenery from the garden is particularly welcome.
Unfortunately, my winter greens are a bit thin on the ground. Despite not being much cop on the barbecue front, last summer was very dry in the Midlands, perfect for whitefly. My favourite Black Tuscan Kale...
