A Lovely Week In The Garden

With some lovely spring weather this week, at last we can get really busy in the garden.  Yes it can be hard work at the beginning of the season but oh so enjoyable and worth every bit of the muscular aches and pains that come with it.

This week I have planted four short rows of spinach in different varieties so that I can compare the results.  These are Lazio, Toscane, Mediana and Galaxy and come in one pack from "Garden Extras.  I also sowed in the garden "Suttons" Beetroot, Bolthardy and Turnip Atlantic both of which I grew very successfully last year.

Until last season I had never grown, or even bought, turnips but then we discovered how very easy they are to grow and how absolutely delicious they are cooked in a variety of ways. Not only are we growing them again this year but will massively increase the quantity.

I have also planted some more potato pods and put even more to chit ready for planting in the next two or three weeks. Hopefully they won't all be ready together as we have no desire to eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner just to avoid waste. However, I feel sure we will find some willing hands to relieve us of any surplus.

The seeds in the greenhouse are thriving with tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, courgettes and lettuces all growing strongly.

We do have considerable problems with cats and foxes who seem to take an absolute delight in digging up everything I plant but I have discovered, quite by accident, a really excellent way of protecting them. This is gutter guard mesh from Garden Extras and at approximately seven inches wide covers beautifully a row of newly sown seeds.  Not intended for the purpose I know but it is cheap, it works, and I am incredibly proud of myself for making the discovery.

Cucumbers

As the fledgelings have grown and flown the nest we are now just two with a small garden so I attempt (not always successfully) to grow small quantities of produce for the kitchen.

This year I lovingly planted just one cucumber seed and it rewarded me by growing into a sturdy little seedling which I then planted into one corner of our greenhouse. It appeared to be showing it's displeasure at being moved as, although I fed, watered and even talked to it for weeks it remained just a few inches tall. However it must have then decided that the protest had continued long enough and it started to grow and produce fruit at a remarkable rate. So much so, all four walls of the greenhouse were covered with the plant and it even tried to escape through the roof vent.. Literally, dozens and dozens of cucumbers were ripe for picking and were presented to all and sundry whether they wanted them or not. In fact, I suspect my neighbours tried to avoid me in case yet another cucumber was thrust into their reluctant hands.

I did however find a solution to use up the cucumber mountain when I discovered they are great as a hot vegetable. Sauteed in butter with chopped fresh herbs or braised in vegetable stock, they are delicious.

This will definitely be on my "must grow again next year" list.

Cucumber seed - Mr Fothergills. Variety Fadia F1