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Gardening 2002
Notes Jean planted the Garlic (Sainsbury's not seed) at monthly intervals from November. All seemed to mature at the same time. Worked fine and cheaper than buying seed. Raspberries grew well, although the neighbours pigeons sat on the top wire and ate all the leaves before I netted them. Allowed about 6 raspberries to grow as a taster. Strawberries had lots of slugs. Perhaps too many plants. Leaves keep area damp, although frog was seen in there doing its best. Good crop and the frame stays in place now so easy to throw the net over. Potatoes planted under plastic in plot 1 and earthed up in border. Didn't seem much advantage with the plastic as the soil is too heavy. Worth doing again, but also planted shop ones seemed to do as well. April 1st: Compost into plot 3. Parsnips planted. Seed bed in plot 2 for sprouts and calabrese, started lettuce, spring onions. Peas, Broad beans, carrots, rest of potatoes. April 16th: peas sprouting, shallots and rasps. Sprouts 1cm high. Cloches to warm soil for Sweetcorn. April 26th: more broad beans planted. May 6th: 8 tomato transplanted into conservatory, also sprouts and more spring onion. French beans in pots. Sweetcorn wasn't as good this year as not so warm/sunny, but ok. Green, Runner (Mergoles) and dwarf beans big hit. Bought a second hand freezer to store them in. Pickled beetroot. Bean canes need good support in the winds. Raspberries almost blew over. Thicker uprights now used. Swede under the sprouts got cut out lightwise and eaten by slugs. Only one good root. Try again with their own rows next time. Parsnip and carrot had very poor germination despite several sowings. Just a wet year and also the dampest plot. Black Spanish Radish grew late really well. Small ones can be very strong, but as get to swede size become more eddible and crunchy texture. Tried netting the sprouts, but mesh too large. Butterflies in but not out! Lots of leaf eating. Sprouts ok though. Needed staking in November in winds. Good crop of onion (Unwins First Early)and shallots. Shed is too damp over winter, so they need to be brought inside for storage. |
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