Preparation is key

17

Feb 2013

In

Garden

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Amongst certain friends I am known as Miss Google. My gCal is a multi-coloured work of art and I have a spreadsheet for almost every aspect of my life from finances to ‘what’s in the cupboard’. I’d love to say that it’s just because I am so incredibly organised, and perhaps that is part, but there is the other larger part that is my terrible memory. I wouldn’t get anything done without my Google aids.

In 2012 I started entering various garden jobs into the calendar as they came to light. They were set on repeat at their required frequency and email reminders set with appropriate advance timings to allow preparation time for certain tasks. In 2013, I am ready to take full advantage of the calendar. I can sit back, relax and do as I am told when I’m told (‘makes a change’ I can hear my mum say), with a degree of flexibility, of course.

Due to the garden facing north-east, technically, it’s not great for growing vegetables. We did ok last year, but this year I come armed with a heated propagator and a very kind family member who has a south-facing conservatory and extremely green fingers.

Preperation is Key: Veg beds are covered to allow the soil to warm before sowing

Veg beds are covered to allow the soil to warm before sowing

Manure has been dug into the beds and a top up of compost and top soil ordered. The lower vegetable bed, not receiving enough winter sun, is currently empty so this has been covered with black plastic to encourage the warming of the soil underneath.

Preperation is Key: Daffodils braving the cold

The Daffodils are the first to brave the cold

Preparation is not just something that we do at the start if the growing year. The garden is currently beginning to show signs from the Spring prep done late last year. Bulbs are sprouting up here there and everywhere, including Daffodils, who are the first to brave their delicate colourful blooms in these low temperatures.

Preperation is Key: Poppies have been slowly growing over winter

Poppies have been slowly growing over winter

Wild Poppy seeds that were collected last year have sprouted fantastically in the greenhouse and are desperately begging to be thinned. Sadly, the same can not be said for the Sage cuttings taken last year. Having a lack of things to do and my ‘wrapping in cotton wool’ approach, I greatly overwatered the young cuttings and they quickly yellowed and died. A second batch of cuttings were taken early January in a final bid of cuttings success. Don’t worry, the watering can has been hidden.

2013 Garden Plan

2013 Garden Plan

When it rained, which seemed to happen a lot over the past few weeks, I kept myself busy by drawing up a garden plan, see here for a larger image. As you can see the beds will be fairly full with various things and not a lot of anything. We are still testing out to see what is right for us and what grows well together. I drew up a 2012 garden plan but unfortunately it didn’t quite go to plan due to the disgusting weather, so fingers crossed that this year the seedlings will get off to a better start in the heated propagator and be able to withstand anything mother nature throws at them once they are outdoors. I am most looking forward to watching the bright yellow nobbly fruits of the Summer Crookneck Squash grow. Member’s of the squash family are always such little effort with such high rewards. Perfect gardener’s friend.

 

Late February Jobs

Sow Direct
– Mizuna
– Mustard Greens
– Radish
– Broad Beans 

Sow Indoor
– Chilli Pepper (25–30C). Germination 7–24 days. Sow until end of March.
– Sweet Marjoram (16–18C). Germination 14–21 days. Sow indoors until end of March, then continue with direct sowings.
– Sweet Pea (14–17C). Sow seeds one per cardboard tube until end of April. Stand tubes on a layer of compost to keep tubes moist. Keep tubes moist so roots will grow through.

Garden Jobs
– Dig in 10cm of compost over summer planting areas.
– Check the pH level of your soil to see what will and won’t grow well. Most vegetables are happy around 6.5.
– Chit first early potatoes.
– Check old seeds for viability; moisten several sheets of kitchen towel and scatter on some seeds. Cover with clingfilm and place in a warm environment. If most seeds germinate then you are safe to sow.
– Warm soil for early sowings by covering with cloches or plastic sheeting.
– If you haven’t started a garden plan, get sketching. Do bear in mind in each plant’s requirements especially sun and spacing.
– Place an order for seeds if you haven’t already.
– Keep an eye out for nettle patches if you want to make some nettle wine (recipe coming up in March).

Let Them Eat Cake

31

Jan 2013

In

Cook, Garden

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A Robin perching in the Elder watching as I dig over the vegetable beds with chicken manure

A Robin perching in the Elder watching as I dig over the vegetable beds adding chicken manure

Emerging from the innocence of the initial years, I became a very shy child. I would dread school plays and concerts, but being one of those ‘extra-curricula children’ I often found myself with some sort of nominal part. It usually fell to me to assume challenging characters, such as ‘chorus member’ or the particularly formidable task of ‘crowd member’, but never was all attention on me. Not until the day my teacher decided ‘to bring me out my shell’.

Let Them Eat Cake – A Wood Pigeon sees what he can find

A Wood Pigeon sees what he can find

The memory of stepping out from the huddled group of shaking children to clearly pronounce ‘just three little words’ directly after ‘Feed the Birds’ in the school’s production of Mary Poppins will haunt me forever. Needless to say, I am surprised that I was not put off birds for life. In fact, quite the contrary occurred, and a love for our winged cousins slowly developed. It is such a joy when visiting parents – those people with ‘real’ gardens – to watch the various birds bicker over the sunflower hearts.

Let Them Eat Cake – Snowprints

Snowprints

Our garden however has no bickering. We have a sole, camera-shy Great Tit who comes and goes as he/she pleases. Our Great Tit heads on over for breakfast every day, flying to and from the sunflower seed feeder and pecking open the seed whilst perching in the now bare Elder tree.

Let Them Eat Cake – Hesitation

Cold and wet paws do not appeal to Bean

Around the time of the recent snowfall, I spotted: a puffed up Robin, a male Blackbird and a Wood Pigeon hopping around, as well as the Great Tit who continued busily flitting to and fro in the snow. It made outdoors look so inviting. But even with all the snow’s pure beauty, no part of me wanted to venture out in to the whiteness. So instead I settled into the warm couch with a steaming mug of hot chocolate and our young cat for company. It seemed that she wasn’t so fussed on traipsing through the snow either.

Let Them Eat Cake – Snow covered bulbs were moved into the greenhouse for shelter

Snow covered bulbs were moved into the greenhouse for shelter

But it dawned on me whilst snug on the couch, that these new birds in the garden are ground feeders, so how were they feeding with a blanket of four-inches of snow between them and the ground?

Let Them Eat Cake – Gourmet delights

One for the birds

Whilst putting out some food on plates, including chopped nuts and apples, I was reminded of Amanda’s recipe at Wit and Whistle. A gourmet treat for birds – a ‘suet’ cake packed with lard, peanut butter, oats and breadcrumbs amongst other ingredients. As well as being a fitting present for my ever-inspiring Grandad who enjoys watching the birds whilst he eats his breakfast, I thought it might be a good time to test one out in our garden too. Unfortunately, the snow had melted by the time they were made, but one is hung up amongst the branches of the Elder tree calling out to local birds to come and have their fill.

Let Them Eat Cake – A winter-proofed garden

A winter-proofed garden

I made a few adjustments to Amanda’s recipe with things I had in the cupboard, including the English conversions, which you can find below.

200g lard
200g peanut butter (I used crunchy but I’m sure it doesn’t matter)
500g cornmeal (polenta)
130g whole wheat flour
45g rolled oats
45g bread crumbs
100g peanut pieces
100g dried fruit pieces

(You have wiggle room on the ingredients and amounts. Birds aren’t picky!)

1. Line an 8×10 baking sheet with greaseproof paper and set aside.
2. Melt the lard in a saucepan over low heat. In the meantime crush or chop your peanuts (I made a fair mess here).
3. Once the lard has completely melted, stir in the peanut butter until smooth. Then mix in the flour and cornmeal and remove from heat.
4. Stir in the rolled oats, bread crumbs and peanuts. Pour the mixture into the lined baking sheet and smooth the surface. Pop in to the refrigerator to set.
5. When the cake has solidified cut into quarters and wrap each piece in wax paper. Store in the refrigerator or freezer until you are ready to pop them in your suet feeder

A New Year – A seasonal way of shopping

11

Jan 2013

In

Cook

0

Leeks grown in Cambridgeshire

Leeks grown in Cambridgeshire

The start of a new year often brings the beginnings of many other things; eat less chocolate; drink less booze; eat that pesky five-a-day. Amongst my lengthy new year’s checklist is a decision to alter my shopping habits. I hope to buy seasonally available produce from UK farmers rather than beans from Egypt or blackberries from Guatemala. It’s not about totally removing what one wants to eat, but rather replacing with UK-grown alternatives. This morning in a central London supermarket, there were sweetheart cabbages transported on HGV’s from Spain but plenty of spring greens or savoy cabbages that were grown in Lincolnshire.

This way of shopping has many advantages to one’s purse and tastebuds. Produce reaches local shops fresher out the ground and therefore far tastier than when hauled in from abroad as well as being at its cheapest due to having no air/sea-fare. It also gives our UK farmers a helping boost in sales whilst our economy is not so great.

In the recent past, I have tried to do this as often as possible, and indeed new(ish) packaging that includes the product’s country of origin has made this far easier. However, I am unfortunately someone who needs to plan ahead of any shopping trips as I (regularly) fail to make a delicious meal without a recipe to hand.

To aid my commitment to this new year task and to hopefully encourage others, I have designed a calendar where each month lists the seasonally available produce for the UK (subject to weather of course). There are vegetables, fish, meat, fruit, herbs, flowers, fungi and nuts plus some foragable delights that can be found in hedgerows and UK stores for each month, whilst also highlighting those which are at their peak.

Seasonal Produce Calendar: January. Available from info@prideinproper.co.uk

UK Seasonal Produce Calendar: January. Available from info@prideinproper.co.uk

Download the January calendar here and enjoy the fresh and tasty crops of our land. Or please contact Pride in Proper at info@prideinproper.co.uk for the option to purchase a full calendar.