Dreaming of summer's harvest
I'm enjoying imagining the garden in summer: trellising laden with sweet peas, runner beans and pumpkins... beds brimming with rocket, beetroot and lettuce. But there are still plenty of practical things to do before the real fun starts.
First, a bit more work
Next week Ashridge Trees will deliver my hedging and fruit trees and I'll be busy planting these around the kitchen garden. In a few weeks time, the beds will be filled with top soil and compost, then edged with old railway sleepers. After that I'll cover them with weed-suppressant membrane or black plastic to stop weed seeds germinating and to warm the soil for spring planting. I've been nurturing my poor asparagus crowns, keeping them cool and moist in the pantry, but these will also need to go into the ground as soon as possible, along with the fruit bushes.
Then onto the real fun
After that, the real fun can begin - planning which seeds to sow next year. I'm consulting Thomas Etty's incredible catalogue of heritage veg for ideas... and planning a local seed swap so that I can gain from my neighbours' experience. More on that in the New Year. Until then, back to work!
I'm enjoying imagining the garden in summer: trellising laden with sweet peas, runner beans and pumpkins... beds brimming with rocket, beetroot and lettuce. But there are still plenty of practical things to do before the real fun starts.
First, a bit more work
Next week Ashridge Trees will deliver my hedging and fruit trees and I'll be busy planting these around the kitchen garden. In a few weeks time, the beds will be filled with top soil and compost, then edged with old railway sleepers. After that I'll cover them with weed-suppressant membrane or black plastic to stop weed seeds germinating and to warm the soil for spring planting. I've been nurturing my poor asparagus crowns, keeping them cool and moist in the pantry, but these will also need to go into the ground as soon as possible, along with the fruit bushes.
Then onto the real fun
After that, the real fun can begin - planning which seeds to sow next year. I'm consulting Thomas Etty's incredible catalogue of heritage veg for ideas... and planning a local seed swap so that I can gain from my neighbours' experience. More on that in the New Year. Until then, back to work!
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