THE SOWING OF SEED.
Spring has arrived! It's that time of year when the sap has begun to rise, but not only in the plants, it has risen in me too.
It's now that my wife, Evelyn, starts to question my sanity. In comes the sowing and potting compost, and out comes the seed trays and flower pots. There will be small seed trays and flower pots on window sills, large seed trays and pots in the greenhouse and cold frame; every available bit of space will occupied by seeds and seedlings. She believes that for the amount of plants we actually need, it would save a great deal of time and effort if we just bought them in. Why sow dozens of Brussels sprouts when we only want six?
Well, I'm sorry, but I can't help it. Springtime brings out this primeval urge in me. I must sow seed. I enjoy the act of sowing them, nurturing them, and watching them grow to maturity. This brings its own reward of inner satisfaction and accomplishment, but there's more to it than that, there's a kind of connection with the past that gardeners feel. Every spring for thousands of years since he took up farming and gardening, mankind has sown his seed and reaped his reward be it by way of flowers or produce, and I want to be a part of it for as long as I can, it's in my genes.
A couple of sowing tips to remember. 1) Don't be fooled by the few days of strengthening sun we've enjoyed. It's a dangerous gamble to sow too early; you could easily be caught out by the weather. There's an old gardener's tale that indicates when the temperature is right; it says that if you can sit on the soil with your bare bottom and it feels comfortably warm, then you can begin to sow. A less embarrassing method is to wait until the weeds start to germinate, when they do, take the lead from them, the creation knows what it's doing. 2) Beware of watering your seeds in greenhouses or frames with water from the water butt. I have discovered that it will make the surface of your trays and pots green with algae and possibly introduce disease. Always use clean water.
SQUARE FOOT GARDENING
Growing your own is back in fashion, and that's fine if you've got a large plot or an allotment, but what about us with bijou gardens? Well, we can try "Square Foot Gardening." In my small walled vegetable garden, I recently constructed two raised beds (see photos), and I am going to trial this method here this year. It is an intensive form of growing and promises a lot from a small plot. It also holds out the hope of less work because it's not so demanding of our labour.
It is unique in the way that crops are grown in square foot blocks (or multiples thereof) rather than in long rows, making it ideal for the smaller garden. You can see in the photographs how I have used bamboo canes to create the squares. Maintenance is easier because there is no need to hoe. All that's needed is the occasional plucking out of a weed or two until the plants are large enough to act as their own weed suppressant.
The planting distances are close compared to growing in rows. For example, beetroots and carrots are sown equidistant at three inches between each plant, giving sixteen per square foot. Meanwhile, the larger brassica family, such as broccoli and cabbage, have a square foot assigned to each individual plant.
This is going to be an interesting experiment. I shall keep you informed of the results. If you have tried this method yourself, perhaps you would like to share your experiences by contacting me at the email address below.
VISIT A GARDEN
If there's one thing gardeners like above anything else, it's sharing the fruits of their labours with others. And if you can show it off for charity, that's even better. So when you're out and about make sure to pick up a free copy of the National Garden Scheme's "Devon Gardens 2010," a localised version of the ever popular "Yellow Book." I shall discuss the National Garden Scheme in more detail next month. Meanwhile here's a list of NGS North Devon gardens to visit for April:
"CLIFFE," Lee, Ilfracombe: A cliffside garden with spectacular views. Adm £3.00, children free. Open daily 1st April to 30th Sept (9am-4pm.) Owners: Dr and Mrs Humphreys.
"CASTLE HILL," Filleigh, South Molton: An extensive 18th century grade 1 listed landscape garden. Adm £4.00, senior citizens £3.50, children free. Open Sunday 11th of April (11am-5pm.) Owners: The Earl & Countess of Arran.
"ST MERRYN," Higher Park Road, Braunton: Sheltered, south facing cottage garden with lots of interest. Adm £3.00. children free. Open Sunday 18th of April (2-6pm.) Owners: Dr W & Mrs Ros Bradford.
"FOAMLEA," Chapel Hill, Mortehoe: A clifftop garden of much interest and stunning views. Adm £3.00, children free. Open Sunday 25th of April (2-5pm.) Owner: Beth Smith.
"GORWELL HOUSE," Goodleigh Road, Barnstaple: Follies and vistas delight the eye, whilst overlooking the Taw estuary. Adm £3.50, children free. Open Sunday 25th of April (2-6pm.) Owner: Dr J A Marston.
"HARTLAND ABBEY," Hartland: Lots to see, plus a fernery and bog garden by Gertrude Jekyll. Adm £5.00, children £1.50 (garden visit only.) Open daily (except Saturdays) 1st of April to 3rd of Oct (12-5pm.) Bluebell Sundays, 18th and 25th of April (11am-4pm.) Owners: Sir Hugh & Lady Stucley.
The information above was correct at the time of going to press, but please be aware that unforeseen circumstances can alter opening days, times or even cancel visiting altogether.
Spring has arrived! It's that time of year when the sap has begun to rise, but not only in the plants, it has risen in me too.
It's now that my wife, Evelyn, starts to question my sanity. In comes the sowing and potting compost, and out comes the seed trays and flower pots. There will be small seed trays and flower pots on window sills, large seed trays and pots in the greenhouse and cold frame; every available bit of space will occupied by seeds and seedlings. She believes that for the amount of plants we actually need, it would save a great deal of time and effort if we just bought them in. Why sow dozens of Brussels sprouts when we only want six?
Well, I'm sorry, but I can't help it. Springtime brings out this primeval urge in me. I must sow seed. I enjoy the act of sowing them, nurturing them, and watching them grow to maturity. This brings its own reward of inner satisfaction and accomplishment, but there's more to it than that, there's a kind of connection with the past that gardeners feel. Every spring for thousands of years since he took up farming and gardening, mankind has sown his seed and reaped his reward be it by way of flowers or produce, and I want to be a part of it for as long as I can, it's in my genes.
A couple of sowing tips to remember. 1) Don't be fooled by the few days of strengthening sun we've enjoyed. It's a dangerous gamble to sow too early; you could easily be caught out by the weather. There's an old gardener's tale that indicates when the temperature is right; it says that if you can sit on the soil with your bare bottom and it feels comfortably warm, then you can begin to sow. A less embarrassing method is to wait until the weeds start to germinate, when they do, take the lead from them, the creation knows what it's doing. 2) Beware of watering your seeds in greenhouses or frames with water from the water butt. I have discovered that it will make the surface of your trays and pots green with algae and possibly introduce disease. Always use clean water.
SQUARE FOOT GARDENING
Growing your own is back in fashion, and that's fine if you've got a large plot or an allotment, but what about us with bijou gardens? Well, we can try "Square Foot Gardening." In my small walled vegetable garden, I recently constructed two raised beds (see photos), and I am going to trial this method here this year. It is an intensive form of growing and promises a lot from a small plot. It also holds out the hope of less work because it's not so demanding of our labour.
It is unique in the way that crops are grown in square foot blocks (or multiples thereof) rather than in long rows, making it ideal for the smaller garden. You can see in the photographs how I have used bamboo canes to create the squares. Maintenance is easier because there is no need to hoe. All that's needed is the occasional plucking out of a weed or two until the plants are large enough to act as their own weed suppressant.
The planting distances are close compared to growing in rows. For example, beetroots and carrots are sown equidistant at three inches between each plant, giving sixteen per square foot. Meanwhile, the larger brassica family, such as broccoli and cabbage, have a square foot assigned to each individual plant.
This is going to be an interesting experiment. I shall keep you informed of the results. If you have tried this method yourself, perhaps you would like to share your experiences by contacting me at the email address below.
VISIT A GARDEN
If there's one thing gardeners like above anything else, it's sharing the fruits of their labours with others. And if you can show it off for charity, that's even better. So when you're out and about make sure to pick up a free copy of the National Garden Scheme's "Devon Gardens 2010," a localised version of the ever popular "Yellow Book." I shall discuss the National Garden Scheme in more detail next month. Meanwhile here's a list of NGS North Devon gardens to visit for April:
"CLIFFE," Lee, Ilfracombe: A cliffside garden with spectacular views. Adm £3.00, children free. Open daily 1st April to 30th Sept (9am-4pm.) Owners: Dr and Mrs Humphreys.
"CASTLE HILL," Filleigh, South Molton: An extensive 18th century grade 1 listed landscape garden. Adm £4.00, senior citizens £3.50, children free. Open Sunday 11th of April (11am-5pm.) Owners: The Earl & Countess of Arran.
"ST MERRYN," Higher Park Road, Braunton: Sheltered, south facing cottage garden with lots of interest. Adm £3.00. children free. Open Sunday 18th of April (2-6pm.) Owners: Dr W & Mrs Ros Bradford.
"FOAMLEA," Chapel Hill, Mortehoe: A clifftop garden of much interest and stunning views. Adm £3.00, children free. Open Sunday 25th of April (2-5pm.) Owner: Beth Smith.
"GORWELL HOUSE," Goodleigh Road, Barnstaple: Follies and vistas delight the eye, whilst overlooking the Taw estuary. Adm £3.50, children free. Open Sunday 25th of April (2-6pm.) Owner: Dr J A Marston.
"HARTLAND ABBEY," Hartland: Lots to see, plus a fernery and bog garden by Gertrude Jekyll. Adm £5.00, children £1.50 (garden visit only.) Open daily (except Saturdays) 1st of April to 3rd of Oct (12-5pm.) Bluebell Sundays, 18th and 25th of April (11am-4pm.) Owners: Sir Hugh & Lady Stucley.
The information above was correct at the time of going to press, but please be aware that unforeseen circumstances can alter opening days, times or even cancel visiting altogether.