Comments on: As you sow…….so you will reap

By: Janet

Janet — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:33:31 +0000

As if I don’t have a big enough garden of my own. I much prefer to supervise from a distance. So next, you should put in some beetroot and spinach and yes I happen to have some seeds with me.

Back to cauliflowers: sow two to a loo roll in case one fails. Pinch (not pull) the weaker of the two out when their first leaves are fully formed.

As an easier alternative, it would be a wonderful permanent bed for globe artichokes and the prickly bits would keep the cats off and the weeds down. Of course, it depends if you like to eat them, but they are very attractive. The heads turn into giant purple thistle flowers if they’re left. Of course, we’d have to find a kind Greek person with a garden to provide us with some slips – I definitely need at least a dozen as I want to plant them along the edge of my new avli (is that Greek for courtyard?).

Its a bit cold for sowing this week, though unless there’s room on your windowsills.

By: Helen

Helen — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 18:11:41 +0000

Janet, don’t you think it would be so much easier if you just came and did it for me

By: Janet

Janet — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:33:08 +0000

The bed looks great, you’ll be wanting those cauliflower seeds then? They are an old English variety called All the Year Round. I use them because they taste good and because its simpler to use an all purpose type. I thought they might work here. In England I’d be sowing now for a covered crop in May so they should work outside here. With the cat’s its tempting fate to sow direct. Nikos Orphanos has some decent compost, its a bit ’speny but better than the supermarket stuff (80 ltr bags though). Small plant pots may be harder to find. I’d use empty loo roll holders fixed into an old ice cream box or similar to get the seeds growing. It should take about 10 days for them to appear. Then when you plant the caulis out they can stay in the biodegradable holders so the roots won’t get disturbed. It may be a bit difficult to grow carrots and caulis side by side in a 4m bed because they have different needs. Grow them at opposite ends – carrots need sand not stones and no compost/muck . Grow with salad onions and garlic as a companion plant. Caulis need muck and lots of it. Garlic from the shop will probably be fine. Use the fat outside bits not those from the centre. It might be too late for a full size crop (what do I know I haven’t grown here yet) but you should at least get some tasty shoots. I have some pot marigold seeds just arrived. Junior might like a few for her patch and you could plant them with your crops to attract hoverflies for pest control(though not cats) and their petals are pretty in salads.

By: Helen

Helen — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 07:48:34 +0000

Whether anything will grow remains to be seen! I don’t have the greenest of fingers but hopefully something will survive my attempts at nurturing

By: Family Smudge

Family Smudge — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:45:18 +0000

Ooooo, how exciting! We are wondering whether to stay put for the summer due to the offer of a small plot and some lessons in growing our own. I’ll be watching your plot (which incidentally has the most amazing view!) with interest!!!