Well I can’t say that the evening update from No. 10 was a
shock – David and I have said for a while that it was coming and we’d be on
lockdown sooner rather than later. Fortunately, I had been up to the allotment
that very day to retrieve timber, paint, screws, plastic garden mesh, and other
bits and pieces so that we could build some raised beds at home.
Plot 31 is now approximately a 30 min drive instead of 30 seconds, so if I can grow more things at home it will save journeys back to cut some salad when I fancy it.
The day after lockdown was announced I decided to go to Plot
31 as part of my allowable daily exercise – lots of discussion on Twitter about
whether or not we were allowed but Michael Gove confirmed it on le BBC so
therefore, we were fine. It was a beautifully sunny day – shorts and T shirt
weather – and I needed sun cream! I forgot my sun hat though.
David and I dismantled the brassica cage from last year and
then I removed the sprout stems and the remains of the nasturtium. I didn’t bother
removing the seed pods so I am expecting lots of nasturtium this year!
So in
this monster bed (6ft x 6ft) I have sown my salad crops for the year. I sowed:
Carrot, radish, beetroot, corn salad, rocket, parsnip,
mizuna, peas, spinach, sorrel, spring onion and chard. I expect I am too early
for parsnip but I’ll see what happens. I didn’t get any last year at all so I am
hoping to get some this year. I also did a row of giant sunflower down the
middle of the bed. I have left a corner free for now to do some successional sowing in a couple of months time.
The first of the crops should start poking through within a
week or so, and the radish will be ready to pick in about five or six weeks. It’s
not a quick fix, but it will mean that over summer I should be self sufficient
in salad stuffs. I could also include the nasturtium leaves and flowers for
some colour in my salads.
 |
| The netting is to protect the crops from the birdies |
If you want to start growing your own food, I really recommend this book. I tell everyone about it and even take it to work to share
with my volunteers! I got it last year, but it has loads of info for learning
how to grow food in your back garden.
