Couldn’t wait any longer. The polytunnel has kept the soil dry. The seed potatoes have strong, stubby, green chits. So, I planted 6 Sharpes Express & 6 Maris Bard today. I figured that if they do get caught by a cold frost, I have still got some more chitting on the window-sill.

• planting depth 10cm

• cover the potato with soil

• planting distance in row 30cm

• distance between rows 60cm

Early potatoes are planted closer together than main crop, because we harvest them when they are smaller.

Early potatoes should be ready for digging in 10-12 weeks!!

Should we follow the calendar or the weather?�

Global warming, or not, this February has been warm & plants have started to grow early.

Traditionalists tell us we will have frosts in March so wait.

But watch the forecasts, or use the web - http://www.metcheck.com�

Start planting & take precautions if frost is expected - cover the plants with fleece, evergreen branches - anything to trap warm air (like a string vest) & keep� the frost� off.

Wet soil is a problem because it is damaged when touched; it looses structure. Cover soil to stop the rain soaking it. But take the covers off when there is a drying rain.

To keep the rain off, cover with:

• cloches
• plastic sheet
• tin sheet
• anything waterproof that will not blow away

It is quite a puzzle to decide which varieties of potatoes to grow.

Early potatoes:

• produce those small gems around Whitsun
• plant now
• space closer

Maincrop potatoes:

• plant in March/April
• space further apart
• produce larger potatoes
• will store through winter

This year we are growing:

EARLIES

• Sharpe’s Express
• Maris Bard

MAIN CROP

• King Edwards-baker,masher,roast
• Pink Fir Apple-boil, roast or salad

Search this blog for articles on chitting

Before you start buying seed:

• decide which vegetables you want to grow
• list those vegetables
• make a chart of how many of these veg you will eat each month

• Remember you need variety, not a glut of one veg
• Just plant as many seeds as you require, with a couple for luck
• Save the space from unwanted veg, for different ones
• Do some calculations. If each person eats 7 sprouts at a serving and 2 of you have them every other day in January, that is 14 sprouts for 15 days=210 sprouts. A sprout stalk has at least 50 sprouts on it, so you need 4 sprout plants in January
• We tend to grow more seeds/plants than we need
• Lettuce only keep in the ground for a week or 2. So don’t plant the whole packet at once, or you will have a garden full and only eat a fraction of them. Sow a very few seeds each week
• This chart will help plan your requirements:

vegetable planner

Tonight we are having a stir-fry consisting entirely of veg from the garden.

The fresh veg are:

• white sprouting broccoli
• purple sprouting broccoli
• sprouts
• parsley

The stored veg are:

• garlic
• red onion
• white onion
• shallots
• carrots
• beetroot
• potato

I chop the stored veg into small pieces and cook them in hot oil, until the onion is clear. Then add finely chopped sprouts, & spears of broccoli. I add a small cup of water or stock, put the lid on and turn the heat off. After 8 minutes stir in the chopped parsley & there it is. Fantastic, delicious veg all from the garden. The beetroot gives it a good deep colour.

There is a mulberry tree in the grounds of Wilberforce House, close to the River Hull. Perfectly shaped, knarled and old, it crops well.

Wilberforce House in Hull is the birthplace of William Wilberforce.

William Wilberforce led the long and arduous campaign against the slave trade, which resulted in the abolition bill in 1807.

In 2007, it will be 200 years since this momentous occasion. We will commemorate the abolition of the slave trade and celebrate the spirit of bravery, determination and the acceptance of others that helped make it happen.

To mark this important anniversary a mulberry tree has just been planted on the edge of our veg patch.

It evokes childhood memories of:

• mulberry jam
• carpets of fallen, juicy, red mulberries under the tree
• picking mulberry leaves
• the sound of pet silkworms munching on the leaves, in the quiet of the night

The mulberry in the garden will attract birds which will help keep down the insect pests.

Mulberries are adaptable and do well in more marginal soils and climates.

This is a great present for the gardener who has everything they need!

Bugs, Slugs & Other Invaders

by Sarah Ford

publisher Hamlyn 2006

Covers all garden enemies:

• flying foe

• creepy crawlies

• furry invaders

• slimy,slithery & scaly

• the good guys

Very amusing, comprehensive & a good read.

Priced at £4.99

Want to grow veg? Well, just have a go.

Don’t go mad, just do a small patch to see if you like it (once you start, you won’t stop!)

• Choose a small patch
• mark into strips no more than� 180cm wide, then you can work it from either side without walking on it.
• The strip can be as long or short as you like.
• Make a path down both sides to walk on. Cover the path, to keep your feet dry, with wood planks, chopped bark, anything you can find in the shed!
• Now you can start to work on your plot. The rows will go from one path to the other, so you can just work or dig a couple of rows at a time - pace yourself!
• Check the link to help plan

� http://topveg.com/?p=70