Daffs out, seeds in

The first daffodils are in bloom so I decided that it was time to sow the first seeds: tomatoes, chillies (lightly sanded the seeds as per North by North instructions), sweet peppers, aubergines and leeks. Unfortunately the first aphids of the year have also arrived so I also sowed some marigolds.

First daffodils of the year

First sowing on the window sill in the smallest and warmest room

Visiting friends had given me a fancy new propagator last weekend so it was a good opportunity to try it out. Another sign of spring is that the lemon verbena which had looked absolutely deid has sprung back to life.

Lemon verbena coming to life

Meanwhile in the greenhouse, the overwintering salads are finally starting to grow.

Overwintering salads: tatsoi and wild rocket

My father-in-law gave us a great Christmas gift: a bumper pack of fine Scottish meat from an award-winning butcher in Wemyss Bay. Orkney grass-fed Aberdeen Angus, mmmhhhh. The perfect complement to our own veg.

Beef olive with our homegrown sprouts, red cabbage and leeks

The potatoes are chitting on the window sill in our bedroom. The onion sets are in a cool place awaiting planting. Well, usually it's cool. Sometimes there's a hot cat body on top though.

Poppy's trying hard to get the onion sets to sprout

This afternoon we took delivery of six fruit trees and about 100 hedge plants. There was a brief break in the weather for the delivery, then the hail started, then there was a brief break so that we could pop all the plants into moist compost in the compost bins, then torrential rain, followed by a short weather window before sunset where we managed to plant a quince, a cooking apple (Grenadier) and two cherries (Stella and Sunburst).

Two mirabelles to plant tomorrow and the hedge around the veg garden. But it's all so much easier than last year. We don't have to read up and watch all the youtube videos; it's all a bit more routine. A fun routine.

Frosty February

It's been a cold month so far, with lots of beautiful frosty mornings, but that hasn't stopped the veggies.

Wintry veg garden

Frosty patio

Dredging under way

We've started to dredge our wildlife pond, which was totally grown over, in anticipation of ample frog spawn. It actually looks like a pond now.

Some of the little trees to be moved

The other big job on the list for this month is moving lots of tiny oaks and ash trees that the son of the previous owners had planted in the bottom paddock. They will be incorporated into the hedge, also to be planted this month. At the latest count, 17 left to move.

Here, some cob nuts have already been moved, creating a new growing area

We're starting to 'eat up' some of the veg beds to clear them. We've already had a lot of secondary cabbage growth. This looks and tastes like what they sell as collards in the supermarket. Definitely worth leaving the plants for that. Only one proper red cabbage left and several Drumhead Christmas secondary cabbages.

This is the time of year when the Brussels sprouts are at their best. However, half of my plants haven't hearted up properly. I read that this is because it was too hot when they were setting. So I'll try to sow some of my Brussels later this year (beginning of May versus mid-March) to see whether this makes a difference. I do want to have sprouts for Christmas though, which I did last year with my March sowing. Has anyone had experience with sowing their Brussels late - were they ready in time for Christmas dinner?

Yummy sprouts

My other question is about swedes. I've had no complaints about Swede Marian when it comes to reliability and hardiness, but they just don't taste great. They're OK in soups and stews, but not as a standalone veg with the haggis. Any recommendations? Thinking of trying 'Gowrie'. After all, my main criterion for growing veg is flavour; reliability and disease resistance/suitability for organic growing are also a consideration, but flavour comes first.

We're still getting plenty of veg, but then they have to last until May before the new stuff comes along. The kale just keeps getting better and better. What a tasty, versatile brassica! And Jim's perfected the art of making chips from our maincrop potatoes. Double frying in beef dripping seems to be the secret to fantastic home-made chips.

Some things I got right last year, quantity-wise, like parsnips (only about six left, though hard to tell now that the leaves have died back) and celeriac (seven out of 16 left), but others we need to grow more of: Leeks are strictly rationed at one per week and need to double this year. So do beetroot and broad beans (and garlic and onions, but most of these are already planted). The Aguadulce broad beans are looking lush so it looks as if overwintering veg are an option here.

Not much chard left

The artichokes have divested themselves of their winter cover

Celeriac Prague Giant

I've cut down the autumn raspberries almost to the ground as it says to do. Looks a bit sad, but fingers crossed for a bumper harvest this year. It's nice to have the soft fruit in place. Hopefully next year we'll have a larder full of different jams.

The plan

This is a good time of year to make one's plans. We've got two new areas coming on stream in the garden this year. The new soft fruit cage area, with space for eight bushes (probably 3 x black currant, 2 x gooseberry, 2 x Saskatoon berry and 1 x white currant) has been uncovered already and just needs dug over before planting in February.

The boat garage will be netted over to protect our new soft fruit bushes.

Half of the middle paddock next to the existing veg garden is still under plastic cover and will be used as extra veg-growing space. The potatoes, swedes, kohl rabi and Jerusalem artichokes will go here this year.

The new veg-growing area. Lots more digging to do.

I've ordered the seed potatoes (Dunluce as first early, Setanta as maincrop), onion sets (Red Baron, Centurion and Setton) and our first ever Jerusalem artichoke Fuseau tubers. There are only two things I won't be growing from seed again this year, spinach and spring onions. Other than Jerusalem artichoke, I also want to try my hand at asparagus, fennel, rhubarb and sweetcorn this year. Hopefully, with North by North's marigold trick, the aubergines will come good this time.

The globe artichokes don't want to go dormant.

I'm not going to sow any more globe artichokes this year, but hopefully the eight from last year are going to start producing big time! I'd cut them right down to the crown and covered them in bracken, but it's been so mild that they've started growing already.

Nicely dug

Jim's been digging over the veg garden already. What a difference to last year when it took him an hour per square metre! Now the fork just goes in - no roots, no stones (well, almost).

I started the hedge planting this afternoon, relocating rosa rugosa, dog roses and hawthorns that had seeded themselves in unwanted positions. The chickens were helping, too. Nice way to get a mixed hedge, but we'll still have to buy 30 metres' worth of hedging plants next month. Need to stock up with Irn-Bru for that one.

Free hedge

Inside, I've finally been successful with taking cuttings and putting them in water. The Vietnamese coriander rooted super easily. Love that plant!

Vietnamese coriander seedlings

So here's the plan for stuff to grow from seed:

Vegetables

• Asparagus: Harlik


• Aubergine: Ronde de Valence


• Beans: Achievement, Cosse Purple


• Beetroot: Boltardy, Bordo


• Broad beans: Aguadulce, De Monica


• Broccoli: Calabrese Natalino, Green-sprouting, Purple-sprouting


• Brussels sprouts: Evesham Special


• Cabbage: Durham Early, Wintergreen, Xmas Drumhead, Red cabbage


• Carrots: Cosmic Purple, Early Nantes, Korral, Paris Market


• Cauliflower: Romanesco, All-year-round


• Celeriac: Prague Giant


• Chillies: Cayenne, Long Slim


• Courgette: Nimba


• Cucumber: Lemon Crystal, Bedfordshire Prize


• Fennel di Firenze


• Kale: Kapral


• Kohlrabi: Purple and Blue Delikatess


• Leeks: Musselburgh


• Onion: Stuttgarter Riesen, Roja de Niort, Tosca


• Pak Choi Red


• Parsnips: Tender and True, Guernsey


• Peas: Douce de Provence, Oregon Mangetout, Kelvedon Wonder


• Peppers: California Wonder, Oda


• Pumpkin: Jack Be Little


• Radish: Mixed, Cherry Belle


• Salads: Tatsoi, Cress, Rocket, Salad Bowl Red, Little Gem, Wild Rocket, Red Mustard, Lettuce Merveille des Quatre Saisons


• Squashes: Ambar, Metro, Sweet Dumpling, Turks Turban, Uchiki Kuri


• Swede: Marian


• Sweetcorn: Golden Bantam


• Swiss chard


• Tomatoes: Ailsa Craig, Tigerella


• Turnip: Purple Top

Fruit

• Cantaloupe Emir


• Rhubarb Victoria


• Watermelon Sugar Baby

Herbs

• Basil


• Camomile


• Chives


• Coriander


• Cumin


• Dill


• Lemongrass


• Parsley

Looks like a lot, but I'm sure we'll eat it all!