I can’t believe how much has changed in the last month!
The picture says it much better than I can.
Since we last posted an update, the VegBox Garden has moved across town. Now instead of window box / container growing, we’re starting a plot, and it’s SO exciting. I was supposed to be unpacking clothes into the wardrobe, but HOW could I focus on that when there was icky concrete paving in the back yard to pull up?! The pulled-up slabs are good for the sides of the raised beds.
Not sure what the new neighbours made of me at first, hefting slabs around at 9pm on a Sunday, but we were soon chattering away over the garden fences, so gardening slightly obsessively is certainly one way of building local community!
And just look at the size of the spinach (bottom left and right)! From humble beginnings, eh?!
It’s really just been a case of watering every morning from the make-shift water-butt (made from a spare dustbin positioned cannily underneath a leaking bit of guttering!), and pulling up the cheeky little cress-looking weeds as they pop up.
I bought some more seeds, as promised. My seed shelf now holds magical little packages of:
Sweetcorn
Pak Choi
Purple Sprouting Broccoli
Black (Cavalo) Nero Cabbage
Endive, and
Kohl Rabi
But before I can plant them, I need to finish preparing the ground.
Under the paving slabs was a lot of sand and brick. I’m pulling the bricks out one by one to use to build up the sides of the raised beds. Once they’re in place, I’ll be breaking up the ground and adding soil. Then I’ll be ready to plant directly into the ground.
I’m going to keep the lettuce in their current containers, placed along the walls of the raised beds, and sow some new seeds into the ground to make sure I have plenty to last me the summer. The existing lettuce is now just about big enough for me to start pinching their leaves for my sandwiches. I’m reassured that they’ll quickly grow new ones to keep me fed!
The tomatoes and broad beans I’m going to plant into the ground once it’s ready, with canes for support. Neither one has flowered yet, so I’m watching with baited breath : )
And the spinach … Well, as you may know, I have other plans for the spinach!
One question for you other growers – is there a way of getting my hands on soil for the beds, other than buying bags from the likes of Homebase? Do people ever give away soil?!
Finally, this morning I added my back-garden to the list of land available to grow on on the new Landshare website as I continue surfing what is most definitely the global surge of food growing.
The White House got the organic garden so many were campaigning for.
Closer to home, Boris Johnson and Rosie Boycott are extending their exciting 2012 Capital Growth plans to include spaces like the roof of the Hayward Gallery.
And the National Trust has pledged 1,000 new allotments’ worth of its land to the Landshare project. Through Landshare, would-be growers without land can hook up with those with land to offer, and everyone gets to share the produce.
Now my 20 square feet of back garden in Bromley may not be much, but it’s something, and within an hour of posting someone had sent me a message asking if they can come and help me. Result!
So how are y’ooffers doing out there on your own plots / patios / windowsills?
And what are you preparing to do in the coming months?
Don’t forget, if you haven’t started yet it doesn’t matter… There are different things to plant all the way through the year, and if you don’t want to grow from seed or have missed the growing from seed window, there’s still time to buy pre-started seedlings!
Categories: gardening, seasonal eating
it’s so exciting isn’t it – when things finally show their heads and take off! We have potatoes, radishes and I saw my first beetroot leaf this morning. yesterday I planted courgettes, kale, pumpkin, sunflowers, broad beans and some herbs. I’ll be doing more tomorrow. So glad you have a great plot and are enjoying the space
I’ve just got back from a walk up to the lottie and there’s much a going on! The good weather has been fantastic – lots of sunshine down here in the south west and to be honest, I can’t remember the last April shower. I really think this is time to consider water conservation in butts and buckets and just about anything else you have – we are set for a long hot one…mark my worms… TSx PS: Great progress there VBR – it looks smashing!
Funny you mention that Mrs s – I was checking out my butt yesterday. It’s ready for a good splash of rain now
Very important to check out your butt regularly, laydeez … Or even better, get a nice guy to check it out for ya … Know what I mean
Tee hee. Am a bit of a tizzy today … Yesterday, VegBox Husband said that he was having second thoughts about having half the back yard as veggie garden. He wants me to get an allotment instead, so that we can keep the back of the house for flowers and sitting about with friends and neighbours… I feel quite sad and cross today… I’ve contacted the council about a lottie though, and maybe I’ll like that even more, being around other scrummy folk who are growing their own.
Ooo, that’s a bit of a shocker from el husbando there, my lovely. I hope things work out for you and you both find a compromise you are happy with
You need to tell him that vegetable plants can look very pretty too – what can neat a wigwam of runner beans with those lovely red flowers on them? I tell my husband that the white flowers on bindweed are pretty too LOL!
Hmmm. Yeah I know
( We’ll see … “I twust da Universe, I twust da Universe…!”
This sounds great! And the photos look awesome! I’m so pleased its going well! Due to little space, we’ve just got strawberries growing this year but hoping to have more room next to start potatoes!