Spade Work : From Plot to Plate

Packing In The Desk Job!

I shot this as I cycled home last week. The light was going and the gardeners in Hyde Park were tidying up after an eight hour shift meticulously tying in wayward branches on the pleached lime trees along the Rose Garden. I paced it out and while you can't see all of it in this picture, it's about 200 yards long. They've already been at this job a week now and it'll probably take two in total.

In summer the branches form tight green squares as a backdrop to a magnificent display of rambling and climbing roses but thinking about a shift on top of staging on a cold, wet, winter day, office gossip around the water cooler seems quite a perk.

Importing Seeds and Vegetables: The Rules

I've often wondered what rules govern the importing of seeds and vegetables. What can I bring back from holidays; what am I allowed swap with other growers; can I take cuttings abroad and bring them home?

Well DEFRA has now published a useful leaflet to what you can and cannot bring in. Here's the link. We're pretty much unrestricted between EU countries but there are controls on bringing in some vegetables (potatoes in particular) from non EU countries.

As for what is happening in the garden at the moment - not a lot. The courgettes are doing very little, some Golden Sweet tomatoes are ripening despite our lack of heat, some chilli peppers are beginging to redden, the aubergines have stayed an inch or two long for months it seems. But the climbing beans seem to have liked all the rain so I'm expecting a good crop.

Moving Ground

This growing season has a long way to go but I've already started planning next years crops spurred on partly by the fact that I'm moving house in September and will be starting a new vegetable area in somewhat unpromising conditions.

It's going to be a challenge as the plot though fairly large and open (some tree felling planned) is on an east-west axis (though I'm currently gardening on a north-east facing plot surrounded by trees which throw some shade and roots and I'm still having success with vegetables) and the soil is sandy. But as I'm putting in raised beds I should be able to amend this as I go.

I'll be planting the mangetout Norli again. A good cropper, they were stringless, fairly sweet (they get sweeter with hindsight) and early. Can anyone recommend another mangetout or sugarsnap variety that they've had success with?

I'll try the potato Marfona to see if I can get a waxy potato that bulks up well and keeps.

The Franchi mixed lettuce leaves from Seeds of Italy are on the 'to order' list and I'll try to source some new garlic varieties.

There's not a lot I'll be bringing from the old plot to the new one, apart from the seed I've saved but I do have an asparagus bed that's in it's fifth year now and giving a good crop of fat spears. Has anyone ever moved asparagus crowns to new ground; how do I do it and does it work? Otherwise I fear I'm going to have to start over again and wait three more years before I can cut a half way decent crop.

Gardening Made Easy

A leaflet, offering tips and advice on easier gardening has been published by Thrive, the gardening charity.

Aimed at helping older and disabled people get into gardening, free copies are available by contacting info@thrive.org.uk