My Tiny Plot

At this time of year I always have loads of Mint. I have a patch growing in an old stone trough and every year it comes back with lovely fragrant lush green leaves. Nothing says summer’s here like some fresh Mint from the garden in a tall glass of Pimms and lemonade.

But…while I could spend my days drinking Pimms in the garden (and believe me sometimes I really want to!) I fear it may impede my skills as a mother. One has to stay focused and totally not inebriated when one is looking after one’s child – I’m sure I read that somewhere.

So what to do with all the Mint? Mint tea of course. The ladies in the book I’m reading ‘Larkrise to Candleford’ say it’s good for the soul. And so it is. Not in a medicinal way, although I’m sure Mint tea has many claims, but in a ‘aaah that’s nice and gosh aren’t I clever because I actually grew it myself,’ sort of way.

So here’s my Mint Tea recipe – less of a recipe, more a bunch of instructions. Stand by.

Mint Tea

• 2 long sprigs of Mint (the more you add the more minty it will be)
• 2 cups of water
• Honey
• Slice of Lemon
• Your favourite teacup and saucer (optional)

Put the Mint leaves (or the whole sprig) in the water and bring to the boil. The water will turn yellowy green. Then strain into a teacup. Add some honey and a slice of Lemon. Drink it while sitting in your garden, you deserve it!

Anyone else got any Minty recipes?

Yesterday, I ran along my Broadbean row, and like a good girl, I pinched out the tips from each plant. I was pleased with the results until I realised that I didn’t actually know why I’d just done it. I had some vague recollection of reading it somewhere in a book and that it had something to do with blackfly.

So I looked it up. Apparently, the main reason why you should nip out the tips is that it redirects the plant’s energy into setting fruit, rather than growing taller. So you should only nip out the tips once three or four trusses of flowers have appeared.

Secondly, nipping out the tips takes away the part of the plant that is most susceptible to blackfly attack and therefore discourages a future attack. If you already have blackfly then you’ll be removing most of them as you nip. So, everyone’s a winner, as they say.

Lastly, you can cook the tips (providing they are not infested with blackfly, of course). Wash and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Then treat like Spinach or Greens. I might try some.

So now I know why I’m pinching out the tips of my broadbeans I can be reassured that I’m doing the right thing. Yes…it’s much better to have all of the information, all of the time.

‘Squash Seedlings’ by Heidi Lewis

Thanks to everyone who submitted photos for the Photo Mission: Your Garden from the Ground. I received quite a lot of photos. I have chosen the best four and posted them below. I’m sure you’ll agree they are quite stunning.

‘Fava Jungle’ by David LaFerney

‘Red Onions’ by Francis Roundtree

‘Rainbow Chard’ by Michelle Parsons

Watch out for another photo mission very soon!

This is a photo of one of my Tom Thumb lettuces. For me, Lettuce is the backbone of any kitchen garden. It’s such a versatile crop, and it can make the difference between a lackluster, patchy garden and an oasis of wow-ness (I made that word up, can you tell?).

Firstly, it’s super easy to grow. My goodness, I could launch some seeds from the deck and I’d be picking lettuce in 4 – 6 weeks. Honestly. Secondly, the variety of different shapes, sizes, tastes, and colours of the leaves is astounding. Do you want crunchy or melt in the mouth buttery? Do you want mild or sharp, or bitter? You could easily grow nothing but Lettuce in your garden and not get bored of it, ever.

But thirdly, and this is the reason I get so excited about Lettuce, is that it’s the one plant that will make or break your garden’s design. And for me, after taste, design comes a close second.

I sow some Lettuce as early as I can to ensure I get the longest season possible. All I have is a coldframe so I usually sow some in there to begin with and then move to a prepared seedbed outside once the weather warms up.

I pick a small patch of the garden (only a metre square) and sow lots of different varieties in succession (a few every week). Once the seedlings get to the four or five leaf stage I will transplant them to their final growing position. Above is a photo of my Oakleaf seedbed.

This is where it starts to get exciting. Because if I’ve done it right then I should have lots of different shapes and colours to choose from. So I can start to make pretty rows of contrasting shades which, once they start to heart up, will really start to give mtp that kitchen garden / potager look.

You have to be on your toes though. This is not a sow once and forget it project. No, you need to keep up the supply of seedlings – which means keeping up with the sowing. Because, once you harvest your first Lettuce, that’s it, you’ve ruined the design. But not, (aha!) if you have some seedlings ready to plant into the gap. Or… better still, if you have already planted some seedlings inbetween your larger Lettuce in anticipation of them being harvested. Sneaky!

Once, you’ve got a steady stream of Lettuce coming in, all you have to worry about is eating it. Which is never a problem, I’m sure. One of my favourites is Merveille des Quatre Saisons – so soft and fluffy! What varieties of Lettuce do you grow? Can you suggest any unusual ones that taste amazing?

When I planted and pruned my tiny Peach tree way back in March last year I honestly didn’t think I’d see any Peaches this year. But when it started to flower and I made a Peach frame to protect the flowers from the frost and later hand-pollinated it I crossed my fingers for something to happen. And it has! I feel like Father Christmas has been and left me 17 (I counted) tiny peaches.

Now, according to my book (Fruit & Vegetable Gardening) that’s way too many for the size the tree is right now. The poor thing would apparently attempt to grow and ripen all those fruits but would fail in all instances and the fruit would probably still be green when the first frosts arrived in Autumn.

So, it’s off with their tiny heads to make way for big juicy, fully ripened Peaches. I thinned the fruit to around one peachlet every 15cm. I’ve now got five Peaches left on the tree. Let’s hope that now they’ve got some room they can romp away nicely.

Anyone else growing Peaches or Nectarines? What varieties are you growing? This one is Peregrine a white flesh variety. I can’t wait to try it.

Earth from the Air? – pah! sooo last week – what’s new is ‘Your Garden from the Ground’. I just love taking photos lying on the ground. The photos that you end up with are much more intense than regular shots. They really put you in the photo and make it seem like you’re really there, growing with the plants. Okay so maybe that sounds a bit hippyish, and it probably is, but I really like the results.

If you feel like it take a shot of your garden, allotment or balcony from the ground. Go on, do it. Who cares if the neighbours see. Tell them you’re slug hunting and you can see them better through a lens. I don’t know – make something up. Don’t forget to wear something you don’t mind getting grubby. The floor is nasty dirty – at least it is in my garden.

Send your shots to me and I’ll make a post of the best ones. Ooh now I’m excited.

It’s time to transplant my Tomato seedlings from their nursery tray into individual pots. The seedlings have at least two of their larger, ‘real’ leaves and they are nice and short, green and vigorous.

I’m planting them well below the soil level that they were at in the tray. I’m trying to get them so deep in the pots that the soil almost reaches the lowest leaves (but not quite). This will encourage the plant to send out roots from the stem to make an even more sturdy and healthy plant.

All I need to do now is to fully harden them off and they will be ready to be planted in their final position in the garden.

I totally love growing Tomatoes. There are few other vegetables as satisfying to grow as Tomatoes. Now all I need to do is make sure they don’t get blight, like last year – hmmm…easier said than done.

Here’s my plan of attack (apart from the usual of removing the lower leaves on the plant)

• Plant my seedlings nowhere near where I planted them last year (blight can linger in the soil).
• Plant disease-resistant varieties (I’m going for Ferline).
• I’ll be taking special care not to water on to the leaves.
• I’ll try to control weeds in and around the plants. Weeds serve as hosts for insects and disease.
• Control insect pests (especially aphids) which may transmit disease from plant to plant.
• As soon as I see any sign of blight, that will be the death knell for that plant (harsh but necessary).
• I’m planting them in the sunniest spot in the garden.
• I might try to rig up some kind of removable rain cover (I might).
• I’ll be asking the rain gods for some nice weather this summer – well you can but ask.

If anyone has any more tips for keeping outdoor Tomatoes blight-free, let’s hear it. I need all the help I can get.