Spring in the vegetable patch
2 05 2008
Spring is finally upon us in north-east Scotland and while a late frost is still possible, the plants have decided it’s time to grow. While we were working in the vegetable patch today, we took a few photographs. First, the rhubarb.
Shallot (Longor).
Spinach (Matador).
Strawberries.
Lettuce.
Garlic (Early Wight)
Broad beans (Witkiem) recovering from being frost nipped.
Plum.
Purple sprouting broccoli, which we picked for dinner.
I’m amazed by your weed-free beds! Lovely rhubard you’ve got there too…
The pleasures of growing your own food and watching the plants develop.
The first thing I do each day when I go out to the vegetable patch is pull out any fresh weeds, but the main credit for weeding goes to the Other Half. She’s a devotee of Zen and the Art of Weeding. If she goes out to bring the boys in, to pick some vegetables or just for a walk, she’ll spot a weed and that’s it. She’ll be gone for hours as she weeds, and weeds, and weeds. And then weeds some more. Why do you think I keep her around?
Im seriously green with envy at your fruit tree’s. I really miss picking apples & plums.
We’ve a 2nd polytunnel & the massive greenhouse going up next year to house fruits for us, our winters of one force 9 gale after another mean fruit tree’s, or any tree’s for that matter, just wouldnt stand a chance without full protection.
Our strawbs & rasps however, are looking set for a massive harvest this year.
We get serious winds through winter, too, with gusts hitting 80mph plus. However, we’re fortunate as the overwhelming majority of our storms come from the north-west, so we have a ridge between the steading and the wind. Then we have a wind-break of spruce sheltering the vegetable patch, then the L-shaped steading and house protecting the apple trees in the south-facing front garden.
Whoever built the house and steading back in the 1800s knew exactly what they were doing. I’m glad someone had the forethought to build as they did as we’re sheltered and have a sun-trap for the most tender fruit and vegetables.