HI EVERYONE

SPRING IS COMING AND IT IS THAT TIME AGAIN.  SUNDAY’S WEATHER WAS GREAT SO I MADE A POINT OF GETTING OUT IN THE GARDEN TO TIDY IT UP A BIT AND GET THE BEDS READY.  JUST ANOTHER 3 OR 4 HOURS WORK SHOULD DO IT.

MY PERPETUAL SPINACH IS DOING WELL, SO I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO A GOOD HARVEST OF THAT THIS YEAR.  OTHERWISE, IT IS GENERALLY PLENTY OF SORTING AND TIDYING BEFORE I START PLANTING OUT MY BEDS AGAIN AND STARTING SOME SEEDS IN THE GREENHOUSES (I HAVE 2 X SMALL ONES).

ALSO MY RHUBARB HAS SURVIVED BEING MOVED AT THE END OF THE SUMMER AND MADE IT THROUGH AND IS BUDDING.  HURRAH!

SOME PICTURES ARE ATTACHED.

HAPPY GARDENING ALL!

Dear All

I have 3 x lots of pretty thick brambles in my garden and yesterday did lots of clearing and cutting to remove them but the roots run deep.  I have discovered something which is supposed to help and I am going to try it out.  It involves using something simple and safe – I HAVE AN ORGANIC GARDEN SO NO WEED KILLER FOR ME -

• USING REGULAR TABLE SALT to kill the roots of a blackberry bramble or other unwanted bush – IT SEEMS YOU:

• Cut the branches down as close to the ground as possible

• Make holes down into the remaining wood.

• Pour a generous amount of salt in the exposed cuts. 9Be careful not to spread the salt close to plants you want to keep. If you plan to plant in the spot vacated by the bush, make sure you only get salt in the holes you drilled.)

If YOU FEEL salt would be too risky, you might try boiling water. -

Prepare the bush stump as in the salt method. Pour boiling water over the exposed wood. Take precautions such as wearing boots and using protective gloves to avoid burning yourself.

NB:  Copper nails can be driven into the base of the stem, where the root system begins and within weeks, the roots should be dead.

there is a programme on at the moment (series) ON BBC2 about the decline in nectar insects and in bees and wildlife in this country and here is the website link – BBC Two – Bees, Butterflies and Blooms

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b013pw23

Here is a link for plants for pollinators

http://www.rhs.org.uk/Gardening/Sustainable-gardening/Plants-for-pollinators

8 Spring flowers to feed the bees:

http://earthandhearth.wordpress.com/2012/02/20/8-spring-flowers-to-feed-the-bees-early-nectar-plants/

Wildlife gardening – plants to attract birds and insects

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/uk/indepth/wildlife-gardening.shtml

They are trying to encourage us all to plant more nectar producing plants.  Thought you would be interested.

• Judi Gerber
• s

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/five-benefits-of-gardening.html#ixzz1n7SXCf9h

Each April, the National Gardening Association (NGA), sponsors National Garden Month to encourage individuals to garden.

As I wrote about last year, the NGA encourages everyone to join in this yearly celebration to make “America a greener, healthier, more livable place.”

Aside from improving our environment and having your own source of flowers, fruit and vegetables, we often overlook the other benefits that gardening provides us.

To start with, gardening really is exercise. The physical benefits of gardening are often discounted because people don’t think of it as “real” exercise. But, gardening offers the same benefits as other forms of exercise do. Did you know that you can burn as many calories in 45 minutes of gardening as you can in 30 minutes of aerobics? And depending on the task that you are doing, you are using many different muscle groups, and increasing your flexibility and strength.

8 Ways Exercise Makes You Gorgeous

Working in the garden reduces stress. Connecting with nature, digging in the dirt, even weeding is one of the best stress reducers I have found. When I first started gardening, I dreaded the thought of weeding by hand. I thought it was an unnecessary and unpleasant part of gardening. As the years have gone by, I have found that weeding is the one thing that lets me totally unwind and makes me forget about everything else. I am so intent on getting those weeds out of my garden that I become intensely focused on it.

This brings me to another gardening benefit, it allows me to unplug and forces me to slow down the pace of my life. We are all so plugged in and connected that working in the garden is the one way that I can get away from the constant barrage of information being connected brings with it.

You, Unplugged

One of the most surprising things that gardening has done for me is to teach me how to have more patience. Think about it. You can’t rush nature. If you sow seeds, or plant seedlings, you can’t make them grow faster than they are able to grow just because you are limited on time or by pressuring them to grow faster. They grow at the pace they are supposed to grow at, no faster or slower.

Gardening also releases our creativity, often without us even realizing it. Planning the garden for the year or the season, choosing flower colors and plant palettes, and arranging the fresh flowers from your garden all require you to use your creative side.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/five-benefits-of-gardening.html#ixzz1n7SS8XYw

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/5-simple-ways-to-get-your-garden-ready-for-spring.html

5 Simple Ways To Get Your Garden Ready for Spring

• Judi Gerber
• February 20, 2012

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/5-simple-ways-to-get-your-garden-ready-for-spring.html#ixzz1n7RVHXEI

Hi Gang – whilst we cannot do too much currently, to prepare for our veg growing -hope to start some stuff end Feb/early March  – We can think about how we are going to prepare our veg to be eaten.

Here are some fab SALAD DRESSINGS to enhance your produce this Summer:

5 Favorite Raw Vegan Salad Dressings

Note on ingredients: Nama shoyu is raw, unpasteurized soy sauce and can be substituted with regular soy sauce if it is unavailable near you.Spicy Almond Dressing
2 cups almonds butter
4 roma tomatoes
1/2 cup nama shoyu
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon miso
3-inch piece ginger
1-inch piece lemongrass
6-8 Thai chiles
1 teaspoon sea saltBlend all ingredients in a Vita-Mix, food processor or blender until completely smooth. Thin with water as needed. Makes one quart.Ginger Miso Dressing
1/2 cup white miso
1/3 cup agave nectar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/4 cup chopped gingerBlend all ingredients in a Vita-Mix, food processor or blender until completely smooth. Makes one quart.Creamy Sesame Dressing
1/2 cup nama shoyu
1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 tablespoons agave syrup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1-inch piece ginger
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon lime juiceBlend all ingredients in a Vita-Mix, food processor or blender until smooth. Makes two cups.Creamy Thai Dressing
3/4 cup sesame oil
1/2 cup nama shoyu
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon maple syrup
4 Thai bird chilis or 3 tablespoons red chili flakes
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup chopped raw cashews

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Makes 2 1/2 cups.

Potato Salad Dressing
(Use this with diced raw jicama and other raw vegetables for a raw “potato” salad)
2 tablespoons tahini
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon nama shoyu
1/4 teaspoon agave syrup
Pinch sea salt
Pinch chili powder

Blend all ingredients in a Vita-Mix, food processor or blender until smooth. Dressing will be thick and will thin out when added to jicama. Makes two cups.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/5-favorite-raw-vegan-salad-dressings.html#ixzz1l7s6WXFt

Hi All

I planted some colourful lettuce fairly late in the Season in 2011 and left some out in the garden and some in the greenhouse.  All survived December but in January, mysteriously, the greenhouse batch seems to have developed greenfly.  Cannot understand it but hey, I guess these things happen.  So I put the tray of lettuce outside and shall hope the for the best.  Anyway, the warmer weather meant that the outside lettuce has still survived even with the frosty mornings!  I am amazed.  Has anyone else got any similar stories about veg surviving against all odds?  ALSO DOES ANYONE RECOGNISE WHICH VARIETY THIS LETTUCE IS, AS, SINCE IT IS SO HARDY, I THINK I WILL GROW IT AGAIN.  PLEASE LET ME KNOW.  THANKS.

FOUND OUT THAT THIS LETTUCE IS CALLED – LETTUCE SALAD BOWL RED! 

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-easiest-to-grow-veggies.html

Looking to grow your own hyperlocal veggies to improve your foods’ nutrition and save some money this year? Although large, complex gardens do require a fairly hefty time investment, many veggies are so easy to grow that they practically care for themselves. If you’re hoping for a highly productive but low-maintenance veggie garden, try these 10 easy-growing veggies, perfect for beginner gardeners.

You can learn about different varieties by studying seed catalogs, which most companies send for free. One of my favorites, with a bounty of advice and beautiful color photos, is Johnny’s Selected Seeds. Visit the website or order a catalog, and start planning!

1. Salad Greens (arugula, lettuce, spinach and corn salad). Pick your favorite, or try a mix—many seed companies sell mixed packets for summer and winter gardening. Plant seeds in spring and fall, and you can pick salads almost year-round. Read more about all sorts of greens in our Field Guide to Salad Greens.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-easiest-to-grow-veggies.html#ixzz1l7cLOcLF

Start with small plants. If they do well, you can harvest bulb onions. If not, you can eat the greens. Read a guide to growing onions.

5. Onions.

6. Strawberries. Perfectly ripe strawberries are luscious, and the plants are surprisingly hardy. Buy bare-root plants from your local garden center in early spring. Put this perennial in a sunny spot and weed often. Strawberries grow wonderfully in an old-fashioned strawberry barrel. Learn how to make one.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-easiest-to-grow-veggies.html#ixzz1l7cQ0xBv

Hi there Everyone

Well the growing year has been challenging for us all and for me in particular as not only has the weather caused havoc with tomatoes and other salad crops, but with my foot fracture in June, I lost 2 months of garden work and tending to things, although my kind Husband, Dave, did water everything for me.

Anyway, water under the bridge, things are what they are and we have to take the rough with the smooth.

I did what is the penulatimate bit of harvesting for this year at the weekend.  Picked some lovely spinach, rhubarb and the last of my courgettes andd garlic.  Expect to get some more spinach and to harvest the last of my spuds this weekend.  I attach some photos of  my haul – delicious spinach and I cooked the rhubarb with some lovely apples my neighbour gave me from her tree!

Next year I think I shall be going for more potatoes, rhubarb, spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, basil, courgettes, spring onions, beans, peas, mangetout and french beans as they were my biggest successes this year.  I have learned a lot and because of 2 poor tomato growing seasons in a row, I think I may confine the majority of next year’s tomatoes to the greenhouse as I lost most of my tomatoes this year owing to the deluge of rain and the lack of consistent sunshine.  Who lives may learn eh!

My chicory did nothing, nor did my celery, nor my aubergine plant – might have been my inability to keep an eye on things for two months but hey, that’s the way the cookie crumbles!  Only had 3 cucumbers from two plants …. 

How did all of you do with tomatoes, celery and chicory this year?

By the way, my alpine strawberries have been ace and I have had a very good crop!  My spinach has been divine, just love perpetual spinach, you can’t beat the taste!

Best wishes to all and thanks to vegatbleseeds.net for this fab blog site!

August has been a wet month but despite that and the fact that my tomatoes remain green   Actually, after two wet Augusts on the trot, I am considering growing the lion’s share of my tomatoes in the greenhouse next year and then maybe at least I will get a few more red ones!!!

I kept my cucumber plants in the greenhouse and have so far harvested one large cucumber and there is another on the vine and small ones starting!

I managed to harvest some more potatoes, and whilst the haul was about 50% less than previously, they were still very nice potatoes!

My rhubarb is still going strong and I have had several harvests!  Still getting a few alpine strawberries too!  Very small but sweet and lovely.  Also plenty of basil in the greenhouse – lovely with tomatoes!

My perpetual spinach is still cropping well and I am very pleased with it, the taste is soooo much better than shop bought or frozen.

My courgettes continue to thrive, although 3 plants have done tremendously well and two not so well – CAN ANYONE TELL ME IF THIS HAS TO DO WITH POSITION?  Also one has been plagued with a kind of weird white dusty cancour on the leaves – ANYONE KNOW WHAT IT IS?  I do not use any pesticides in my garden and will not do so, but just wondered what this is?   I do not use slug pellets either as they are dangerous to other wildlife, particularly birds.

I have a few pics taken at the weekend and will upload as soon as I can.

Hope all your gardens have done well this year!

CONGRATULATION TO ALL FOR YOUR HARD WORK IN YOUR LOVELY GARDENS AND ALSO TO OUR LOVELY VEGGIE WEBSITE FOLK FOR MAKING OUR BLOGS POSSIBLE!