I was in a rush this morning, so everyone got a bit of a lick and a promise, while breakfast was dished out and paddocks mucked out.
I was off to Turrifield to do seed planting all morning.
After sewing tiny lettuce seeds and then massive runner beans, I was given a tour to see the results of my previous planting work.
It is very satisfying and I kept saying to myself “I did this”, as well as many other folk who volunteer too.
And then there was the fruit tree polytunnel, where the trees have been cleverly grown into an espalier (a tree trained flat against a support with several tiers of branches). I want to learn how to do this very much. It is an ancient art.
I’m still keen on the polytunnel idea but I am beginning to realise that it is a lot of work and time is something I don’t have at the moment so mine would be full of weeds and badly neglected.
Try Gardener’s World on TV. I think that you might be surprised at how easy Monty Don & his crew of gardeners raise vegetables, fruits, & flowers. The great thing about polytunnels is that if the soil used is pretty clean (composting from veggie cuttings & you’ll have a wonderful source of fertilizer thanks to the four footers), weeds do not blow around in a tunnel as they do outside. Gardeners World shows how to make espaliers & the clever step over apples. Beans are so easy. Potatoes are easy, especially, if chitted. Anything from the squash family is easy to grow. Start small to get the hang of growing plants. Then start to add plants.
I am in awe in those that garden – I just don’t like digging in dirt…
Wonderful array! Congratulations to you and the other volunteers at Turriefield.
Now I’m going to do some dusting while I listen to episode 2 of “1984” on Radio 4. Just listening to how the “party” updated the “Great Leader’s predictions to “fit in” with what had actually happened!