There have been a few new arrivals of a vegetative nature in the garden and the polytunnel. The first exciting crop of the year to harvest outdoors is the purple sprouting brocolli. I grew it from seed which is hard to believe now, as it stands a couple of feet high bearing a very impressive crop of spears. I picked the first spears last week, and naturally, they were delicious! I planted two varieties, an early and a late cropping type (approximately 12 plants in total), so we ought to have a good stretch in supply over the next four months. As long as we keep harvesting the spears before they begin to burst into delightful little yellow flowers the plants will continue to produce more and more spears.
Inside the polytunnel there are several crops that have continued to provide our table over the winter including chard, perpetual spinach, a range of oriental salad leaves, kale and a few herbs such as parsley, savoury, rosemary and sage. But in the last couple of weeks the chives have pushed up their pointed green tips through the soil and a tray of seedlings have sprouted.
The broad beans were planted in October, and a few more have gone in three weeks ago. They are doing well, about half a foot high now. I'll sow a small batch every three weeks until the bean bed is full. The peas too are coming on although they are so delicate and look quite vulnerable. This year I'm also trying out a couple of dwarf pea varieties (mange tout and sugar snap), they'll fit the small side beds nicely that don't have much height due to the over arching plastic. Its all very exciting waiting for this burst of growth, which all seems so two dimensional at the moment, to literally hit the roof in a few weeks time.
I am so jealous. I often have that feeling when I read your blog actually...but right now its super strong.
It snowed 8 inches here last night, with more to come. :/
Posted by: Jess | February 27, 2008 at 07:04 PM
Purple Sprouting is my most favourite meal ever - steamed, piled high on a plate with dabs of butter and a sprinkle of pepper, ah! Bliss!
I cheated and bought some plants for the allotment last year, but they seem really small and not yet yeilding, mmm..., what have I done wrong or do I still have a chance of that golden dish ahead of me?
Posted by: Sew Recycled! | February 27, 2008 at 10:22 PM
Thank you for visiting my blog, for the kind words, and for the link back. It's very encouraging for a newbie like me :)
Very envious of your garden. I can only have a few herbs in pots because I'm renting, but hopefully some day I'll have my own little plot of land too.
Posted by: Christina | February 27, 2008 at 11:18 PM
I love PSB - we are eating it pretty much with every meal at the mo - and still not bored. We tried the variety 'rudolf' and were able to pick it before Christmas (only then did I twig the name!) and still picking it now. next year i will do Rudolf again and a later variety maturing about now.
PSB and poached eggs.. yum...
Posted by: colour it green | February 27, 2008 at 11:23 PM
Lovely. A nice place for the people to be too. Do you have pollinating insects in your tunnel during the winter?
Posted by: Lizz | February 28, 2008 at 07:52 AM
Hi Jess ... the grass is greener, how I'd love a few inches of snow to play in here ... last time that happened was a good 20 years ago!
SR ... you might still get a crop, some don't mature till April. At the moment only one of our plants is cropping, the rest are still to come.
Christina .. have you tried hanging baskets ... ideal for a tumbling variety of tomatoes which is a great boost in a small sunny garden.
Liz ... no pollinating insects in the winter, but salads and greens don't need them. Now, in Feb, my new peach tree is in flower in the tunnel, but I'm helping that to pollinate with a paint brush.
Posted by: Rebecca (author of Sallygardens) | February 29, 2008 at 11:29 AM
wow - look at those shoots - must be an exciting time of year for you and very rewarding to see the results of all of your hard work. It's nice to catch up with you and see how great it's looking.
Posted by: julie | February 29, 2008 at 12:07 PM
Rebecca-I thought about the paintbrush, seems you would help the plants along that need it. Thanks for answering my question.
Posted by: Lizz | March 01, 2008 at 08:06 AM
Last year we had rabbits, slugs and unknown munchers of all our brassicas. So no PSB at all this spring. How I miss it! Lovely to hear of all your stuff growing away! xxxx
Posted by: mil. | March 02, 2008 at 10:48 PM
Hi! I adore sprouting broccoli, my parents grow it all the time and it is so sweet and succulent and full of flavour.
I am giving you the 'You make my day award' Its a blog award for fun. You pass it onto seven more blogs that inspire you or just make you laugh.
If you like you can share seven random odd facts about yourself also. Thats a different tag but I am rolling the two together! You can check out my blog for my post about it..
love and light, xx
Posted by: cliodhna | March 03, 2008 at 06:09 PM
So jealous of your sunlight and warmer weather - it's my light-deprived emotional side speaking; the rational brain knows it's not normal, a sign of things to come... But here the snow just keeps coming. I want to get some seeds out there!
By the way, you're tagged for an A to Z of Rebecca! (cf. Mamastories for the template). I don't know if you're into such a thing, but it's a short one!
Posted by: Katrien | March 04, 2008 at 02:24 AM
How lovely to have fresh green shoots of chives appearing in early March. We have about 3 feet of snow on the ground and it is snowing again today! Enjoy your early signs of spring.
Marie x
Posted by: Wild Rose | March 05, 2008 at 01:26 PM
It's so good to see the promise of Spring. We have an amazing ice storm last night. I am looking out the window at Narnia. I must have stepped through the wardrobe in my sleep.
Posted by: debra | March 05, 2008 at 05:00 PM
How wonderful to have all that great looking stuff growing right at your own place! Looks yummy!
Posted by: Caoimhin | March 16, 2008 at 06:11 PM