Gardens > Winter > Growing Pains

I am a ‘wannabe’ gardener! I love being out there whether it’s weeding, planting, dead-heading, watering or just sitting enjoying our piece of England with Dee my girlfriend. Unfortunately, a few things get in the way from me being the gardener I aspire to be. Firstly we both do about 60 hours a week with our jobs so that doesn’t really leave a huge amount of time; and secondly, I’m a bit of a novice (slight understatement there)! So - lack of time and experience aside - I do have lots of enthusiasm (unless it’s digging and that's where Dee comes in - usually under duress I hasten to add!).  Anyway, I’m sure you’ll agree enthusiasm is a start at least!

So here goes, a year in the life of a wannabe garden goddess!

January

Saturday 6 & Sunday 7

Christmas is over and the New Year has passed, and, it’s raining. I really want to get out there and do something, anything, but it’s raining! The garden is completely waterlogged and everything you read (even this January Gardens) says “Don’t damage your lawn keep off the grass if it is waterlogged or frozen”. We have this lean-to thing at the side of the house, I walked through it and saw all the bulbs we bought the last time I was let loose in a garden centre.  They should have been planted last year. I’m ashamed to say they are supposed to flower in March and April, I think I may have missed the boat. Did I mention it was raining?  It still is.

Friday 12

I read the interview and we've watched the Carol Klein “How to grow vegetables” programme on BBC2 – how doe she do it? Every time you see her she always makes things look so easy and such fun. I really would like to grow my own veg (again) this year. Last year it was a bit of a disaster, my carrots and onions didn’t even peep through the soil! I think it was something to do with the fact I planted them in an area that didn’t have all day sun - or at least that's what I'm telling myself :o)

Sunday 14

Well it's been dry for at least two whole days! We had a lovely breakfast, perfect sustenance to give us the energy we needed for all the jobs we had to do! Shh, any excuse ;o)

We managed to clear the leaves today that fell over Christmas and this should be the last of them now. They were all raked up off the grass, removed from borders and taken off other plants to make sure that the plants don’t rot or become infested with over-wintering bugs - so I've read!  (I really don't do bugs ...) 

Plant pot cleaning was also managed (well a few anyway!). No posh cleaning fluid here, just hot water, a scrubbing brush and a bit of fairy does the trick! I’m determined to plant these bulbs soon. I did think about throwing them away but thought that some might still grow so I kept a few. Anyway, we didn’t do any planting or anything else as the temperature dropped and it started going dark – but our first successful day of the New Year – at last!


Sunday 21

We watched Carol Klein again this weekend. I really think her enthusiasm and “no mess, no fuss” approach is making me really want to grow veg for certain, but where am I going to put them? Last year we built these boxes up the left hand side of the garden (raised beds

Raised bed built and ready for positioning!

apparently!) and we ‘plonked’ a load of plants in last year for a splash of colour (sounds really professional!) and to see how they did. We still need to build two more (nearer the house) which are sure to get more sun and since sun is what my future veggies need this is where I am planning on putting them – I just need to convince Dee now!

At last the bulbs are planted, loads in the front border and all the rest in pots. I had so many I even did two for inside the house! We now have two terracotta pots at the front of the house with a winter flower (I think it’s a Primrose) in the middle. I have a nasty feeling they are going to look really twee! I really hate twee!

Saturday 27 and Sunday 28

This weekend I did a bit of tidying up around the patio but nothing more – in fact I managed to talk Dee into me commandeering one of the boxes we have yet to build near the house with more guaranteed sun! What an achievement! She is even happy to help me construct a frame type thing to keep out the squirrels and birds. I haven’t mentioned the other pests i.e. aphids and cabbage white butterflies, this means we’ll need some kind of fleece thing on top of the frame! Oh god, its not going to be pretty is it? I’m going to have to do a bit of research to see if I can find something that doesn’t cost the earth but is aesthetically pleasing – if at all possible!

Carol Klein as you can see has won us over! We have even renewed our RHS membership too! You know we have been members for the last two years (bought as a gift) and have never managed to visit one of their gardens yet! This year could be a first! I had a look on their website www.rhs.org.uk it has a huge area on their front page dedicated to growing veg. It’s worth a look even if you are only vaguely tempted! The veg we wanted to grow ended up being a huge list so we narrowed it down to:

Hmmm, a slightly bigger plot than I had in mind!

Brassicas: Broccoli, Cabbage, Swede
Leafy Vegetables: Leeks, Spinach
Root Vegetables: Beetroot, Carrots, Onions, Shallots, Parsnips, Potatoes
Salads: Lettuce, Raddish, Salad leaves (cut & come again), Salad Onions
Greenhouse Crops: Cucumber, Tomatoes, Yellow Pepper
Other: Courgette

I’m sure you’ll agree it is still a huge list and I’m really not sure at this point if I can grow all of these but still I’ll plan it out and see what will grow in pots.

I have had to move the pots around at the front of the house - everytime I pulled onto the drive the twee-thought hit me! 

I've also decided to buy a compost bin and a water butt this year so will do a bit of research next month to see if I can get them cheaper than at a garden centre.

A successful January even if it got off to a slow start!