We are trying out these T&M, Kew Garden Collection seeds as the varieties have been selected for their performance in container gardens. We are limited to our three 1.8m x 0.9m raised beds and are keen to harvest the maximum number of beans and peas we possibly can.
While we didn't get to plant out our potatoes this Easter weekend we braved the gales to plant two rows of peas: Bingo and Avola, let's hope they are good eating. We sowed courgettes indoors.
We harvested and ate all our own broad beans when they were young, but we're lucky to have a friend who is still picking the last of his crop now, which we swap for our courgettes. The beans are large but are still delicious if popped out of their tough skins after being steam cooked.
Inspired by the Broad Bean and Feta Ravioli blog by Charlotte's Garden we made a roughly chopped ol' broad bean, fresh pea and feta pesto, seasoned with lemon juice and pepper which we packed into tiny ravioli parcels. We drizzled the cooked ravioli with a mint, fennel, lemon juice, olive oil dressing.
First of the 'Kelvedon Wonder' and the 'Magpie' dwarf beans.
The Medlars are swelling. The crawlie is possibly a fairy-ring longhorn beetle, leptura livida, we thinks.
First of the 'Old Fashioned'. We're having to spray these with water regularly to keep the aphids at bay; the spiders are looking too well-fed and languid.
A Small Magpie moth, Eurrhypara hortula taking refuge under the leaves of the Magpie dwarf beans; of all places.
The first blossoms on the cukes.
 |
 |
The green and pleasant corner.
We potted up our Brian Hood pail with Mrs Pollock as she was a little of what we fancied.
We took the snips to the parsnips and snipped off the leaves riddled with celery-leaf miner.
"Off with their heads!" We snipped the tops off the broad beans,snip, snip, in the hope of thwarting the black fly.
We snipped the leaders of the 'Old Fashioned' to promote side shoots.
We planted the last of the beans: 'Bob and Mary' a climbing bean and our lucky dip 'Snake' dwarf bean.
All the while this crab spider (?), Philodromus albidus (?) marked our every move.
Here is an update on how our garden grows:
The first of the 'Kelvedon Wonders' are rambling, the perforated 'Purple Top Milan' are persevering.
 |
| The bean bed |
 |
| The root bed |
 |
 |
We marked this May bank holiday by building an insect hotel. We purchased the reclaimed ridge tile from a local roofer's merchant, the logs were cut from the fig tree we felled to allow more light into the garden. The insect hotel is built on the slab laid over our dear, departed cat Dudley.
It will be interesting to see who moves in.
We planted up the next batch of Kelvedon Wonder.It is essential to make sure the paper pots are completely earthed over otherwise they will wick moisture from the roots of the seedlings.
We earthed up the Red Dukes.
The Medlar is in bloom.
The good: the first seedlings up are these 12 Kelvedon Wonders. They'll not have had time to root through, but we planted them out as the next couple of weeks ahead are busy and then there is a risk they'll grow stringy and weak for sitting indoors.
To be frank, this coir seed compost takes a good half hour to crumble and reconstitute. If mixing up more than a brick at a time it is worth wearing gloves as the material is fairly abrasive, even after soaking the brick in approximately 1.5l of water.
The first of the peas.
The first of the beans. 4x Cobra climbing bean, 4x Bird's Egg climbing bean, 4x Magpie dwarf bean, 4x Soya bean; the race is on.
For the record:
The root bed today; the Christmas dinner Tender & True parsnips we
sowed on 20/2/14 have all come up and the radishes are looking like a
prospect for Easter breakfast :) Bring on the festivities.
We finally picked enough peas to make our favourite Marcella Hazan recipe, risi e bisi. Comfort in a bowl.
The pea bed, sans la princesse.
The cauliflower patch.
No prospect of a courgette glut this year, the plants aren't thriving. We'll shelve that courgettte cake recipe for now then, bleugh.
Our dismal, rootbound tomatoes. What a disappointment after all that cosseting - we weren't able to plant them out in time for them to thrive. We'll have to try again next year. C'est la vie.
♥ Baby Bramleys ♥ Dreaming of apple pie.
♥ Our first strawberries and raspberries of the season. ♥
♥ Our first peas. ♥
♥ Our first turnips. ♥
Despite the squalls and storms, the blackfly are now loitering with intent...
... and ye great slug blighters have munched our brave beans what survived the frosts.
