Sandgate Community Garden Team Diary Entry for 23rd March: The banana tree is making a comeback.
The temperatures improved this week and it was mostly dry with some sunshine which meant that we have begun watering again. Fortunately there is not much to water but the pots certainly have needed it.
The daffodils are now past their best and the bluebells are starting to take over as well as the forget-me-nots. We find that the bluebells seed all over the place and so they need removing in large quantities, however we do not feel guilty about it as they are the Spanish variety and not the English. We leave them to flower in some places but not if they pop up in the beds and the paths. Another companion plant we have been removing is the nasturtium. It also appears in great numbers, self-seeding everywhere, but as it is not as invasive as the bluebells we have replanted them in other areas.
We were pleased to notice that the banana tree is making a comeback, has survived the winter, and is throwing out a brand new leaf. Surprisingly, the overwintered broad beans are now starting to flower so we hope there will be some bees around to fertilise them as they are popular with the bees. It is lovely to see the new growth starting to appear, and our fingers are crossed that the lemon verbena, a favourite herb, has survived the winter too but there are no signs of growth just yet.
A tray of spinach got planted, and will eventually replace the spinach we have growing in the plots which have kept going throughout the winter. At times they were practically eaten right down to the ground by the pigeons making the most of the netting being blown off by high winds; however they have bounced back and have been providing some decent pickings. The last of the leeks were taken up, and the first bunches of chives cut.
We sowed plenty of seeds – two trays of celeriac, more English marigolds, French marigolds, corn marigolds and snap dragons. More calabrese seedlings got pricked out along with some greyhound cabbages to grow on back in the greenhouse. We have some sweet peas which were repotted and sent back to the greenhouse as it is too early to put them outside just yet.
What’s next?
- Check if the hops need stringing
- Still need to move the globe artichokes
- Weed the broad beans and get in some border posts
- Sow more lettuce
This weeks update from the Sandgate Community Garden Diary.