Sandgate Community Garden Team Diary Entry for 6th April: What’s the difference between calabrese and broccoli?
The total rainfall for March was a shocking 6.7 mm! For early spring that is a big concern. This is the time we are starting to fill the beds with very small seedlings, but the ground is dry and we will have to water as much as we can if they are to survive as there seems to be no rain on the horizon for many days to come. The sunshine and the warmth have been most welcome of course but the lack of rain is a big problem. We noticed that where the elder in the hedge had started to grow, parts were smothered already in blackfly which could be a sign of stress. With any luck the ladybirds, usually abundant in the garden may turn up in numbers and make short work of them.
The water pump needed so that we do not have to water by hand, was remembered this week. However, having spent most of the time stored away over the autumn and winter, it decided to play up and not work on the Wednesday. When threatened with a screwdriver to take it apart, miraculously sprang into action and started to work again, meaning that on Saturday the watering got done much faster. We are hoping it is just a case of having to wake up from a long slumber and that all will be well from now on.
We had so much on the list to do this week that unfortunately not all of it was completed. We concentrated on getting seedlings planted – potatoes, cabbages, calabrese, peas for pea shoots, and a few left over spinach plants. The question was asked about the difference between calabrese and broccoli, which had not been considered before. Apparently, the large heads of ‘broccoli’ you buy at the supermarket have been misnamed and should be called calabrese; whilst the small spears of broccoli, such as purple sprouting broccoli/tender stem broccoli are true broccoli. So there it is!
We did get to sow more seeds of spring onions and leeks. It was decided that the leeks for Pent farm could be sowed and grown as a multiple with up to four leeks per planting, however the leeks for Enbrook Park are to be grown as single leeks and using the old fashioned method of planting them deep, and this is mainly because Pent farm has clay soil and is a much wetter site compared with the Enbrook Park site.
In spite of the lack of rain there is still plenty of spinach and chard, spring onions, and this week we had the treat of the first spears of asparagus, a few sticks of rhubarb, and the first three radishes! Certainly not enough for a feast, but a taste
What’s Next?
- Still need to finish the bean supports
- Still need to tie in the hops
- Carry out some extra watering between sessions
- Lots of seeds to sow/ few spare potatoes to plant
This weeks update from the Sandgate Community Garden Diary.