Tim Prater

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.

Sandgate Community Garden Team Diary Entry for 16th March: Sow yet more seeds with the promise of better weather.

This week has seen the return of plummeting temperatures, below average for this time of year.  Just as the newly sown seeds were starting to romp away, basking in the glorious warm sunshine of last week, they have now slowed down and have hardly put on any growth at all.  

However we have braved the cold and continued to prick out yet more cabbages and sow yet more seeds with the promise of better weather this coming week.  

The kale had decided to rise up in an attempt to flower and so we took them all out to harvest the leaves and compost what was left.  The rhubarb seems to be appreciative of the cow manure mulch and is looking sturdy with lots of green leaves appearing.  

Time was well spent retrieving some of the wood chip paths where either the mole or the birds had disturbed them; throwing the chips into the compost beds and making them untidy.  You can see from the picture below that we are now ready to fill those beds as soon as the plants are ready.  We have kept an eye on the hops which were dug out and split a couple of weeks ago, keeping them watered and checking on any signs of new growth.  

We had heard from two friends of the garden, Eddie and Rita, on holiday in the mountainous region of Taiwan being taught how to pick tea by a minority indigenous tribe there.  Apparently the whole area is strictly organic, and no chemical sprays are allowed.  What an amazing experience that must have been and look forward to hearing more about it.  

What’s next?

• Prick out more calabrese 
• Sow some of the more hardy companion plants 
• Transfer some of the nasturtiums in the asparagus beds
• Transfer globe artichoke 

This weeks update from the Sandgate Community Garden Diary.