We have started growing in the garden again – a little earlier this year than last so, given good weather, we should have an even better bumper harvest. Thank you so far to Adam, Alice and Rowan for helping out and to those who are still to come. First things first though we are still looking for a few extra people to help out from the 25th April and throughout May, so if you have a week to spare and fancy the most peaceful gardening experience ever please contact Alice (edibleegilsay@hotmail.co.uk) We can cover travel expenses within Scotland up to approximately £30 with receipts, and your food and possibly even some home brew.
Extended news from the garden
The soil is looking good after a second winter mulch of sea weed, manure and straw by the wonderful Alice, Jonny and Kat, though some of the weeds (mint, couch grass and ground elder) are pretty persistent in spreading the roots about the place. Nothing that some diligent weeding over the spring and summer won’t stop though.
The polytunnel still stands strong and was home to an already hefty sized hops plant when we arrived. We decided to move the hops plant outside just in case it decided to take over, and it now lives at the south end of the barn where it is currently sulking but will hopefully perk up a bit. We were also very happy to find tree spinach seedlings dotted around the floor of the polytunnel – they’re now potted up and ready to be planted somewhere else in good time. Two hot days of shorts and t-shirt work in the polytunnel and it is now planted with strawberries, peas, nasturtium, morning glory, sweet peas and borage. There are four hanging selves full of seed trays, including 4 different varieties of basil. All but one of these shelves can come down when everything gets bigger to make room for the sprawl of peas. It will hopefully look ship shape and lovely come June.
We’ve mulched the hawthorn hedge which was just starting to flush again and will one day make a lovely wind break! And around the edge of the hedge we’ve planted some wild garlic lifted and divided from a large clump at the back of the garden. The comfry patch has also been extended to border the big mint patch in an experiment to see if it will do any good in slowing the mint’s onward march across the garden. Time will tell.
And the outside beds have started to be planted up with all sorts of nice things. In the beds are turnips, radishes, lots of different varieties of Japanese greens, beetroot, calendula, spinach, chard, endive, chicory, parsley, anise hyssop as an experiment, fennel, lovage and more. Plus some potatoes, leeks and cabbages for November mulching parties should that happen. We’ve also slightly changed the layout of the beds to make them slightly smaller with a bit more space for sitting and having garden parties.
So all is good :-) I’m off and away on my bike now :-) Please take pictures of the garden and send stories, I’m very curious how it will turn out. And nurture the garden and each other.
Roz x
Edible Egilsay 