Gardeners have to enjoy planning ahead. I’ve just drawn up a plan for next April’s veg harvest, a good portion of it is already growing in the greenhouse, as well as some outdoor leeks. The salad leaves and chard I’m picking now will still be pickable next Spring. Once the days shorten it’s as though all the leafy veg is frozen in time. They will just sit, barely growing until about March when they all wake up again.
I’ve started planting onions and garlic in the greenhouse. Last Winter I planted a lot of garlic outside. It grew pretty well but did suffer from “rust.” The wet weather caused orange spots to appear on the leaves. This didn’t damage the bulbs but it did stop them getting any bigger after about mid June. I may just plant all the garlic undercover this year, with some onions outside. I’ll be planting the Spring onions next. They need to go somewhere dry in the greenhouse. Spring onions are the only allium I’ve found that slugs will eat.
I’m hoping to start next years’ veg scheme a few weeks earlier than this years. I’ve been investigating broccoli type options for the Spring. There are Asian leafy vegetables which produce edible flowering shoots a bit like asparagus kale or sprouting broccoli.
This week’s customers are all getting an Uchiki Kuri squash. This is similar to Butternut squash and can be cooked in the same ways. If you live in the Highlands and fancy growing squash, Uchiki Kuri is the most reliable. It always does pretty well undercover and in a sunny year (i.e. not 2024) can even grow outside. We did try some squash outside this year, the rain and slugs destroyed them. We’ll persevere again next year with bigger seedlings and closer plantings.
This week’s Croft Shares will have:
Small – leeks, sprouts and tops, Uchiki Kuri squash, salad leaves and mange tout or French beans.
Medium – leeks, sprouts and kalettes, Uchiki Kuri squash, salad leaves, broccoli, courgettes and kale.