Anything called Sparta.

The fruit trees are looking particularly good this year. We have a mix of plum, damson and apple trees in the net tunnel which all have lots of blossom. In the greenhouse we have an apple tree and a Victoria plum tree. Because they are undercover the blossom sets earlier and both these trees are covered in baby fruit already. We’ve got apple trees properly outside as well – how these trees do is more of a lottery, a freezing cold wind in May can stop bees from bumbling and fruit from setting.

Potato planting is underway. We have a good routine which involves three people – one to dig a trench (the biggest person), one to place the seed potatoes and one to put seaweed or compost on top. It’s all much easier in the sunshine!

All the outdoors Spring onions are in the ground, along with with the cooking onions. I’ve sown most of the outdoor veg in trays. I’m finding it really difficult to find a consistently good seed compost. Even the expensive ones vary dramatically in quality. Compost manufacturers aren’t allowed to use peat in their mixes anymore. This is a good thing, we shouldn’t be digging up ancient peat bogs so I can sow some seeds, unfortunately I don’t think anyone has hit on a good alternative to peat yet. I have made seed sowing mixes using homemade compost in the past but this is a big job, involving a soil sieve and it’s hard to eliminate weed seeds.

This year I’m using kale seeds that we saved from last years crop, these seeds will germinate in anything at all it appears, including a crack in the concrete in the greenhouse. Maybe because the seeds are super fresh. Seed saving is very satisfying, but can be logistically challenging as you have to avoid cross pollination. I’ve accidentally created a cabbage/broccoli hybrid in the past.

I’ve reluctantly given up growing heirloom tomatoes, they just don’t have the yield or disease resistance of modern varieties. I am trying out some different modern types though – Douglas, Sparta and Honey Delight. Anything called Sparta should do well in our unpredictable climate.

This weeks Croft Shares will have – mixed salad leaves, asparagus kale, leeks, Spring onions, Sutherland kale and mustard greens. The mustard greens are called Green Wave, they are very spicy eaten raw but lose their heat on cooking. Mustard greens are a staple of East Asian cooking. In this country we only really see Pak Choi in the supermarkets, and mizuna in salad leaf mixes. There’s a lot more variety available to the home grower, although the growing season is limited to the Spring and Autumn. Mustard greens are great in a coconut curry with some fried tofu or chickpeas. The whole leaf and stalk can be used.