Well, that was an amazing spell of weather. The greenhouse was at “too hot to work in” on the thermometer. Working outside was very pleasant though, I planted cabbages and leeks in the net tunnel for the Spring.
The youngest boy picked all the crab apples, about 7kg! I’ll be making crab apple jelly, crab apple jam and maybe even crab apple chutney. If I feel very enthusiastic I might also pick rose hips and make rose hip jelly or rose hip and crab apple jelly. By the time I’ve done all that I will no doubt be sick of the sight of crab apples. I’ve sold a lot more jam this year than last year, so I’m aiming to have plenty ready for the Christmas markets, with more variety than last year. Apologies for mentioning Christmas in September! We have to make a plan for the Christmas markets in September or we won’t have enough stock. Pretty soon I’ll be doing more in the way of basket weaving and felting, less in the way of weeding and planting.
This week I’ll be picking the first of this years leeks. These are the best leeks I’ve ever grown. They aren’t enormous, they just look very attractive and none have bolted (so far.) Normally leeks bolt at the slightest provocation. Leeks appear to like endless rain and very little sunshine. I planted them after almost everything else so I had only a tiny amount of compost left. The leeks were planted in a very thin layer of compost with a thick layer of grass clippings on top. This arrangement doesn’t seem to have impeded them at all. Our growing capacity is always dependent on how much compost/manure we can create and how much seaweed we can gather. It’s always helpful to find plants that do well with minimal added organic matter. Kale and perpetual spinach will both grow happily in a crack in some concrete. Courgettes and broccoli on the other hand need generous applications of compost.
This week’s Croft Shares will have:
Small – leeks, kale, French beans, tomatoes and broccoli.
Medium – leeks, kale, French beans, potatoes, mange tout/sugar snaps, salad leaves and courgettes.
Large – leeks, kale, French beans, potatoes, salad leaves, broad beans, kalettes, onions, courgettes and chard.