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must be done cautiously as there can still be a severe chill in the air. Many of my salad herbs and vegetable seeds have germinated in my newly covered poly tunnel and I have been happily potting up in recent days. I cover them with fleece by night to keep them protected as night temperatures plummet downwards.
I know I tend to repeat myself when I say that sowing seed is the most important skill any gardener should master. To learn more about the glass and newspaper technique I use, visit my website www.gretasherbs.com. As April progresses temperatures should rise and we can sow more tender edibles such as tomato, basil and courgette. Ensure you use quality compost which is recommended for seed sowing. Sow individual varieties every ten days to maximise success and minimise a glut.
I have to admit that I much prefer to grow the more unusual vegetables such as mangetout peas, swiss chard (type of spinach) and red russian kale. These are surprisingly easy to grow although expensive to buy. They are all harvested by the cut and come method whereby you pick as many leaves as required allowing the remaining plant to grow on and reproduce. It is most convenient and waste free, particularly if you have only one or two mouths to feed. I have little time for the commoners such as cabbage and carrots, as far as I am concerned these tend to attract a myriad of diseases and pests and for me are not worth the bother. I always substitute the cabbage with swiss chard to accompany my bacon; that is as traditional as I can be!
The most important tip I can give when you are sowing seed is to half fill the seed tray, firm the compost down, water well, then sparingly scatter or place the seed on top. This prevents the seed from falling to the bottom of the tray where they will decay. Cover the seed with a light sprinkling of compost and water over gently with a fine spray. Follow this simple yet effective procedure and you should reap success!
The season is late so don’t rush ahead planting out, indeed my early potato ‘HomeGuard’ is well over sprouted and really needs planting this week. Ideally they should be entrenched by St Patrick’s Day but the ground was far too wet and cold.
I have diligently checked through any plants which survived the storm and I am delighted to report as predicted those nasty vine weevils were wiped out. Soon other enemies such as the slugs will begin their attack, so get into the habit now of engaging in whatever method you use to prevent your crunchy salads from decimation.
My new addition this year is Allium ursinum- wild garlic. This has become extremely popular in haute cuisine. It is of course a relative of the onion family. I am earnestly waiting for the seed to germinate and it will take over two years for it to reach maturity. I could get a clump of it from a friend however I want a healthy starter stock. I will then plant it out to grow naturally in my wild garden. It likes rich, swampy ground in a spot where it can spread undisturbed for many years. It also enjoys an acid soil so I think it should do nicely in the wet, peaty soils of County Kerry.
Herb nursery in Annascaul can be visited by appointment only.
Phone Greta 086-3169716 www.gretasherbs.com
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