KW-15 Too soon to sow?
Probably.
I had the chance to chat with one of the locals this week. On the map, I think they are probably my nearest neighbour, and it’s only taken me five years to pop round and say hi.
It turns out that she is new around here as well. Her husband comes from these parts, but they only moved back again 15 years ago. Which, of course, in village life, makes you still quite new. I had cycled around to drop in on another neighbour for chat about tomatoes. There are many people around here who are more-or-less self sufficient. The one I went to speak to - Agnes - more so than most. But Agnes wasn’t in her garden, and we aren’t quite so familiar that I would just march down her driveway and ring the doorbell, so I cycled back, and a chance meeting with the newbie Christine resulted.
We talked mostly about the local landscape (undeniably beautiful), slugs, and potatoes. I voiced the opinion that her beautifully decorative garden offered too many nice cool hiding places for her snails-without-houses, and in return, I learned that she had planted all her potato seed two weeks ago. So that’s my week planned then. For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been thinking if it was acceptable behaviour to go around planting my early potatoes this early. And it is. But I might just plant all of them and not just the earlies. Can I do the whole plot in a week? I guess there is, as they say, only one way to find out.
So then, this week, in a bed-by-bed summary:
Salsa bed: sow chives, edible flowers, prep for tomatoes
Greens: sow a LOT of lettuces in modules, inside. 10 different types
Beans: The bean gate is going to make a glorious return. I might install it this week. And while I am at it, the pea fences and a risky early set of peas.
Grains: Due to rather uneven sowing in the winter (I missed a row entirely) there is some space for pumpkins. Sow some pumpkins.
Potatoes: It looks like I’m doing the lot.
Roots: in seed trays: Cauliflower, leek, giant kohlrabi. If there is time at the end of the week, parsnip, celeriac, scorzonera, mangold, onions. Dig celery trench. I’ve been looking back at the things I did when I had lots of time. The celery trench (and the bean gate) were two of the finest.
In the world of pig food, it would be awesome to try getting a couple of rows of sweetcorn in the ground, and as much fodder mangold as I can. If the temperatures are going to hit 20 this weekend, and stay above 10 for at least the next week, then why not? It is an almost racing certainty that we have some more snow and frost again before we are done, but I have plenty of seeds of everything, let’s roll with the climate change chaos, and be chaotic in return.
And finally, don’t forget to book your tickets for the Reading Retreat. Come to the barracks, enjoy the peace and quiet, and spend a long weekend with books and people who love reading.
The full event page isn’t finished for the Collapse Laboratory this year, but I’d love to get your feedback on it so far. So here’s a sneaky preview link https://www.thebarracks.de/event-details-registration/the-collapse-laboratory-2024
Let me know in the comments what you think? Will you be joining us in August?
Until next week, my dear pirate people, be lovely and take care of each other
Your Pirate Ben
xoxo
Currently Reading:
it’s incredibly well researched, engagingly written, and surprisingly educational
Not read your missives for three weeks or so. Catching up now, Dude. I discovered about fifteen years ago that salt gave me god-like power. The thrill lasted for about five minutes. Sign me up for the minion float! Anyway, sorry if that was a bit ugly. More power to you, Pirate.
Anyway, is the header a tip toward Morrissey?