Tag: vegetables

Project 81: 5 – Garlic, and a salute for a plucky squash

“You can never have enough garlic. With enough garlic, you can eat the New York Times” Morley Safer

Yesterday my starter garlic bulbs came from King’s Seeds. I have the impressive Elephant garlic and a variety called Provence Wight. I have three planting locations on my plan for garlic; as a companion to the Rhubarb which arrives in November, as a companion to the two varieties of cauliflower which start next year, and solo in a barrel planter near the tomatoes.

The only current problem is that the future cauliflower and garlic bed has the very end of my banana squashes. I have picked the main crop, and despite the worsening autumnal weather and dying foliage, a plucky little squash is doing its best. We have agreed that Bruce (yes, I name them) can remain until the first frost kills all the remaining leaves. When Bruce is ready to come in for roasting, I’ll clear the bed, dig in some pelleted chicken poop, and, a few days later, get the garlic in, which is due to plant in November anyway.

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Project 81: 4- Looking back

Six large banana squashes with names and weights on them

Those who fail to study their history are doomed to repeat it

This year’s growing cycle is mostly done, but thinking back to the lessons I learned has helped me compile next year’s plan.

  1. I can grow sweetcorn but I need to space it well, plant more of it, and feed it more. I’m growing it in two places next year
  2. Just because the seeds came out of a butternut squash packet from a reputable seller, doesn’t mean that’s what you’ll get (Banana squash resulted).
  3. Squashes are thugs and will take everything over. I’m building them an arch next year
  4. When you buy tomato plants from a garden centre because yours failed to germinate well, don’t assume you’ve picked the full-size variety. One can have too many cherry tomatoes.
  5. Two years ago I planted 12 runner beans as seeds, it was too many. This year I planted 8, still too many. Next year I will try 6.
  6. My carrots (Nantes) did very well in a whisky barrel with a good chunk of sand mixed into the soil.
  7. My potatoes (Desiree) that did the best also had a good deal of sand mixed into the soil and grass clipping to mulch them up.
  8. If you don’t remove the side shoots from Celeriac, you get a very small bulb.
  9. Radishes grow quickly and easily, but that means you need a use for a lot of radishes.

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