OUR GARDENS ARE RESTING

 We had a very nice meeting here on Tuesday last. Several Vegetable Group members were unable to come along but there were enough of us to have plenty of discussion and a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.

As always, each of us told of their successes and failures and general progress in the potager. Martin Garfoot has recently begun his and came armed with impressive photos of his planting: we shall be interested to visit some time!

Sheila Harris always has success with her asparagus and we talked a little more about that popular vegetable and how and when to plant it. She had also done well with red cabbage and beetroot, and her raspberries were looking good.

Cilla brought tomato plants for everyone as well as baby leeks to put in now. She has been growing something called Kalette - a baby kale but similar in growth to a Brussel sprout which fascinated all of us. Mascotte patio beans were recommended by her which can be grown in pots.

Helen Gray brought along a red cabbage which she was proud of because it had been left in the ground after harvesting and it has regrown into a perfect vegetable, as have others in her raised beds. Helen had great success last year with her onions and garlic but this year reports that the onions are shooting up with no growth in the bulb. Others had the same problem. We shall visit Helen next month and can see what she has been growing.

Lynda Creegan has a large area of land for growing, together with her polytunnel. It seems she grows everything from kale to purple sprouting broccoli to sweetcorn and squashes. Indeed we have seen her excellent potager last year and this year seems no different but we will visit in September. Everything seems to be doing nicely with the warm weather. Lynda brought seedlings and plants of a variety of vegetables for everyone to help themselves which was much appreciated.

Meryl Evans has decided to suppress weeds with matting. It will be an experiment for her but we recollect that Carelle Sherwood has done the same thing.

Meryl always plants tomatoes, aubergines and peppers, amongst other things, and later in the year we will visit her vegetable garden.

Joy then showed everyone around. Broad beans and peas were formed and should be ready in a week or so and potatoes were well up. Haricot beans are sown and tomato plants just put in. The soft fruits of raspberries, tayberries and loganberries are also formed and looking very promising.

We finished off with tea under the auvent and were delighted to have a sunny afternoon together.

Happy Gardening

Joy Collett

  The Veggie Group had the first meeting of the year at the home of Cilla Pickett yesterday, Tuesday, 26th February. 

  We had a good gathering, including two new members to the Group and received apologies from several of our regular members who will hopefully be able to attend the next meeting.

  We sat in the sunshine on Cilla's terrace and poured over our packets of seeds. As usual, each person present was able to give an account of what had been successful last year and what the plan for planting is now.

  Those of us who had planted broad beans and peas in November were delighted to report some good growth. It was mostly agreed that for such vegetables as beans and peas it is as well to choose a local French variety although with the French beans and runner beans most of those present were happy to grow familiar names - like Mascot, Purple Queen, Melissa, etc. The runner beans were grown by some of us but don't really do well in the heat and need to be watered regularly to get good results. Rosemary Robinson is going to try a white flowered variety which is supposedly more heat tolerant. Val Ford was able to show us some french beans that she had put in her propagator and were already growing.

  There were also members who had planted garlic and onions earlier and I think it is still possible to put these in if you want a crop this year. 

  Lynda Creegan was harvesting her kale and we talked about the different brassicas.

  Tomatoes are always popular with everyone as they do so well here. We agreed that the easiest way was to buy the plants at the end of April or beginning of May. There is an enormous variety to be bought here.   Some of the favourites were Roma, Coeur de Boeuf, Annanas - the yellow pineapple tomato, and the Crimean Black. 

 Moneymaker, Shirley, Windowbox Yellow, Gardeners Delight - a prolific cherry tomato - were all mentioned as well loved. 

  Sandie Dearlove told us she had had great success in growing tomatoes in straw bales. It sounded fascinating. One must treat the bales with fertiliser and then remove straw to make a hole for the plant which is then filled with compost and the plant watered well in.

  Peter Robinson had the idea that our Vegetable Group should grow vegetables suitable for making a dish for the many Bring and Share Lunches we attend. He quite rightly felt that dishes of vegetables would enhance a buffet table so we must bear this in mind for the Summer months.

  Finally we discussed herbs. Debbie Williams is keen to make a herb garden and we talked about the different herbs available. One tip for coriander was to plant it facing North and put it in the shade. I think that was new to all of us and was gleaned from a French bio producer in the market!

  Our meeting ended with a wonderful tea and Cilla had made some delicious cakes.

  The next meeting will be on TUESDAY APRIL 30th and will be at the home of Joy Collett in St. Romain. A reminder will be sent but do please make a note of the date.

    Joy Collett