Good Friday seems as good a day as any to declare that spring has started. We are now officially off on our horticultural adventure. This will be similar to last year, but unlike 2008, in 2009 we expect things to be subtly different. We intend that this year we will actually do it properly. This year we will grow a full range of vegetables and even amongst them those villains of last summer - beetroots and cauliflowers. These are described as "easy" vegetables in the books but they have defeated us two years running. They have either bolted (beetroot) or just failed (cauliflower). This year will be different. They should have suited our acid soil but we were only playing last year - this year it will be very different.
In out new, professional, industrious and energetic 2009 these prior failures will not be tolerated. We will not be happy with peas, beans and potatos. We will have leeks as thick as a baby's arm, beetroots like footballs, carrots like rolling pins, courgettes in abundance, salads you could drown under, onions that will make our neighbours' eyes water and cauliflowers as big as your head. We have the seeds, the ground, the intention. All we lack is the skill and knowledge - what can go wrong ?
Today the row of garlic went in and two rows of beetroot as its neighbour. This is later than last year so hopefully less chance of bolting - we will see.
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