For the first time in a long time we've had a proper cold
winter, and that makes getting back into your garden even more exciting.
It's inspiring to discover what has survived, and to see the noses of
the plants pushing through the ground after last week's warm weather. It
even seems to have affected the birdsong, which sounds tremendous and
clear this year - it's as though the birds have just woken up, too.
In spring our gardens
are undergoing a metamorphosis from gloomy-looking, lifeless patches
into budding, growing areas full of activity and promise. The rosemary
and snowdrops in my garden already look exquisite. When the world is
crashing financially and the news is so negative, it's wonderful to
witness something so beautiful. It's the perfect time to breathe in the
invigorating scent of spring, and get a bit of earth under your
fingernails.
I'm itching to start gardening again, but
because there are more frosts to come I know I must be cautious. Luckily
I can start planting now under cover. I'll start sowing my vegetables
this weekend in my greenhouse; the light level is fantastic at the
moment and germination will happen so quickly - if you grow your seeds
on a windowsill in a seed tray, by next week you'll be transferring them
to a pot.
With the emphasis very much on
self-sufficiency this year, growing from seed can be a very economical
and satisfying way to stock both your garden and your cupboards. I
remember the pleasure of watching a tiny seed grow into a handsome plant
as a young child. It still thrills me. In my herb nursery, where I grow
hundreds of thousands of plants, I never cease to become excited by
walking through the glasshouse in early spring and seeing tiny seedlings
emerging.
It's really very easy to grow your own,
whether you have a large garden, an allotment, a tiny courtyard or a
windowsill. Prepare the ground first - clear the weeds and winter
debris, fork it over and give a light dressing of organic fertiliser. If
you're planting in containers (terracotta pots, old watering cans,
sinks, a half beer barrel ... ), make sure they have drainage holes and,
if it's a tall plant, use a container with a wider base to prevent it
from toppling over. Choose plants that you will use and enjoy, and even
if you're new to gardening, you can still be adventurous. Try a salad
herb such as Red Frills Mustard from seed, sowing directly into a pot or
in the prepared ground (but only if it's warm enough to sit on). Sow
now, and by summer you will have your own cut-and-come-again crop that
will keep on growing as you harvest. These mustard leaves have a warm,
peppery taste and can transform a salad, a sandwich and a stir fry. You
will never want to buy a bag of leaves from the supermarket again.
Even
if you only put in a little effort into gardening, nature will double
it. I had no formal training, and now I have my own nurseries. Even with
a window box you can grow a cut-and-collect salad to transform your
lunches.
Growing your own plants connects you with other
people. When you have grown too much produce, you have to share it. And
it's so wonderful and old-fashioned to look over the fence and chat
about gardening. I remember when my husband and I first moved to our
derelict cottage; we were living in a mobile home while we did up the
house and an elderly vet who lived nearby heard I liked to grow herbs
and brought round some meadow-sweet vinegar he had made. It was so
wonderful, but typical of gardeners. I have never met a selfish
gardener.
Many more plants than you would ever believe
are edible - often the flowers, too - and having an edible garden
doesn't mean you have to compromise on aesthetics. Your garden can look
beautiful, yet still give you a tasty selection. Make sure you position
it as close to the kitchen as possible, though; the importance of this
is never clearer than when it is raining.
Spring is such
an exciting time in the garden - plan it, sow it, plant it now, and by
summer an abundant harvest will be your reward.
taken from: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/mar/05/spring-gardening-advice
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