themagnoliatreeblog

When a favourite foodie magazine came through the letterbox, I was pleased to see some of the names of produce I have either grown already or are lined up for this year, get a mention in it. Although I am not intending sowing amaranth seeds this year, I have collected some from last year and one of the recipes calls for puffed amaranth. Apparently to puff it yourself, you pop it in a dry pan like popcorn. I might just have enough to try and if I can find space to try growing it again, this might be the incentive.

I don’t describe myself just as a gardener, that conjures up images of perfect plants and manicured lawns and I’m more of an experimental, chaotic or accidental gardener. If asked what I would prefer, to be in a twee garden with lawns looking as if they have had a short back and sides, with uniform flowers lined up like little soldiers or to be be among the sights and smells of an English country garden, then it would need to be the latter. I love the lighter mornings when I can take a look at the little patch of garden I do have and see what the new day has brought. It is always full of surprises and it’s especially nice when there is something to nibble as well.

It has been mild but dampish on the west coast of Scotland and work in the garden hasn’t started yet, in fact I’m falling a bit behind with what I had planned on getting done by now. The little pond now looks as if it’s boiling, there was quite a turmoil now that the frogs have found their way back to it. I did mean to get the aquatic plants re-potted and put back in before they arrived, but that’s still on my ‘to do’ list.

The magazine also mentions lacto-fermented vegetables. I did experiment with that last year but the vegetables were store bought and not in the best condition so I may try again this year, paying more attention to the requirements for a more successful outcome.

I have been busy sowing tomato seeds in my windowsill propagator and using milk and water bottles for seeds which need cold sowing as well as in the greenhouse. The greenhouse has the luxury of having heated propagators but my DIY large propagator made from a gravel tray, twin polycarbonate sheeting and the rabbit’s electric blanket is ideal  to line the milk bottles on. 

Tomato seeds sown so far: Gardener’s Delight/Shirley/Berner Rose/Sub Artic Plenty/Roma/Marglobe/Marmande/Brown Berry/Garden Peach/Black Cherry.

Other seeds sown: Purple Orach/Red Orach/Kale, (Nero di Toscana)/Mrs Burns Lemon Basil/Sweet Peas (Harlequin mix)/Nasturtiums/Golden Self Blanching Celery/Tromba di Albenga/Spring Onion (Darcy)/Mini Orange Pepper/Komatsuna Japanese Green Boy. 

I doubt I’ll manage to sow all 157 packets of seeds I have but at least I’ve made a start.

Photo of  ‘Flower garden at the Botanic Gardens, Churchtown, Southport, Merseyside, England’ courtesy of By Rept0n1x – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, 

Country garden courtesy of Pinterest

Why not visit my other blog Grannysattic