…in 2021
In April I wondered if we would get some rain to help the spuds along; in May I wondered if it would stop raining and warm up a bit – well a lot warmer was what I wanted. Early June was flaming alright and it was back to watering but at least the first summer crops were appearing, now it’s back to the cool and rain.
Eventually our crops got going, in fits and starts in mid-May, probably 3 weeks later than normal, and eventually the mangetout and my early lettuce plants gave up sulking and produced usable crops at last. But do you know what? – my expectation is that it will all pan out in the end. Most crops will catch up and the year in both the garden and allotment will be the usual blend of success and failure, just different candidates from last year.
I will still moan, of course, but that is expected of every gardener, we have our standards to maintain! Other than that, I just fall back on blind optimism – it normally works. I am still sticking to my ‘minimum dig’ approach, which may be a little more time consuming but, having mulched most of the plot with manure or compost last autumn, I do seem to see far more worms and the weeds are much reduced. I shall stick with it.
August and September are the traditional harvest months, a time to put your excess away for winter. Of course, now we have the freedom to visit the supermarket and have fruit and vegetables from around the world but, if you have the space, there is much to be said for storing your own crops for winter, accepting some seasonality and cutting food miles at the same time. We could try to become a little more self-reliant and less wasteful. That’s the sermon finished for this month.
Happy gardening
Tony Lewis