Rhubarb...

...Spring Heroes...

...and leeks!

Spent a lovely couple of hours on the plot today - sunshine, fresh air, birdsong - and a blackbird panicking under  the netting on the purple sprouting broccoli! 

Brought home leeks, purple sprouting and the last of the winter cabbages. Fabulous gratin of purple sprouting and leeks with dinner - yum! All the work is worthwhile for the flavour of homegrown vegetables.

Leek & Purple Sprouting Broccoli Gratin

Steam leeks and broccoli for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile make a white sauce with 1/2pint milk, 1oz plain flour and 1oz butter.

Season the sauce with salt and pepper.

Put steamed vegetables into an oven-proof dish and pour sauce over.

Sprinkle grated cheese and breadcrumbs (optional) over the top.

Bake at Gas 4 for 20 minutes or until the top is golden and the sauce bubbling.

Enjoy on its own or as a side dish.

It's Time to Grow

I checked my potatoes today for sprouts and find that most of them are 'chitting' well. Some needed upending because more sprouts were growing from the bottom end than the top.


This next week I'll be up at the allotment, vertigo permitting (see Sue's Musings) to start this years veggie campaign. Parsnip seeds are going in first, if the soil isn't too wet, and then, next month - March 1st is Thursday, it'll be full steam ahead!! I can't wait to see everything coming up again.

Mustard in the Snow

Green manure in the snow!

When the snow has cleared I'll chop this Mustard up and incorporate it into the soil. I'm not planning to plant potatoes on this spot but have just read that Mustard might reduce the population of wireworms and so would be useful to plant before sowing potatoes. It induces the pest to speed up its life-cycle.

Repeated sowings can, apparently, clear up club-root disease in the soil.

I'm learning every day!

Apple Mint

Apple Mint

It looks as though nothing stops the apple mint growing! It's trying to take over the margin of my plot. I've pulled out plenty.....even the snow hasn't affected it. Must find a really good use for it - perhaps a recipe for mint jelly?

Researching online - apple mint is used in mint tea, for garnishing, in salads and is also medicinal. 

If you can't beat it - use it!

Seed Potatoes

Here are my seed potatoes!

Bought at the Stonham Barns Potato Day.

I have 6 tubers each of 10 varieties. I thought 60 tubers would be plenty but, looking at them, I'm wondering if I should buy more. 

It would help if I could remember how many I planted last year. Because it was the first year, and I didn't know how well I'd get on growing potatoes, I just bought a bag of early 'Rocket' and one of main crop 'Desiree'. They provided plenty of potatoes - I haven't had to buy a potato since last June, but how many did I plant? I'll be keeping better records from now on!

Leeks in the Snow

One of the leeks pulled on my allotment today. I pulled up three in total.

They scrubbed up well!

Thinking about Potatoes

My early potatoes last year were 'Rocket'....

...and my main crop were Desiree, I still have a few left.

This year I'm going to be more adventurous and grow several varieties and include 1st and 2nd earlies and 1st and 2nd mains. I'm quite excited! 

This Saturday I'm attending a 'Potato Day' where I'll be able to buy my tubers singly and there'll be about 100 varieties on offer :) Spud Heaven!!

I'm researching varieties now so I'll have an idea of what I'm looking for - apparently it's good to be prepared as it can be a bit of a free-for-all. I'll list my purchases after the event and report on their progress through the year.