Plotted...

Sensible, moi?  Not usually, but this year I'm going to give it a go.  This year, I've got A Plan.

In the first year we pretty much chucked in whatever we thought would grow from August onwards.  (There was a lot of clearing to do first.)  So that year was what we shall call our Salad Days.  Year Two was the Year of the Fox ... and the Aphid ... and the Cat.  So although we planted plenty, not much was harvested (okay, beetroot, beans, the odd radish, tomato or strawberry.)

But this year it's going to be better!  For a start, I'm growing what I want to eat so I spend less at the veg shops.  Kale, broad beans, runner beans - these are all out of the window. Nothing wrong with them, they're just not my favourite veg.  Broccoli, spinach, cauliflower are all in.  I've tried to be realistic about what I can grow in the time available. (Only time will tell on that one!) Even so, the list is surprisingly long:

I've emptied out my basket of seed packets (no, that's not all of them above - if only!), written down the veg I like, chucked out any out of date seeds, offered the unwanted as freebies, resolved to grow salad and herbs on my balcony where I can pick it when needed and, finally, drawn up a plan of where I can try to fit all this in (not yet in colour, although may get round to it soon!):

(The smaller plan is last year's thoughts on where to put the children's raised beds.  This year's is in pencil underneath.)

Amazingly, it's the first time I've done this and it's been a very useful process. I've now got a good grip on what needs to be done (scary but realistic).  I actually thought about putting the tall stuff (like sweetcorn, french beans and artichokes) at the Northern end of the plot, so any sun we may have can get to the veg that need it.  The beds drawn at the bottom of the plan get early morning sun and the plot is in full sun by about 9.30 a.m. in midsummer.  By 2 p.m. the shade is gradually taking over, starting with the beds at the bottom.  I'm hoping that the taller plants may act as slight buffers for the wind. There's a lot to consider when you're trying to grow between two long 4-storey blocks of flats!

Last night I managed to dig over one bed, move it to a better position so I can plant bug-lovin' flowers behind it and start sowing.  Tomorrow, the same for the next bed, also herbs and strawberries will have to be gently relocated.  Here's hoping for continued good weather ...  if not, I'll be balcony gardening with this lot:

Eventide ...

Sometimes it pays to look up from your keyboard:

:: 7.35 p.m. Sunset over Hampstead Heath, across the rooftops ::

Typing away this evening (talking about wildlife ponds with Flighty), glanced out of the window to see this most extraordinary Caribbean-like sunset.  Within 15 minutes, the sun had slipped over the horizon into night.  What a totally marvellous end to the day - hope it bodes well for some good Sunday gardening tomorrow!

Buddies ...

I'm well behind in the sowing stakes and the weather has been very mild for March (at least in London) so whereas fellow gardeners have got off to a flying start, I'm still drawing up plans of what I can grow in the available space.

I don't have a greenhouse so all my sowing has to be on the kitchen windowsill (not much room), on the balcony (until recently, a pigeon roost) or outside (still a few frosty nights).  So I'm going to unashamedly  show off* some more blossoming fruit:  these are a few of the many fruit buds on my blueberries.  We've got four blueberry bushes in total, growing in huge pots as they like acid soil.

These are second year bushes, and we had a small quantity of fruit last year (briefly seen, before the children swooped) so this year, the nets are out and the hopes are high!

You might like to know...

• Blueberry bushes are very easy to grow, needing only to be planted in ericaceous soil.
• Fertilise in the spring, after the leaves have emerged from the buds, with an ericaceous fertiliser, such as used for azaleas or rhododendrons. 
• Net in the summer as the fruit forms.
• Prune when the plant is dormant in the winter months.  Fruit grows on second year wood so to encourage a bushy habit and more fruit, some pruning is needed.

(*Please excuse the split infinitive, it just doesn't read well when grammatically correct!)

Thrilled ...

I have to tell you I'm feeling highly delighted today;  Would you just look at this blossom!  This Conference Pear was planted as part of the 'mini-orchard' in November 2009 on a bitterly cold day, immediately after clearing the choking ivy.  After an anxious wait through snow-filled winter days, a few buds proved it had survived its first winter.  Not much else happened in 2010.  After seeing this, I'm tentatively looking forward to eating some delicious home-grown pears from this 18 month old tree later this year.

Stuff you might like to know...

• The pear trees were supplied on semi-dwarf rootstock so shouldn't grow taller than 10 feet.  (A pear tree in a nearby park is SO tall you couldn't reach the fruit even with a high ladder!)  The planting holes were part filled with good rich compost as the existing soil in the walled flower borders was pretty tired.  
• Fruit trees should be left for their first year, with all blossom pruned off, so that all energy goes into establishing a strong root system.  
• Second year trees may need feeding with potassium (for fruit and flowers) and/or nitrogen for growth. I'll use dried poultry pellets for our pear trees which is the organic option.  They'll also benefit from deep mulching around the tree with organic matter (such as leaf mould or garden compost) in mid to late spring but make sure the mulch is applied at least 10cm away from the tree to stop the bark rotting.  This will help to preserve moisture around the roots in the summer. 
• RHS offers more detailed advice on this topic here.

Funny ...

Of the requests (mostly ignored) that I get for promotional links on this blog, this one got my attention - for all the wrong reasons.

Subject:  Congratulation : Your Blog Have Choose For Featured At Bed Comforter Sets !

This is Shiela (sic) from bedcomfortersets.me.uk

We stumbled on your blog while searching for Bed Comforter Sets related information. We operate the largest Bed Comforter Sets website featuring more than 30,000 blogs. Our site averages 200,000 uniques visitors per month. Based on your blog's popularity and other factors, we have featured your blog at bedcomfortersets.me.uk.

We would be grateful if you could add our details to your blogs main page.

Hmm.  Now, what could I have said to that?  Perhaps:

Dear Shiela,

Thanks for your interest - I think you might have ever-so-slightly missed the point.  Nice bedlinen to comfort my raised beds? Now that really would spoil my veg rotten. ; )

Yours,

Urban Veg Patch

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On another (completely unrelated) note, here's a picture of a rather fetching asparagus shoot that I found in the vegpatch this morning.  Probably should have been picked before now but will be cooked by 7 tonight.