Garden Diary: January – Vegetables

For my Six on Saturday this week I will focus on my vegetable and strawberry challenges.

This week has brought another mixed bag of weather with temperatures ranging from 3C at night to 20C in the day on our sunny sheltered terrace. Northerly icy winds followed by heavy rain confirmed it was still winter rather than Spring. Fingers crossed that we have enough rain to refill the depleted reservoirs.

Thankfully we did manage to dodge the showers and go to the local monthly market to buy strawberries plants, rocket, seed potatoes and red onion plugs.

Also,  a fellow gardener confirmed Epiphyllum Oxypetalum (Queen of the Night) is also suffering from the same symptoms as mine so at least it’s reassuring to know, I’ve not caused the problem.

1. Winter Lettuce

The lettuce plugs we planted last autumn continue to thrive, much to my surprise, despite being neglected for several months. Their survival might be due to the fact that they were covered with a crate.

2. Rocket

The rocket plants also grow well in containers and add a peppery taste to a mixed salad.

3. Nasturtiums

Further welcome additions to the salad bowl are nasturtium leaves, flowers and seeds. I tried all last summer to grow these in pots but as they refused to grow I gave up. I turn my back on them for a few months and despite the icy winds I am rewarded with a pot full of healthy leaves and a few flowers.

 

4. Red Onions

I personally prefer to grow onions from plugs not sets. I usually overplant the container so I can enjoy some spring onions. The rest I leave to mature to add to salads.

5. Strawberries

My primary purpose for going to the market this month was to buy bunches of strawberry plants. They are only available for a few months so if you miss the opportunity as I did last year, you either grow from seed or buy mature plants which are expensive. I only paid €3.50 a bunch which yielded between 20 and 25 plants each. Quite a saving when you consider that the mature plants cost €1.95!

6. Growing Potatoes

I tried several years ago to grow potatoes but they fell victim to blight. I also bought these seed potatoes at the local market so fingers crossed I am successful the second time around.

I’ve now cut them in half and will let the exposed potato seal before planting.

That’s it for this week. To discover more Six on Saturday gardens click over to Ther Propagators blog >here>