SoS: February – What’s Growing in Piglet’s Vegetable Plot?

Nothing much at the moment because I’ve not got my butt into gear. No, seriously. There are plenty of brassicas, onions, carrots, etc, for sale at the local monthly market, but after the drought last summer, I’ve decided to restrict what I grow. The caterpillar, slug and snail population only munch their way through any brassicas, and onions and beet take forever.

Seeds: In the next few weeks, I plan to sow bell peppers, aubergines, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and black tomatoes.

Weeds, Glorious Weeds!

I am gradually winning the weeding battle.

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Growing Herbs in Pots

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Physalis (Chinese Gooseberries)

The physalis plants like nettles self-seed everywhere. I like these no-fuss plants, and their fruits (when I can get to them before the birds) are delicious!

Purple Kale – Grow Well in Pots!

The last time I looked at the purple kale plants, they were covered in caterpillars, and the leaves resembled lace curtains. Maybe the birds have eaten the pesky critters?

Growing Lettuce in Containers for a Year-Round Crop

I always grow my lettuce in old crates lined with plastic. I plant twelve mixed plugs every month. I do use slug pellets, but to protect the birds and other wildlife from pecking at the snails, I cover the crates to restrict access.

Strawberries

After a disastrous start to last year, when most of the strawberry plants in our posh vertical strawberry planter became infested with millions of fruit flies, I was tempted to give up.

How to Make a Vertical Strawberry Planter

I did manage to rescue a few plants and rehomed them elsewhere over the summer. In November, I bought bare-root plants, which I potted on. Fingers crossed, these will go on to be productive.

For the strawberry planter, we need to empty and rethink the central watering system and reservoir. Watering via a holey drain pipe stuffed with green waste to attract the worms was a failure. Why? It proved to be a 5* attraction for fruitflies—and it stunk! After all our hard work, I wanted to cry. At least Mr. Piglet had the sense to hold his tongue and refrained from reminding me that he said the watering system was flawed.

Watch this space for version 2. Ideas for an alternative watering option will be gratefully received.

That’s a wrap for this week, folks. To catch up with other gardeners please check out Six on Saturday.