Going to Seed

I'm starting to gather my forces along with the supplies needed to start vegetable, herb and flower seed trays in the glasshouse here at Struan Farm in the next week or so. I'll try to keep the planters I've grown arugula/rocket, lettuce, spinach and italian parsley in over winter going for just for a wee bit longer, but as each crop finishes I'll empty them out and stow them away until next year. I'll need the glasshouse space soon for other things.

This year I've bought seed from King's Seeds (of course), Egmont Seeds (of course) and Italian Seeds Pronto/Franchi (of course). Tomatoes, radishes, lettuces, mesclun, zucchini, basil, coriander, italian parsley, spring onion, parsley, corn, edible flowers, pumpkins. Plus I'll be using seeds I saved from last year's gardens: heirloom tomatoes (of course), pumpkin, kamo kamo, chiles, dill, marigolds, scabiosa, nigella, zinnia, echinacea, poppy, nasturtium, calendula. While I've planted a spring crop of broad beans, we're giving up on yellow and green beans and carrots this year. John just doesn't like them enough to warrant allocating the space required. While I love beets, our crop this past year was a complete dud. I haven't made an executive decision on those just yet, I might see how we go this season. (I rather like homemade pickled beetroot.)

I rotate crops around the various troughs and beds. The troughs have had a good winter's nap with pea straw, manure and blood & bone. This year we've got a new bed for tomatoes next to the glasshouse, which also has my shallots and garlic growing away.

My key gardening challenge this year (still) is staking the heirloom tomatoes properly. It seems I haven't been using stakes or supports high enough for them after seeing tomatoes staked at the Auckland Botanic Gardens last summer. I know I need to be more aggressive about pruning off shooters and supporting the fruit on the vines so it is off the ground. We may try recycled farm gates for the support required, watch this space. At a certain point in the summer when the farmstay is hectic I just have to let certain things slide. This year I will do my best to avoid having that be the tomatoes. Getting ready!