28 Apr 2007
Thinning rocket
Our vegetable beds in the garden are coming along fairly well, as are our crops on the allotment, despite the tender attentions of the slugs. It seems that I have a bit of a heavy sowing hand, so I've been having to thin out our radishes and rocket a bit. Now, I don't like good potential food going to waste, and I'm itching to actually eat something we've grown, so I carefully collected the thinned seedlings, washed them and removed the roots. Then -- with some ceremony -- I shared the tiny rocket seedlings with Mr. Bsag. If the full sized leaves taste anything like the seedlings, they'll be wonderful -- hot, and peppery and fresh.
This afternoon, I spread well-rotted farmyard manure/spent mushroom compost on the remaining beds to open up our rather heavy clay, and also spread a mulch on the paths between the beds. Keen to try something a bit different, we've got some cocoa shells to use as a mulch. It's a by-product of chocolate production, apparently deters slugs (yay!) and provides nutrients to the soil as it breaks down. It also smells gloriously of dark chocolate, so I've been alternately raking and sniffing my cocoa shells, then sitting in the sun enjoying the scent of warm chocolate wafting up. Now I really want some chocolate cake. Those veggies had better get to a properly edible size soon, or the mulch-induced chocolate craving will undo my healthy eating regime.
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Jonathan - it's the weekend, wait until all are back at work on Monday, though why I'm working Sunday night is a problem to me. basg - we eat any "thinnings" as well, though I think the shops call them something special such as baby carrots, or sweetcorn etc and charge accordingly. I just eat some choccy, drink wine and feel better by doing some more digging.by Julian @ 29/04/2007 10:20 pm • Permalink
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What's wrong with just going to Sainsbury's? (runs and hides under a cloche)4
Jonathan Briggs: Well, that's fine. I don't actually writeto provoke the maximum number of comments -- not that it isn't lovely to get them! I basically just blurt out whatever's on my mind, with the vague thought that it might be interesting to other people. I've been at this blogging game 4 and a bit years now (blimey!), and I've long since given up trying to predict what people will comment on. Some of my favourite bits of writing have not been commented on, and others which were intended to be a throw-away bit of nonsense have copious comments -- it's all fine, and part of the joy of blogging. Julian: Working at the weekend is bad news :-( I think my radishes and rocket were more embryonic than baby, but I take your point
Mr. D.: Oh, that's just cheating :-D
by bsag @ 30/04/2007 7:20 pm • Permalink
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Been studiously examining my beds for growth - hard to figure out what's a weed and what's not... so I've been afraid to do any weeding at all... Where did you get the Cocoa shells from?? Would they have it in any garden center?by Ger @ 01/05/2007 3:31 pm • Permalink
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Ger: I've had similar problems, but if you leave it until a row of similar looking things come up where you've planted them, it's easier to tell what's a weed. We got the cocoa shells (also called 'Sunshine of Africa') from [GardenDirect](http://gardendirect.co.uk/product.asp?numRecordPosition=3&P_ID=247&strPageHistory=cat&strKeywords;=&SearchFor;=&PT_ID=147), but I'm sure you can probably get them from most large garden centres.
by bsag @ 02/05/2007 6:46 pm • Permalink
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Re: the weeds - that's pretty much what I was thinking... but the plants I had in a greenhouse are pretty large (although one week older) compared to those I sowed directly into the ground - so I'm impatient for a little action! (also a little worried that I'll be eating masses of rare breed african dwarf peas and indian runner beans - but no lettuce!!) Thanks for the cocoa shell tip - on the issue of slugs: is this your only defence - my neighbourhood slugs are feasting everynight!by Ger @ 02/05/2007 11:23 pm • Permalink
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Clearly this thread lacks either the indignation factor, or the aaaaah factor; obviously rocket leaves do not sufficiently tug at the heart-strings, do not move the soul to grandiloquence as do the minutiae of filing systems and the transfer of folders from one computer to another, to fill the the comment boxes to overflowing............by Jonathan Briggs @ 29/04/2007 5:35 pm • Permalink