Rising is endlessly fascinating as there’s all the time extra to study. As winter approaches, it is a good time to mirror on the successes and studying of the season. Listed here are 5 (of the numerous!) issues I learnt in 2017.
1. Develop veg AND flowers
This 12 months, I grew extra flowers. In amongst the salads, herbs and fruits, I planted cosmos, verbena, together with edible flowers like cornflower, borage, nasturtium and pansies.
Late summer season: the cosmos and verbena add color.
As my entrance yard rising house is in public view, I wished to create a extra vibrant and fascinating show – and it actually appeared to assist spark up extra conversations with passers-by! It additionally supplied minimize flowers for inside (and to provide away), fairly edible flowers for salads, and nectar for the bees.
Mixing with veg provides color, attracts bees, and a few of these flowers are edible, too.
The French have a historical past of making lovely vegetable gardens in public view (they name them ‘potager’ gardens). Right here within the UK, veg vegetation are sometimes considered as decrease class residents, hidden away. It is a disgrace – some individuals who dwell in cities solely ever get to see greens confined to plastic baggage within the grocery store. By creating engaging edible gardens within the concrete areas or windowsills on the entrance of the house, we may also help give greens the profile they deserve! (I am an enormous fan of the Unimaginable Edible Community because of this).
2. Apples and different bigger fruits
Strawberries, blueberries and most different berries make glorious container crops for small areas, typically fruiting effectively of their first or second 12 months. However what about bigger fruit timber?
The apple blossom is a ravishing and welcome signal of spring – good for bees, too.
I’ve been experimenting with an apple tree in a pot for six years. It’s given lovely spring blossom, however solely a handful of apples annually. I confess I’ve questioned if it was definitely worth the house. However this 12 months, it produced over 40 scrumptious apples. It was a pleasure! The funding of time lastly felt worthwhile.
After six years (and 4 totally different houses), this apple lastly produces a wonderful crop of apples. Scrumptious, too.
Then again, the hardy kiwi fruit I’ve been rising for 4 years has but to supply even one fruit. It did produce its first (very fairly) flower this 12 months, so I’m not giving up on it…. But!
The hardy kiwi flowered for the primary time this 12 months – sadly all of the blossom was then blown off by a storm!
My expertise with these bigger fruits thus far suggests they often take a number of years to be productive – and generally is a little bit of lottery (I additionally had a plum that by no means fruited). This makes them much less appropriate for those who’ve little or no house or reside in brief time period lodging (except you develop them for the blossom). However when you’ve got the house, time and endurance, they could prove reasonably effectively – and so they can add top and type to a container backyard. However in most small areas, I’d in all probability stick to the berries. When you’ve tried rising any of the bigger fruit timber in a container – apple, pear, mulberry, peach, fig and so forth – I would love to listen to about your expertise within the feedback.
3. Discovering new microgreens
On the different finish of the spectrum from fruit timber, microgreens are one of many quickest rising selections. I’ve lengthy championed pea shoots, fava shoots, rocket, coriander and blended mustards. This 12 months, I created a brand new on-line course, The best way to Develop Superb Salads, which proved a great excuse to strive an entire array of recent micro greens. Amongst these I notably loved had been nasturtium (fairly spherical leaves), basil (vibrant flavour) and Amaranth Crimson Military (vivid magenta leaves).
This micro basil has a beautiful, vibrant flavour. Grown from basil seeds discovered within the spice part of the native Asian retailer!
Simple to develop and scrumptious – I extremely advocate experimenting with microgreens if you have not already.
4. Are automated watering techniques a good suggestion?
A number of years in the past, I ordered an automated watering system – pipes, drippers and a timer. When it arrived, I used to be busy with work and kids and it simply appeared too fiddly and time consuming to put in. I am ashamed to say it gathered mud within the loft. This 12 months I bit the bullet. It did take me some time to get my head spherical the right way to put it collectively (positively scope for clearer directions and movies to assist). Nevertheless it did change into clearer and simpler as I labored on it. It doesn’t absolutely clear up the watering problem – not all of the vegetation have drippers (I’ve too many pots!), and those who do typically want extra water. Nevertheless it does save an enormous period of time, reducing my watering from quarter-hour a day to five minutes or much less. And, if I’m unable to water at some point, the vegetation are much less badly affected. I additionally seen that among the vegetation that like good watering – like runner beans – did appear to develop happier and extra lush with common water from drippers twice a day. Until you go away quite a bit, I’d be hesitant to advocate these techniques for smaller container gardens. But when your watering takes you a very long time each day or appears a chore, it is positively a great choice to contemplate.
5. Jerusalem artichokes in containers?
Jerusalem artichokes are scrumptious (in my humble opinion), and laborious to search out in most UK shops. They’re large vegetation (additionally they make good windbreaks) – develop simply within the floor. However how straightforward are they to develop in containers? From previous expertise, I do know they do effectively in an enormous, deep container, however this 12 months I believed it will be fascinating to see if they will develop OK in a smaller, grocery store vegetable crate (about 6 in / 15 cm deep – and 2ft / 60cm x 1.5ft 40cm large) . The vegetation grew very well, reaching effectively over eight toes tall. I’ll harvest them as a deal with within the early spring and it will likely be fascinating to see what number of tubers are produced.
The Jerusalem artichokes grew over 8 toes tall in a container simply six inches (15cm) deep.
Your Flip
I would love to listen to about your studying this 12 months within the feedback beneath. And, for those who’ve tried rising fruit timber or artichokes or arrange an automated watering system, what did you discover?