Mistakes I have probably already made

The growing season hasn't even started properly yet and I have already been making mistakes here there and everywhere.

When trying to spread the manure mulch I knocked the growing tip off the rhubarb - hopefully it will recover but at least I still have many other rhubarb plants scattered around the plot thanks to dividing it up last year (and rescued abandoned bits from the compost heap).

I am also worried that the manure I used was probably too fresh so may burn young plants and roots. Technically I should have let it rot down for 6 months but I wanted to mulch before the weeds started coming and wanted to feed the ground ahead of planting (which will have to take place the weekend of Mother's Day as travel and work will stop any earlier activity on the allotment.

The only planting I did was to sow broad bean seeds (aqua dulce) but I wonder if I didn't plant the seeds deep enough. The RHS magazine 'The Garden' suggests 5cm. I don't think my hoe-created trenches were that deep and I certainly didn't dig in any manure. Oops. Along with the other planned sowing indoors maybe I will sow some extra bean seeds in case this lot fail to take root (they are popular with mice apparently).

Finally I harvested tiny sprigs of broccoli in the raised bed in the garden but I'm now wondering if they weren't the beginning of a Purple Sprouting Broccoli harvest I have cut off in its prime. Left a few on just in case.

Drawing inspiration from the RHS Autumn shows

I went to the annual RHS Autumn show - what a great deal.  Free to member and £3 for non-members and slap bang in the middle of town - it gives you a wealth of inspiration and the chance to buy plants (always welcome!).

Among the displays there were some stunning giant vegetables on show - what an amazing amount of work must be involved. I also picked up a couple of recipes from the Vegetable Society. These include a recipe for Runner Bean Chutney (cue a trip to the freezer) and buttered shallots which I am looking forward to trying.



On my list of lovely new buys I got Elephant Garlic and two sorts of garlic to be planted (along with the garlic I bought in France).

I also have a bag of onion sets in three varieties (white, yellow and red).  The sets are mini onions that grow up to be big onions. I will be planting them 20cm apart and covering them to keep the mice and birds away as apparently they like to pull them up.

Amazing size vegetables on show - what an amazing amount of work must be involved
TO add to the onion field I seem to be building up I got shallots sets and an everlasting onion. I wish I had also got Egyptian wandering onions which apparently 'walk' by bending over and rerooting and meandering across the plot.

I have replaced the summer bedding in the steps planters with hardy herbs - pineapple sage, cat mint, thyme and bergamot.

Also on the list of things to do is to sow broad beans 'Aquadulce'.

The greatest show on earth? Hampton court flower show

What a joy it is to live near Hampton Court if only because it makes it easier to attend this flower show which the RHS claim is the largest in the world. It certainly feels it.

It is important to approach it calmly and methodically. Be prepared - bring drink and a picnic. My friend Joy made some amazing tarts from the allotment shallots - yum. Ideally bring a strong person to help carry things. Unlike Chelsea you can buy plants at Hampton and it us impossible for any plant-aholic to get away with anything less than masquerading as a walking shrub. Quotes of woods of dunsinane come to mind.

Get there early to scope out the lay of the land and remember that if, like us, you go on the last day it closes at 5.30 not 7.30. Plus the frantic sell off including the plants and items used in the gardens starts at 4.30. If you do spot anything you like it might be wise to reserve it ahead of the sell off as it all becomes a little manic.

Whatever you do don't follow the AA roadsigns there which take you miles out of the way (maybe as a motoring association they want to encourage driving?). We wasted a precious hour following their pointless detour.

One major feature of Hampton Court is their emphasis on grow your own. This time a huge area and marquee were devoted to it. There you can quiz experts on what went wrong. I took along my puny garlic to the experts from the garlic farm who told me a) I should always plant in autumn (can't remember if I did) b) water like crazy January to May c) top dress with potash in spring. Resolutions made for next time. I also bought elephant garlic which at least swells to a decent size (nowhere as big as theirs though). Incidentally the elephant garlic is not in fact a garlic, it's a leek. Fact.

Sources of great advice

Top tip: Never be afraid to ask. There is generally an expert out there to help.


On Tuesday I visited the RHS. Not Wisley, its gardens in Surrey, nor one of its major shows like Chelsea or Hampton court but the spring plant fair at its headquarters near Victoria. The RHS has 2 large halls there that are swamped on a regular basis by gardening fans.

I was hoping to find a bamboo expert as our new phyllostachis nigra (that's a black bamboo to you and me) is turning crispy. Now, a crispy bamboo might be something you'd like on a Chinese menu but is not a good thing in the garden. Especially not at £20 per plant and you have 6 all gradually crisping up. And yes, I did water them.

Later. But apparently I didn't water them enough. The thinking is that a combination of the stress of being repotted, wind and a very dry February and march have meant that I should have watered them LOADS. They recommended 10 litres per pot and then when that has drained to water them again and to do that weekly. No surprise that the bamboos I saw on someone's roof terrace will only be good for plant supports. Hopefully I have caught it in time.

I also struck gold on the veg front (something that was tougher to find in past years). Finally I found my banana shallots and also picked up 5 tubers of potato ratte which is also elongated but less knobbly and larger than pink fir. I have decided to try to grow horseradish in a pot (a bit of a thug apparently so need to contain it) and bought two replacement wild garlics for the back garden where the shady woodland should suit them.