The Garden

My garden truly is my oasis, there is nothing like coming home to more, after a long day at the office and putting on my gardening boots (The Boy’s old Sorrel winter boots) and heading out to tend to my veggies. I should probably confess right away that I am a tomato junkie….I need a support group for people with tomato addiction! I would understand if you thought I was joking, but I’m not. In 2018 I grew 50 tomato plants….yes 5-0….and no I don’t live in the country.

Growing tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, heirloom seeds, indigo apple, indigo apple tomato — My indigo apple tomato

When it comes to tomatoes I’m not a picky person, plum, vine, cherry or heirloom. I will gladly take them all (as referenced above I obviously already did). I love nothing more than looking at a seed catalogue and choosing all the different varieties. Picking all the varieties that will grace my garden for the upcoming growing season (in 2019 I will be doing all heirloom seeds). The next excitement comes when the mail arrives with all those lovely seed packets! Into the peat pots they go, with seed starting mix and onto the heating pad under the growing lights.

Watching them patiently to see them peaking their little heads out from the soil, and growing strong to become little seedlings. Once the weather is right and they are big enough it’s time for the hardening off period. This is so important to make sure that they don’t fry in the sun! This really is a crucial step in the process. So please make sure you take the time to harden off your seedlings. If you are not sure how to do this then click here for more information on the process.

Then out into the garden, each put in place with a hardwood spike to help them grow strong and supported. I love taking time each day to check on them and do a wee bit of pruning.

I also have a penchant for growing potatoes…this year I am having a go with Russian fingerling and Irish cobbler potatoes. Last year I just used the ones I found growing in the cupboard…the forgotten ones.

When I first started growing potatoes I was surprised at the pretty flowers they provide. I don’t think I had every really considered that they would have flowers given that they are growing underground. But flower they do! My Russian fingerlings have dainty white flowers and my Irish cobblers have light purple ones. Then this is this teeny tiny potato that I grew.

Next year I am planning to try growing them in a potato bag but for this year I have contented myself with most of them in the ground and a few of the fingerling ones in a large blue tub. It will be interesting to see if there is much of a difference when I harvest them in the fall.

I really do love everything about potatoes…well about eating them anyway! Be they baked, fried, scalloped, twice baked, mashed or in potato salad form I always welcome them onto my plate!

Last year I even tried my hand at sweet potatoes but sadly I didn’t have much luck. I was able to grow the slips, transplant them and even amassed a lovely bunch of vines. However, the sweet potatoes were small and I was not fully prepared for the curing process! I’m sure I will give it a try another time and will be sure to let you all know how it goes!

Growing potatoes, russian fingerling potatoes

And last but not least there is everything else I love to grow, from veggies such as carrots, onions, leeks, shallots, lettuce, beets, fennel, peas, beans, zucchini, squash and a whole heap of different peppers! In terms of fruit, I tend to favour raspberries (red and yellow), blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, pineberries (more on these later), black currants, grapes, limes, lemons and rhubarb!!!

This year I have started composting, which is exciting and fun…I’m such a garden nerd! If you want to know more then be sure to check out my blog post on composting.

There isn’t much I don’t grow. I love feeding my family with things I have grown, putting good food in our bellies that have been grown with love.

If you ever struggle with knowing when is the right time to start your seedlings or harvest your crop, then check out my simple Seed Starting and Harvest Guide.

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