| Gardening with little free time need not be such a challenge. With minimum effort and a small plot you will be able to establish a routine that will bring much reward. After all Mother nature does all the work we gardeners merely assist her.....our monthly series continues. |
Pick the last of the broad beans and for those with little free time, why not use minimum cultivation methods for clearing the soil of weeds.Traditionalists will be horrified at this method. To clear the ground of weeds and establish a tilth and leave the soil unturned , give it a rigourous raking with a spring tine rake which is normally used for scarifying the lawn. A good brand of spring tine lawn rake will be up to the task , although probably not designed for tillage. If you have not walked over the soil much when harvesting the beans the "going" will be good to soft and ready to plant in again.
Note the nodules on the roots of Broad Beans are a free source of plant food for the next crop,which are natures nitrogen produced by beneficial bacteria living on the roots.These nodules are easily brushed off and left to benefit the soil .
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
Benificial nitrogen nodes can be brushed or shaken off to go back to the soil |
|
When the plot is cleared of Broad Bean stalks and roots prepare the Leeks for planting
|
| |
|
You may wish to "top and tail" the Leek "fingerlings" as it makes them easier to persuade to go into the hole! It also makes it harder for them to jump out of the hole ( which they like to do when your not looking). Make a hole with a dibber in rows, and insert the leekes.
You may have to "twizzel" them back and forth between your fingers ,as you plant in the holes to tuck all the roots down in.
Don't waster the morsel of the Leek tops these can be washed ,blanched, and finely copped over new potatoes . |
|
| Finally water in with a can of rainwater and if you have a few grains of pelleted chicken manure pop one in each hole to get them off to a good start. If it is a dry period repeat watering every few days or so. |
| |
|
It may be worth trying a root of potatos to see if they are large enought to start digging a few, and a handfull of mint in the pot will compliment the flavour. |
|
Next month we look forward to the runner beans starting to flower , visit again soon. |
