New Old Water Butts & Asparagus

Sunday we popped down to see one of my brothers-in-law who’d kindly rescued two water butts for me from his neighbour’s skip. After last year’s weather where you were better with a dinghy and water-wings than a water butt, I’ve noticed they’ve dropped in price. But you can’t beat a freebie, can you?

We then dropped over to see my father-in-law. He’s moved from his house to a flat in town, exclusively for the mature and no longer has a garden but he’s forgotten more about gardening than I know. Anyway, he’s finished my book and was very complimentary. That really made my day. Mind you, there’s a lot in the book that he taught me so he can’t complain.

Monday I’d planned on going to the plot but Val pointed out that the grass was blocking the light from the downstairs windows and the cat had been lost in there for three days. I can take a hint. Next was time to do a bit of sorting out. Various seedlings were duly moved up into pots and then I discovered some Plum Roma tomatoes I’d sown and forgotten about in the bottom of the lounge rack had not just germinated but had grown about 8″ high and really drawn and leggy. Threw those away and sowed some more. They’ll catch up easily enough.

So, time to go to the plot – then the hail came down followed by the rain. Gave up and retired to the computer where I finished a new set of articles on growing onions. You can find them on the site here – Growing Onions & Shallots. I’m gradually building up the vegetable growing guides.

Today, Tuesday and we had to go into town. I enter the town with the same joy that I’d experience from a paint drying contest but we’re short of envelopes to post out the books so no choice really. Popped into Waterstones and cheekily asked why my book wasn’t on the shelf! What a lovely manager in there, she immediately ordered 10 copies and we’re sorting out a signing session. I did mention it was number one on Waterstones web site for vegetables!

Anyway, back to real growing. One plan that has slipped was to plant some asparagus. I’m a bit late to order for this year but we noticed they were selling 3 crowns for £2.00 in Wilkinsons. No variety, so a bit of a gamble, but what’s the worst? £6.00 for 9 crowns to go in a raised bed on plot 5. There’s not that many varieties of asparagus anyway so it’s probably a commercial variety from Holland anyway.

My experience with asparagus hasn’t been good in the past. Just as it gets productive we move house leaving the benefit behind. With the present housing market, there’s little chance of that, by all accounts.

We also got some globe artichokes. I haven’t grown those for many years and we hadn’t got a clue how you ate them so being a little more knowledgeable now, we’ll give them another try. They’re actually very expensive to buy in the shops – although I’ve only seen them in the greengrocers in France, where they were over a euro each.

Now we know you don’t eat the choke, they seem more worthwhile. Fingers crossed.

Now, if you’ve not seen it – take a look at the photo competition I’ve got running on the forums. Some really amazing photos of people’s chickens. Not so sure about the oven ready bird!  Photograph Competition