Terry Walton has onions, garlic and broad beans underway
You don’t need to convince the gardening fraternity that gardening keeps them youthful. But it’s not only the fresh food but the effects of the open air, gentle exercise and friendly companionship that are important factors in our well being.
The plot doesn’t look completely barren as there are the rapidly emptying patches of winter crops, but most exciting of all are the green shoots of recovery. Yes, the winter onions and garlic have put in an appearance! Breaking the surface of the soil are spiky green shoots, as these early birds give a lift to gloomy January days. The signs of improving times are also evident in my warm greenhouse, where the cabbage and lettuce seeds have germinated. These are joined by onion seedlings, so I’m on my way to a new growing season.
As the month progresses every week brings another sowing experience. This week it’s the turn of broad beans to begin their growing regime. I’m sowing two varieties, the first being ‘Express’. This variety is aptly named as it’s fast growing and an early cropper, with plump pods containing five or six beans, which have excellent
flavour. My other variety is ‘Karmazyn’, which produces pink beans. It also crops well and gives a colourful addition to the dinner plate. To ensure good germination of these beans I half fill two freezer bags with moist compost, which will just bond together when squeezed, before tipping in the contents of the packet. The bags are then topped up with more moist compost and the beans mixed in well. These are kept in my computer room at about 20C (68F) until little white ‘tails’ emerge from them, then they can be potted on. I’ve found this method of germination gives 100 per cent success. The secret is not too wet and a little heat!