Getting into the Garden

As a novice, and frankly awful, gardener, I wanted to share with you some ways that we’ve been trying to bring a little more greenery into the house. We have a tiny garden out the back of our fisherman’s cottage, and we’ve been working on ways to get the most of out of the space that we have. It’s tiny, and boxed in my an ugly red fence and huge coal bunker. We’ve managed to make enough space for some potatoes, shallots and spring onions. We’ve also cleared a bed (read; a patch of soil) for some squash and courgettes which will going in late May. We’ve also prepped with a bed of seaweed (you can read more on that here)

CUTTINGS

As we’ve often lived in flats, we’ve more than aware of how difficult it is bring nature inside when you have no garden. Our favourite and cheapest way to bring in a little greenery has always been to make cuttings from supermarket herbs (mint works rather too well). But oregano, thyme, parsley, rosemary and even basil cuttings have all done well in our very dark house.

To make a cutting, cut at the node. My boyfriend Jack is obsessed by this, and has since made so many cuttings I don’t know what to do with them. This just means cutting just below where the bobbly bit of the stalk sits. Take off any extra leaves so that your plant can concentrate all its energy on growing roots. And the final point, make sure you change the water everyday. Doing this means that your plant has less chance of growing mouldy. Even better if you can let the tap run at high speed, which aerates the water. It will give your cutting lots of lovely oxygen (top tips from Jack’s research) Find out more here.

NEW SEEDS

We’re also trying some new seeds; aubergines, nasturtiums, miniature curly kale, rainbow chard, icelandic poppies. and rocket. We’ll see how successful our crop is, as this is the first time we’ve grown anything out the back. When we moved in the ground was very rocky, full of coal and rubbish. We’ve added lots of compost and seaweed (an amazing natural fertiliser, and completely free!) We’ll see what the summertime brings!

India x