Warmer weather has finally arrived, transforming the landscape from dreary winter grays to lush green foliage. On top of that, I may soon be cutting my grass for a second time this season! The fun doesn’t stop there though: true to its unpredictable nature, the UK is apparently experiencing an upcoming ‘heat wave’ – so with some seeds in hand and optimism in spirit I’m preparing my garden accordingly.
Sowing Squash
After a thrilling, if ultimately tragic experience with Squash ‘Spaghetti Stripetti’ last year – where almost my entire garden was engulfed by the invading vine but I still reaped a healthy bounty of yellow squash – this season sees me bravely sowing just one seed. This time around, arming myself with knowledge on how to best care for it (planting it on its edge in multipurpose compost) and hoping for much better luck! Bring it on…
Sowing Courgettes
As I prepare to sow my new Zucchini F1 Hybrid seeds, some may worry that it won’t produce as much deliciousness as the Black Beauty variety. But this novice gardener is prepared for a bounty of courgettes! With the right balance of sunshine and rain, those fruits should swell and give me more than enough snacks before even considering last year’s bumper crop – 15.5kg worth all harvested in one season! Who knows how many dishes can come out of such an abundance? All we need now are plenty more days with no rain whilst awaiting harvest day…
Sowing Nasturtiums
Nasturtiums are the perfect specimen for a romantic country garden with their flamboyant splashes of color. Soft yellow and orange blooms mix with vibrant red hues to make an eye-catching display, while greeny-blue waxy leaves provide an interesting contrast. These bright beauties serve as more than decoration; they attract advantageous hoverflies which help protect other plants from potentially devastating aphid infestations. Despite these welcome benefits, one must remain vigilant since Cabbage White Butterflies can quickly decimate tender nasturtiums if left unchecked!
After stumbling upon a forgotten packet of Nasturtium ‘Whirlybird Mix’ seeds, I made sure to plant a dozen of them – eager and optimistic that they’d burst through the compost into my garden. Not only will these beauties bring much-needed hoverflies in their vibrant hues, but hopefully they’ll survive long enough before being feasted on by hungry caterpillars! Wishing you all an incredibly joyous weekend full of green thumbs, sunshine and nature’s finest blooms!
