~Garden Salad~

I've grown veg for about 6 years now; despite loving gardening from my late twenties I was hesitant to get growing veg, for fear of failure I think - of doing it wrong somehow. Once you've started it dawns on you that that's the joy of it; that each year crops grow differently and results are dependent on nature as well as you.This year I gave up my allotment (sob) as it was unrealistic for me, so now I'm being more creative with my little garden - spinach, salad leaves, kohl rabi, tomatoes, squash, strawberries, runner beans, courgettes, garlic, leeks, herbs, chillis - amazing what you can squeeze in! And have room for flowers and perennials too. So tonight, it was in from work, out the back door with scissors and colander, and 5 minutes later you have a garden salad all cobbled together from what you find outside. Cheaper and tastier than something out of a plastic bag methinks.

If you're about to have a go I would definitely advise a John Seymour book (an old one from a Car Boot Sale if poss) which is sound basic stuff to learn. Try not to get too carried away, like super-enthusiastic me two weeks ago, who was seduced by the sun and planted everything out. I normally wait until after Chelsea, which reminds me -can't wait for Chelsea coverage tonight with Sarah Raven.  Most of my veg plants look a bit wind-whipped and forlorn at the moment, will it have taught me a lesson? Probably not.