When the World Wearies, Get Growing
‘When the world wearies and society fails to satisfy, there is always the garden.’ – Minnie Aumonier
The fork breaks the surface, the soil turns, dark and rich. Sometimes a robin will linger close by waiting to see if he can snatch a quick and easy snack. They come so close and if you are still or pay them no mind they come ever closer, but he’s not here today. The fork plunges into the earth again and my back aches with the exertion but it’s a good feeling. The sun is warm, not yet hot but there’s a pleasant breeze that carries birdsong to my ear and more than once I think I could do this forever, live this life forever. I stop and rest for a moment, surveying the work I’ve done so far. Next it’s time for the delicate part, the planting out of young plants I’ve grown from seeds and the mind worries. Has the frost passed? Is it too early? It’s the same every year. I squeeze the pots and upturn them, wiggling them just a little until the plant, root ball and all slips into my palm and there’s a small but satisfying feeling of success along with the scent of tomato plant. This is the moment of truth and the weeks of carefully tending the seedlings might be ended by the use of too much force or not enough. I place the root ball in the carefully dug furrow and close the earth over it, firming it down and move on to the next until there’s a row of young tomato plants, ready to extend their roots into the earth, to grow. And when it’s done I sit down and have a drink. There’s dirt beneath my nails and I think once more, I could do this forever.
If you haven’t guessed it already, I’m something of a plant nerd. Have been forever, from before it became trendy to grow your own. There’s something about working with the land and the natural cycles of the year that makes you feel more connected to it. I often think gardening is a form of witchcraft, of magic, a kind of spirituality. You gain an understanding of nature and the land and thus begin to build relationships with it, recognising the spirit of the place, of life in all its forms. It’s also worth mentioning that this current pandemic has made people look at their lives in a way they never have before including how they might feed themselves and their families and learning to grow your own food is one way in which we can all ease the hold Capitalism has over us, if only just a little. And besides, having the knowledge and skill set to grow food, like in all areas, is something that once you have, you have it forever, and knowledge leads to freedom. And so, true to the nerd that I am, let me share with you some hints and tips that have been useful in my own gardening efforts.
Where to begin?
The first place to start is deciding where you will grow. If you’ve got a large garden, then great, you’re bound to find a suitable spot. If your garden is smaller then you will need to spend some time deciding where and what to grow. Whatever the size of your garden, you will want to make sure you choose a position that gets at least four hours of full sun a day. A south facing garden will ensure you have sunshine most of the day but if not, then choose a spot in your garden that gets the most sun.
And don’t worry if you don’t have a garden, there are plenty of foods that can be grown inside on windowsills or from hanging baskets.
Tools are another thing you will need to consider and do not worry about buying expensive items. I still have the garden fork that cost me less than a fiver ten years ago. Look into local gardening groups or organisations because they may well offer a tool hire or borrowing schemes which also works well for those who have limited storage space. Ultimately though, you do not need many tools to get going and if you had to have three items I’d suggest you’d do well to get yourself a gardening fork, a spade and a trowel.
You’ll also need pots and such. Seedling trays with propagator lids are real cheap for the basic type and looking after them well means they will last more than one growing season. You will need pots in a range of sizes, especially if you are growing indoors. Check out local selling groups and car boot sales as well as flea markets as you’ll be able to pick these up for pennies (and sometimes for free if you look on local selling groups or join online gardening groups). I suppose what I’m really trying to say here is that you do not need to spend loads of money to get started.
Once you’ve covered the basics of tools and pots, you ‘ll need to think about preparing your plot. Any grass will need to be removed and it will need to be dug over. Be warned, this is hard physical graft so if you have any mobility or health issues enlist help from family and friends. If you’ve got time before planting, consider digging in blood, fish and bones to boost the fertility of the land. Well rotted manure is also a good addition. When I used to keep chickens, that’s where their poop would go too. If you can’t get hold of any of these then dig in compost from your pile or you can buy a range of soil improvers. If you don’t have time to do any of this before planting anything then make sure you give your plants good quality food. Soak nettles and comfrey in buckets of water until it goes a little smelly and then use the liquid to water your plants.
What to Grow?
You will also need to consider the time of year. As you read this, it will probably be too late to start growing from seed with the exception of overwintering vegetables such as cauliflower and leeks. Onions and garlic too will survive through winter and often do better for a cold snap. Spring cabbages can be started from seed now as well. I am a big believer in seed packet gardening, that is simply following the instructions on the seed packet.
For those vegetables that it is just too late in the season to start from seed, then plant nurseries, markets and garden centres sell young plants. These are a fab way for those who have left it too late to get a head start or who perhaps are not confident enough to start growing from seed. You’ll be surprised at the choice available too. Some plants such as strawberries are an absolute bargain because they will come back every year and you will even end up with new plants as the mature strawberry plant sends out runners with young plants attached to the end. You simply have to press these into the soil and they’ll take root ready to fruit the following year. Strawberries do really well in hanging baskets too, so if you are pushed for space you can still have fresh strawberries. There are varieties of tomatoes for hanging baskets too.
If you are growing indoors then there is still a wide range of foods that can be grown on a warm windowsill or in a bright room. Salad plants are great for growing indoors and can be grown all year round too. By simply snipping off the amount you need, you can have fresh salad all year round. Tomatoes thrive in a sunny window and you can grow root vegetables such as carrots and onions in window boxes and in troughs.
If growing vegetables seems like too much too soon but you still want to grow something for the kitchen then herbs are a must.
Sprouters are a really quick and easy way of growing food that is full of nutrients and ready in a few days. You can buy special sprouter jars and boxes but a bowl, jar or tupperware box with some damp kitchen towel at the bottom is perfectly fine and will do the job well. Simply then, sprouts are young seedlings. You’ll probably be most familiar with mung bean sprouts, the kind you find in many stir fry recipes, b ut the truth is there are many types of sprouts you can eat. Just be careful though as some young plants may be poisonous such as kidney bean sprouts (kidney beans are in fact poisonous when not soaked for 24 hours before cooking. But a little research will point you in the right direction and you can have healthy food within days without having to get your fingers dirty! Sprouts are great added to salads, stir fries stews and a whole range of foods.
Companion Planting & Pests
Of course, when we talk about gardening for food, we also need to talk about pests. I hate pesticides with a passion but as a gardener understand how annoying it is to lovingly tend your plants for weeks only to have them decimated by pests. Companion planting is a great way of avoiding pesticides that can be harmful to nature including friendly garden visitors such as birds and hedgehogs. The idea is that by growing those plants that pests are repelled by or more interested in will lead them away from your veggies.
Planting mint near your tomatoes and carrots will confuse and deter flea beetles and garlic will repel carrot fly. Nasturtiums are much loved by cabbage white butterflies so much so they will choose these to lay their eggs on these rather than your cabbages (nasturtiums are also edible, both the leaves and flowers - bonus!) and the strong scent of lavender will repel aphids. There are so many options available that companion planting is not only easy but will give you a garden that is pleasing to look at.
When it comes to larger pests such as snails and slugs please do try and avoid pellets. Even those that say they are mammal safe can be dangerous for wild animals and pets. If you really must kill them, then at least ease their passing with beer traps. These are small containers of beer left in the garden that will attract slugs and snails because they love beer! But I hate the idea of killing so I prefer to use copper strips from the garden centre as well as roughly crushing up eggshells and sprinkling among the plants (the sharp edges deter our slimy garden visitors). Making your garden a haven for mammals such as hedgehogs will also help to keep pests such as slugs and snails under control.
Birds such as sparrows will love young shoots especially those of the pea and bean variety. They also pull up young onion shoots. Netting is good at keeping them off but so too are those pinwheel type garden windmills. Place these in the ground around and among your veg plot and when they catch the wind, the movement and noise should be enough to startle and see off any feathered friends looking for an easy meal.
There are so many things, tips, ideas and techniques you will pick up and learn for yourself once you get started growing and it is true that gardening is indeed a journey. But as well as home grown fruits and vegetables, you’ll get much more besides; a sense of freedom and a connection to the land and the knowledge that comes with working with the soil. There are many small pleasures to be found in this life and one of the best is the feeling of the earth, alive beneath your fingers.
‘There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments.’ – Janet Kilburn Phillips
‘The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.’ – Alfred Austin
EMMA KATHRYN
My name is Emma Kathryn, my path is a mixture of traditional European witchcraft, vodou and obeah, a mixture representing my heritage. I live in the sticks with my family where I read tarot, practice witchcraft and drink copious amounts of coffee.
You can follow Emma on Facebook.