THINNING & PLANTING Now seedlings are popping up in the veg patch the next job is called ‘thinning out’ and involves removing a proportion of the tiny plants. We do this so the remainder have enough room to stretch their leaves and roots without competing with their neighbours. Advice about how much space to afford [...]
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Posts Tagged ‘beetroot’
DIRTY NAILS BLOG by Joe Hashman THINNING & PLANTING
Friday, May 21st, 201014 December 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman LAST BEETS IN A HURRY
Monday, December 14th, 2009LAST BEETS IN A HURRY I ate the last fresh beetroot of this season last night. I was out all day so Mrs Nails boiled them for when I got home. We had a rare visit from my In-Laws so on return I put the cylidrical roots in a bowl, grabbed a hunk of Tiger bread and [...]
Read More »26 November 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman COLD HANDS
Thursday, November 26th, 2009COLD HANDS The bucket is full of roots. Of radish, celeriac, turnip, parsnip, swede, beetfruit*. All lifted within the last half-hour. Leaves twisted off ’cept the celeraic, which we save as flavoursome additions to soups and stews. Rubbed clean by hand in icy water, their array of colours revealed from beneath the dirt. All aromatic [...]
Read More »3 November 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman TIME TO PICK SOME KALE
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009At lunchtime flocks of spadgers rise a-twittering from betwixt the rows of raspberries and beetroot to hide amongst hawthorn trees. My slipping stumble along the path prompts their flight. I stand and look and think that they must be peeking back at me. In the Abbey School playground, children’s voices loud and clear. A jet [...]
Read More »15 October 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman THURSDAY EVENING 5.56
Thursday, October 15th, 2009It’s pleasant to get on the plot for an hour after a long day at work. The exersize of turning soil stretches and stimulates the body, encourages internal heat and blood to flow. It’s not been cold cold today but by lunchtime I was struggling to warm up. I’d been delivering, had a meeting, popped [...]
Read More »20 July 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman WHAT TO SOW IN JULY
Monday, July 20th, 200920 July 2009 WHAT TO SOW IN JULY The thing with growing your own food is that by mid-July it can feel like the sowing season is over and that, if you haven’t got crops in the ground by now, then you’ve missed the boat. The good news is that aint necessarily so! There is [...]
Read More »15 July 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman MISTAKEN IDENTITY
Wednesday, July 15th, 200915 July 2009 MISTAKEN IDENTITY I sowed a line of so-called Yellow Cylindrical beetroot down the allotment on April 8th. 300 seeds came from Suttons and the packaging says ’New…unique long yellow beetroot.’ Well, forgive me but I beg to differ. They’ve thrived for sure. I’ve watered and thinned, hoed and harvested. We’ve enjoyed the [...]
Read More »DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman 29 June 2009 WRITING AN INDEX FOR ‘ON THE PLOT’
Monday, June 29th, 200929 June 2009 WRITING AN INDEX FOR ‘ON THE PLOT’ The ‘proofs’ for On The Plot arrived on Friday and I got a proper look at them today. What happens is that these papers are the book laid out as it will be when colour printed and bound for sale in the shops, except they’re [...]
Read More »20 June 2009: DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman LETTER TO A DEAD MATE
Sunday, June 21st, 200920 June 2009 LETTER TO A DEAD MATE I’m sitting amongst ripening red and black currants on the plot. You’d love it down here. Town Hall clock struck nine and it’s still warm, bright and cheery. I get confused. Is this the longest day or tomorrow? Either way, right here right now I miss you. [...]
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