The days are getting longer and brighter so there is more time to be spent in the garden…
Vegetables
Though it is April, only sow direct when the soil is warm enough and the frosts have passed. This will differ from year to year.
Once you have determined this you can sow direct: asparagus, beetroot, bortlotti beans and broad beans, calabrese, chard, cauliflower, french beans, carrots, kale, lettuce, onions, parsnips, peas, potatoes, radishes, rocket, runner beans, sorrel, spring onion, turnips, sprouting broccoli .
Flowers
While planting veges I often plant some marigolds to try and deter the numerous slugs ready to engulf anything on the vege beds.
Indeed why not plant some edible flowers also:
- borage flowers feed bees and they make a colourful addition to summer salads
- calendula petals add colour to salads and can flavour rice also
- nasturtiums- these grow easily and the flowers are peppery additions to salad. The leaves and seed pods are edible too apparently.
- violas are another colourful addition.
- courgette flowers deep fried in batter are one of my favourites!
- Most herb flowers are also edible and can add colour to a meal – chive, fennel, dill, thyme and oregano too!
