Always lots to do here
Two of our volunteers, Brian and Sue Kirby, spend a day a week volunteering in the kitchen garden at Doddington.
The ground was wet in March, so work in the kitchen garden was restricted. However, there is always something to do here. Outside, Brian and Sue have been mulching raspberries, gooseberries and blackcurrants. This keeps the weeds down, as well as retaining moisture in the soil.
Indoors we have been pricking out. The sprouting broccoli ('Bordeaux'), cabbages ('Golden Acre' and 'Derby') and calabrese ('Parthenon') have all been done. Sue likes pricking out as she enjoys bringing the seedlings on through the early stages and feels it’s a satisfying task that gives you ‘thinking time’.
Recently a visitor to the gardens sent us a lovely letter and some seeds from her two favourite heritage varieties of tomato: 'Jubilee' and 'My Girl'. We’re growing these to see how they come out and it will be a nice surprise to discover what they are like! These have been pricked out in March, alongside 'Moneymaker', 'Gardener’s Delight', 'Lemon Tree' and 'Golden Peardrop'.
As the weather has been milder we've also been able to start sowing directly outside. Peas, carrots and leeks have gone in. We are growing the winter leek variety 'Musselburgh' again but this year we are also trying autumn variety 'Almera'. We’ve done this so we have some extra leeks ready earlier, which will suit our cafe kitchen.
March has also seen the next broad beans ('Witkiem Manita') go in. Spinach is very popular at Doddington. We have sowed the first of the spinaches – 'Bordeaux', 'Viking', 'Matador' and 'America'.
We’ve started the potatoes ('International Kindey' and 'Charlotte') but will plant more in April.