Carry on regardless

Gardeners must adapt to unpredictable weather, says Val

- Val Bourne

THE weather is very unpredictable these days, and we’ve had four really dry springs in a row in Cold Aston. They have all been different, and spring 2020, which I shall always refer to as the ‘lockdown spring’, followed a wet autumn and winter when it seemed to rain every day for months. Although the sky was cloudless in April and May, the nights were warm and there was plenty of moisture in the ground. As a result, everything germinated like cress in my garden, including the parsnips. Summer was then unsettled, and rain returned.

Last year, many gardeners began to grow their own for the first time and conditions were perfect. A recent press release revealed that 46% of Brits (their word, not mine) grew some fruit and vegetables. Growing your own is the greenest thing you can do, so I applaud their efforts. There are no food miles, your vegetables are super-fresh and nutritious, and, if you’re organic like me, you’re not imbibing any chemicals. You can monitor what you’re eating.