2 weeks Ago By Michael Moran
Novice gardeners have been warned against planting a specific vegetable in the garden, with the gardening year "starting now". Chef, author and veg patch-enthusiast Kathy Slack says March is the real beginning of the year. “March stands on the threshold of a new growing season, the soil bubbling with potential for life and expectation all around: nature's true New Year,” she tells Express.
co.uk. But if you’re just starting out with a kitchen garden, don’t bite off more than you can chew.
“Focus on three or four easy crops and enjoy the success and satisfaction of growing those before moving on to more complicated veg as you become more confident,” she adds. She recommends five crops that will give you instant results – and one entire family to avoid. “Things like cauliflowers and Brussels sprouts seeds, in fact most of the brassica family, tend to be tricky and require quite a bit of space,” she warns.
“I'd avoid those if you're a beginner because the space they take up can be more productively used to grow easier crops like courgettes, potatoes, radishes and lettuce. “Runner beans are super prolific and low-maintenance too,” she added. Kathy grows much of her own fruit and veg at home now, but regularly manages to conjure up showstopper gourmet meals for her family.
She has some valuable advice for anyone thinking of following her footsteps, adding: “A blank slate can be very exciting, but also quite daunting. So go easy on yourself. Whether you're thinking of a life change or working on a new allotment, don't take on too much.
” Admitting that she doesn’t always take her own advice, she adds: “It’s really easy to get over-ambitious and think, ‘I'm going to grow cauliflowers and sprouts and a melon – all of which are super tricky, when really you can get the same satisfaction and joy from a perfect radish and far less heartache.” Right now, Kathy adds, she is in the middle of planting this year’s crops. She says: “It's seed sowing time which feels more like a treat than a job.
I'm sowing beetroot, peas, a few extra broad beans, spinach, radishes, lettuce...
. the lot!” “Sowing seeds is transportive. The kitchen table is commandeered for seed trays, stuffed with damp compost and a forest of labels, and home to newly-sown tomato, chilli and bean seeds, all of which require warmth to germinate and cannot be planted outside until after the last frosts in May.
” She adds that the job would be a lot easier if she had a greenhouse, but it will be years before she can afford one. Growing your own veg is kind on your wallet, and good for your body. You’re getting fresh produce with very few insecticides or other toxic chemicals.
It’s also, Kathy says, good for you mind. In her new book, Rough Patch, she tells the story of a massive change in her life – from burned-out business high-flyer to keen on kitchen gardens, connected with the rhythms of the Earth. Before Kathy decided to quit the rat-race, she explains that she wasn’t even aware how badly stress was affecting her.
She continues: "I thought it was okay to be constantly jet-lagged, jumpy, addled and inexplicably sad." "I didn't decide to fix things, my body shut down and forced my hand." Turning her back on her career, and reconnecting with the soil, has given Kathy a much-needed mental reset – but it’s also brought about some physical changes.
She adds: “There's nothing like gardening to work muscles you didn't know you had! I'm stronger physically now, but also my body feels far less fizzy, I'm calmer.”.
