Dig On For Victory

There are of course many definitions of heaven, but I believe that at this moment, my favourite would involve a greenhouse, a laptop, a very handsome mongrel and a not-so-large-that-it-can’t-be-ignored-for-the-time-being list of things I ought to be doing.  Sling in some birdsong, and we’re in business.

This morning’s ghastly weather (raging storm complete with whirling winds and nasty ploppy-type rain) has been replaced by a delightful wintry day, and although it can hardly be described as warm, sitting in the greenhouse with my feet up and a light fleece on whilst the hairy dog investigates what’s buried under the greenhouse gravel with much snorting and huffing is certainly a lovely place to be.

Recycled newspaper pots have been made, filled with soil and planted up with the very first seeds of the year – we have (drumroll, please!)….


Broad Beans (Aquadulce)
Peas (Kelvedon Wonder)
Tomatoes (Golden Sunrise, Red Cherry and Tigerella)

It seems wildly early to start planting, but I have been reading a book (always dangerous) which I bought a couple of years ago but which has until now lain pretty much unopened.  It is Dig On For Victory – the vegetable gardener’s guide written and published toward the end of WW2.  As my lovely elder daughter is currently studying evacuees, Victory Gardens and Anderson Shelters, we thought the time had probably come to dig out the book (ho ho) and see what it has to say.  It says plant peas, lettuces and tomatoes.  It says I should have planted broad beans before Christmas, but that can’t be helped – they’ll just have to catch up.  And the lettuces will have to wait until next week.

In any case – it seems to me that although this book could be accused of being sixty – lord, no, seventy! – years out of date, it was bloody important back then for veg patches to yield a decent amount of food that you could actually live off all the year ‘round, rather than a glut of one thing after another, followed by lengthy bald patches, which is what I have tended to achieve thus far.  I have to admit that my winter veg gardening is sporadic to non-existent.  There are months on end where I don’t set foot beyond the herb patch.  But in the summer, I’m happily engaged up here all day long, and terribly bad tempered when wrenched away from my beloved veg to – eg – eat or, worse, clean the house!

So, Dig On For Victory, it is.  We shall see how it goes.  I have high hopes.  Now I must go and eat.  And.  Worse.  Clean the house.




NOTE!  Wild Garlic spotted this morning while walking Hairy.  Two months earlier than last year.  I feel some cookin' comin' onnnnn......