Growth plans

It gives me an ironic pleasure to use the phrase “growth plans” now that I’m no longer part of the corporate world. Because I’m not talking about budget projections, sales targets or strategic goals, I’m talking about plants and real growth.

Much more real and meaningful.

This is the year that we plan to extend the outdoor raised bed area by a further four or five new beds so that we can extend what we grow on the croft.

This will take a reasonably major effort as we’ll need to hire a digger to level the very uneven ground in that area, as well as dig paths between the beds and build some cold frames.

All of this will free up space in the polycrub for more plants requiring protection, allowing us to extend the quantity and range of what we grow.

I’ve kept records of what we planted where last year and notes on the relative success or failure of each crop so that we can make good choices this year.

I started this week by sorting out my seed box, where it all begins. It’s been seriously in need of a trawl-through for some time and I’ve ordered some proper dividers so that I can sort things by sowing month order.

I’ve established what I have and ordered what I still need, sorted out duplicate and out-of-date packets and worked out what to sow in the coming few weeks.

I’ve worked out how to start my seeds in the house before transfer to the polycrub with a dedicated shelving unit in front of a head-height window in my study to get the best light, whilst at the same time keeping them out of the way of the cats.

I’m not sure quite how or why I’ve ended up with several different varieties of chillies, or at least twelve varieties of tomato seed, but there you go! Plenty for seed swaps and to give to friends as well as more than enough for the coming spring.

Growing is a challenging thing up here at 57° North, but all the more satisfying when you manage to succeed with something you had expected to struggle with.

My big successes last year were celery, carrots, salad leaves and the unexpected joy of a few tubs of night-scented stock. My big failures last year were aubergines, cucumber and cauliflower. With every year I learn more, adapt, and hopefully become a better grower.

Here’s to a good growing season for us all.