Leeks

I just quickly want to share with you a quick tip I picked up off a friend of mine this week concerning leeks. 

I have never grown leeks before, & when I went to my friends house for a brew she showed me hers. They all had toilet rolls resting around the base. When I questioned her about it she told me that it was so that when the leeks grew there would be more of a white bit (the bit you eat the most of), therefore getting the most out of your leeks. 

Nifty, right?

How To: Make A Paper Seed Pot

As most people know, I am quite the environment nerd. So when it comes to gardening I do my best to recycle & give back to the earth. I have long since been in possession of one of these:

I bought it here & this is what it does:

1. Cut strips of newspaper about 3inches wide.

2. Take a single strip, and place the cylindrical block at one end, in line with the line on the block, with about an inch or so of the paper hanging off the bottom of the block. 

3. Start wrapping the strip round & round the block, until there is no paper left to roll with.

 4. Turn the block upside down, and fold over the excess paper hanging off the bottom, so that the base of the block is covered.

5. Turn the block back to the correct way up, then using the circular block of wood, twist down with the paper and block, adding a little pressure. This will twist together the base of the paper pot.

6. Slide the paper pod off the block, & continue to make more paper pots until you have the amount you need.

7. Add soil, seed & water (like you would a plastic seed tray), & watch your plants grow! 

Because of the fact that the paper will eventually rot away, these can be placed straight in to the ground, so there is no faffing about in getting them out of a plastic tray!

Best thing since sliced bread in my opinion!

New Books!

I am one of those lucky people who has a birthday right next to Christmas, so I have to get all my book requests submitted in one go. This year I received the following:

1. The Thrifty Forager by Alys Fowler

Alys Fowler is the gardening journalist for The Guardian, & she is just GREAT! She has a few books, but this one is the bees knees! It is great on where & when to do your best foraging, with pictures to guide you, as well as cute little illustrations.

2. The Faber Book of Gardens edited by Philip Robinson

My lovely boyfriend knows exactly what I love best - reading & gardening. This book combines the two in the best way possible. It is a compilation of poems, prose and articles on 'the garden' from The Garden of Eden to The Eden Project! I don't think I have ever loved a book more.

3. Grow your Own Month By Month by Jo Whittingham

This book is so great for novices like me. It gives the perfect step by step guide on what to plant, sow, harvest & generally DO in a picture perfect month by month guide. In fact, it allows you to do exactly what it says on the tin! Perfect for the beginner gardener.

4. The Flavour Thesaurus by Niki Segnit

I have been asking for this book for SO long! It throws all other recipe books out of the window. If you like to improvise a lot in the kitchen, this is the book for you. If you have a look at what you can forage from the fridge, then have a look in this book, it tells you which flavours work best with said ingredient, and why it tastes so good. My copy is signed, which is even more exciting. Another brownie point for the boyfriend!

How To: Make Sloe Gin

Happy New Year to one & all!

To celebrate lets make some celebratory sloe gin together!

On Boxing Day this year I went on a lovely walk with my wonderful family. My mum has never known what a sloe looks like so for those of you who are in the same boat, here they are:

Sloes are the fruit of the blackthorn, and look like small, marble-shaped plums hanging in clusters.

You will need to pick about 1lb of sloes to make 1litre of sloe gin, but try not to pick from the top of the bush, leave some for the birds to guzzle over winter!

Ingredients:

1lb Sloes

8oz Caster Sugar

1litre Gin

1. Prick the sloes with a needle & transfer into a sterilised bottle.

2. Pour in the sugar & the gin (or get my mum to be so excited by the prospect of gin that she wants to do it...).

3. Seal tightly & shake well (again, my mum doing the hard work...).

4. Store in a cool dark place & shake every other day for a week. Then shake once a week for at least 2 months (or get the boyfriend to do it, whilst you take pictures....).

5. Strain the sloe gin in to a sterilised bottle.

6. SUCCESS!