Starter Garden

[Brij]

Right, I'm au pairing for a family in Ile de France at the moment. In 2 weeks time we're going to be moving to a house with a really big garden, and it seems that the English are renowned for their gardening skills. Now I didn't think I had green fingers in the slightest, however having spent alot of time in Latin America, it seems that my hosts can even benefit from my basic advice (when an apple is ripe, for example).

The mother, Elizet, has expressed some interest in starting a little vegetable garden, partly to amuse the boys (5 & 6) and partly because I'm happy to keep an eye on it, plus for the novelty of home grown veg, even for a month or two a year. So I was wondering about suggestions of what is easy to grow, and once established (my contract is only for a year) will need relatively straight-forward care.

So what do you guys think? And bearing in mind it will need to be sown at the end of August (I am willing to give over some of my room to seedlings! Love having plants indoors!) in one way or another. They tend to eat fairly 'normal' Northern European stuff - salads, onions, potatoes, herbs (mint will be easy), broccoli, beans, though being an international sort of family, they do like to try different things.

[Millymollymandy]

Every French veg patch has leeks and whilst it's much too late to sow seeds you can usually find bunches of leeks just ready for transplanting at plant stalls at the markets or probably garden centres. Markets should be cheaper and you will probably find ready to plant out winter brassicas as well, just don't expect any curly kale or PSBroccoli!

Or maybe those posh Parisians have heard of such veg?

Don't forget it's going to take time to prep the ground first and you've got all the unpacking to do - so you might not really get started until September!

[ina]

Might it be an idea to plant some fruit bushes or trees? OK, not veg, but autumn is the right time for planting, and they wouldn't need too much care once you've gone.

[Brij]

MMM, broccoli is one of their favourites! Will have a look for markets, the ground is just grassy at the moment, not weedy, but pretty good quality turf, so I think it'll be fairly easy to rip it up for veg.

ina, that's a great idea, but there are already a few fruit trees (apples, peaches, figs), and Elizet (the mother) really wants to try the veg.

[Millymollymandy]

Brij - I meant purple sprouting broccoli which you pick in the spring - I've never seen the seeds for sale here although it is mentioned in 'L'ami des Jardins', the monthly magazine that I get (likewise curly kale!!). If you do ever find the plants do please post and tell us!

Just looked on French Wiki and it's called 'Brocoli a jets' - oops I called it brocoli tige to some French people, not that it matters as they hadn't a clue what it was anyway!

[Brij]

ohhh! Well I mentioned it and no-one seemed to have heard of it. Actually I have a friend that might be able to send me some seeds, if I can get enough, I can pass some on to you guys if you like

[Millymollymandy]

Sorry, I was just looking at the latest gardening magazine and they were talking about 'brocoli a jets' - it sounds like something different. What exactly, I don't quite know - a sort of broccoli that has a head, then after you pick it you get side shoots...... that's not PSB though.

I don't think PSB exists here as trying to google for it doesn't come up with anything.

I have seeds (and plants!) of PSB as I bought them in England but thanks anyway.

[ina]

Sorry, I was just looking at the latest gardening magazine and they were talking about 'brocoli a jets' - it sounds like something different. What exactly, I don't quite know - a sort of broccoli that has a head, then after you pick it you get side shoots......

That sounds like normal calabrese?

[Millymollymandy]

Well I was looking on French Wiki and it listed 3 types of broccoli - romanesco, annual and brocoli a jets.

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brocoli

I assumed by annual they meant regular, summer harvested calabrese.

But then the magazine gave the impression that these B. a jets are planted now. Talk about confusing!

[Millymollymandy]

Aha! I think it's called Brocoli branchu.

http://www.truffaut.com/conseils/dossie ... on/35.html

which mentions:

L’espèce que nous consommons est appelée “brocoli à jets”, alors que nos voisins d’Outre-Manche consomment plus de “brocoli branchu”, peu connu en France

(the species that we eat is called brocoli a jets (calabrese), although our neighbours across the channel eat more PSB, not well known in France).

Et voila!

[Brij]

Ha! thanks for clearing that up, MMM!

I found a seed manufacturer out here that does packets with the sowing dates on, so we're going to go and see what they'd like to try, and I'll do my best to make it grow

I love this au pairing lark!

[Millymollymandy]

Good luck Brij!

[Brij]

Fankoo MMM!

Will let you guys know what we decide on