The Extreme Staycation

Location: London, UK  COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown In growing news, we have peas!  They were sweet, delicious and again the excitement of growing something I can eat was immense! It wasn't exactly a harvest for Birdseye to worry about in terms of competition but apparently more grow when you pick the first lot... can you tell I still have no idea what I'm doing?! Anyway, peas!

Location: London, UK  COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown Yesterday we ate some of the potatoes we had grown!  I successfully grew food!  This literally blows my mind I have wanted to do this for so long and I'm just delighted that at least 70% of what we have planted has grown in some way.  I tried a couple of peas too and they were so sweet and wonderful, it's genuinely delightful. Can you tell I'm excited?

Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown In growing news, the veggie patch is thriving! The potatoes are still growing really well - we may be eating potatoes with everything come autumn. We also have beans, peas, tomatoes and carrots which are all clinging on.  All the courgettes died, so we have planted some more to see how they get on. I am actually so excited at the idea of digging up my own veg to eat!  Anyone who knows me well knows that I kill most plants and I mainly use the garden to sit in the sun and read , but I' ve long wanted to grow my own fruit and veg but never had the time or inclination.  Now I've had both! I know a few friends who have also ventured into this brave new world too who are also excited by the idea of growing their own.  It's also so brilliant for little ones so they can learn where their food comes from.

Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown Growing news! We have one courgette which is hanging on for dear life. The tomatoes have refused to grow anymore, so they have been trasnplanted outside.  It's a tense moment while we see what happens to them. We have a new bean plant addition - it didn't do well in transit and is looking decidedly limp at the moment. The brussell sprouts have been thinned and planted outside and so far so good. In positive news, the carrots and peas are growing well and the potatoes may be taking over the garden!  They are THRIVING!  I'm so excited to eat our own spuds come autumn Potatoes:

Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown In growing news, the surviving courgette plants have been planted outside... Let's all hold our breath to see if they make it. The tomatoes are still a bit small to be transplanted but seem to be doing ok - although I genuinely don't think they have grown at all for a couple of weeks. In very exciting growing news, the potatoes, peas and carrots planted 10 days ago are growing at a staggering rate - I swear I saw one of the potato plants grow in front of my eyes yesterday. The idea that I can actually grow my own food is, I appreciate, not new, but to me it's very exciting, such a simple pleasure!

Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown In plant news, things have grown which is exciting.  Today we planted things (potatoes, carrots, peas) in the ground outside and I stuck in lots of poles - not because I'm imagining plants are going to grow over night, like Jack and the Beanstalk - but because I don't want any of the many cats and squirrels that frequent our garden to start digging or pooing there. We transplanted the courgettes from their original pots to individual ones and they seem to have immediately taken a turn for the worse... send prayers! Tomatoes, cauliflower and brussel sprouts are all growing, they are still small and need further cultivating. It's all a bit scary.  I really want them to grow but I really don't know what I'm doing!

Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown In growing news, THERE ARE GREEN SHOOTS ON THE THINGS I PLANTED!  THIS IS VERY EXCITING! And I made a tea loaf to my Granny's recipe (she was a great baker).  I always, always forget until half way through the recipe that it makes two cakes.  Why two?  I don't know and now sadly can't ask her, but double cake, yay! Recipe made slightly more challenging with all the ingredients being in pounds and ounces - but who doesn't love a recipe that includes 1/2 pound of sugar?  Yum.

Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Self-Isolation Today I went shopping early, there was fresh food on the shelves and I got some bananas - hooray! Like half the country, I've also been to Homebase/a garden centre.  I've always wanted to grow my own fruits and vegetables but I've killed the hardiest of house plants (I'm not kidding, I've killed cactuses) so haven't bothered following through.  However, as I now have the time, this is the moment to prove myself wrong. We have planted a variety of herbs, courgettes, tomatoes, cauliflowers, brussel sprouts, carrots and peas, the potatoes are "sprouting" and I've bedded more chillies than anyone will ever need (thanks to Wahaca and their little seed packs).  It's all quite exciting.  If literally anything sprouts a little green shoot I'll be delighted. Went for a jog/run and then ploughed through a lot of wine, negating the run somewhat, but hey, self-isolation. ...