GROW YOUR OWN FOOD WITH DIRTY NAILS APRIL, 1ST WEEK CABBAGES Dirty Nails has been planting-out his summer cabbages this week. He sowed seed of ‘Greyhound’ and ‘Spitfire F1’ varieties during the second week of February in the greenhouse. The seedlings are now up to 6 inches (15 cm) tall, each showing a clean set of leaves, and are ready to go into a warm and sunny bed. All cabbages like rich soil, so Dirty Nails had previously worked in some well rotted manure. He places the seedlings in their pots in a row at 2 feet (60 cm) intervals. Working back along the row, one at a time, with a trowel he digs a hole large enough to accommodate the root ball and slightly on the deep side. These are filled with water and allowed to drain. Then, one at a time, he taps each young cabbage out of its pot and firms gently into the hole. He plants his charges deeper than they were growing in the pot, with soil covering the original set of leaves.

Slugs can be a menace at this time of year, so Dirty Nails scatters a proprietary slug-stop barrier around his newly planted brassicas to keep the marauding molluscs at bay. He never poisons them, however, because slugs and snails are an important food source for many of his wildlife allies in the garden. Lastly, to bring on the greens to a harvestable condition hopefully from late May, he places a clear plastic cloche over each one and holds it in place with stiff wire pegs.

There are cabbage varieties for all seasons. January King is a Winter Cabbage that produces good, solid heads from December ‘til March. With a characteristic red tinge to their outer leaf edges, they will stand well throughout even the coldest weather. Dirty Nails has been starting off his Jan Kings this week by sowing the seeds individually into small pots of multi-purpose compost. They are pinhead-sized, with a greyish or browny hue. In an effort to cultivate the strongest and healthiest plants, Dirty Nails empties the entire seed packet contents into the palm of one hand, and picks out the largest seeds with a pair of tweezers. He places these into the compost to a depth of ½ an inch (1 ½ cm) and moistens with a sprinkle of water. He will nurture them in the greenhouse until around the end of June, by which time they should be big and strong enough to be planted outside in their final positions.

EXTRACTS FROM DIRTY NAILS’ JOURNAL IN THE LAMBING FIELDS “It is always full of drama in the lambing fields during April. I took the high path off Motcombe Hollow towards Thanes, skirting horsey pastures to cross a sunken brook that twinkled, babbling within the fold of almost vertical banks carpeted with over-mature dog’s mercury. As mossy pasture rose steeply in front, the faint roar of building rush hour traffic just over the brow of the hangings mixed with chiff-chaffs, scolding great tits and sheep.

“Straggly-coated ewes stood and watched as their youngsters gambolled and played on the slopes. The air was full with their plaintive, somewhat desperate, bleating. A pair of magpies observed from away a short distance, obvious and handsome, strutting boldly in their distinctive plumage with long tails flicking expectantly.

“A tiny lamb buffeted its head against the wire fence with mum and sibling the other side, crying pitifully. She just stood while the youngsters called to each other. I stood and watched too, then got uphill of the ungulate tot and ushered it along the fence a bit, to a gateway. The response was immediate and emphatic. Troubled lamb found access via the open gate down the way, passed through and stood momentarily disorientated, before charging up the bank to the family fold.

“Another larger lamb, Number 2A, was the other side of the fence and trapped by the layout of the wire. Mother 2A and an even smaller, younger number were calling anxiously. I clambered over and spoke kindly to the confused youngster who backed against a tree trunk, looked confused, but would not respond. Mum, the other side, stamped a front foot and pierced me with a sheep-eyed glare. Knowing and respecting these much abused animals, not believing them to be stupid and seeing that the ewe was not interested in playing games, I barged through the brambles, grabbed lamb 2A by the haunches and pulled the little fellow into my arms. There was virtually nothing to this one at all. The lightweight was lifted to a reassuring chest then placed on mother’s side of the fence, all four feet on the ground. Mum was already walking away as the happy lamb ran to her side. She glanced back as I turned also and watched after a few strides. Babe was kneeling under her now obediently standing body and suckling with a passion, little tail wagging frantically in the warm sunshine.”

A Vegetable Gardener's Year by Dirty Nails (ISBN 9781905862221) is available from www.dirtynails.co.uk and good bookshops, rrp £12.99 Copyright, April 2009