rekha’s kitchen garden
Fresh from the plot
It’s all change in the greenhouse this month, as Rekha sows basil and puts her young aubergine plants into their final homes, ready for a tasty, bountiful summer crop
Shield young aubergine plants from strong light while they get used to their new surroundings
I’m calling this month Mauve May, as allium pom-pom heads steal the show. It’s not just vegetable views here on the allotment. With cottage garden character running through my gardening, flowers play a huge part in bringing harmony to this plot. As much as I like to see straight rows of vegetables and mounds of potatoes, flowers not only bring a pleasurable outlook, but they invite pollinators and predators – all culminating in a harmonious clash of colourful sights, sounds and, of course, promised harvests. But there are jobs to be done, so I’ll park this wistfulness to one side and get to work. First the greenhouse. It’s ‘moving in day’ for the aubergine plants around now and before they arrive, I need to address the lighting. So far, their delicate leaves have only known artificial grow lamps, and the light in the greenhouse is too strong for them as they adjust.