This Sunday we will be back at Wolvercote Community Market with lovely Spring flowers – the last of the tulips and the ranunculus in full bloom. There will also be a range of plants. This will be the last market until mid May as, despite it being an awkward time for a gardener to be away, I am on holiday; because of this, there will be some tender plants on the stall that you might like before then. See below for the details and if you would like to pre-order for pick up at the market, please email me before 6.00pm on Saturday, 20th April.

Apologies no deliveries this week.

Email: thedevelopingplot@gmail.com

Flowers

All the flowers this week are home grown including beautiful tulips, ranunculus, camassia and geums together with fresh foliage and emerging apple and quince blossom.

Jam Jars: £7.50 with at least 15 stems and usually more

Pickle Pots: £10.00 minimum of 20 stems, but again usually more

Market Bunches: £12 with at least 25 stems

Bouquets from £15 (at least 30 stems) to £25 (at least 50) can be pre-ordered for pick up from the market.

Plants

Hardy and Tender Annuals:

Cerinthe Major: an unusual and attractive plant with its silvery leaves and purple hanging bells, this is a magnet for pollinating insects. It is a generous plant which gently self seeds so it will organise its own return year after year. The seeds are very easy to collect too. It likes sun, but tolerates some shade in my garden and also copes with my clay soil. These little plants have been grown from seed and have been completely hardened off so are ready to be planted out from their small 7 cm pots. They will put on good growth when put in the soil and in the right conditions can grow up to 60 cms. Each pot: £1.00

Nasturtium Black Velvet: a sumptuous, glamorous dark flowered nasturtium which is a great addition to both the garden and containers, producing flowers throughout the Summer. As well as being very attractive to look at, it is also edible and its flowers and leaves make a great peppery addition to salads. In small 7cm pots, these will need to be protected from frost. £1 a 7cm pot

Perennials:

There will be a small range of individual perennials in small 9cm containers and larger 2 & 3 litre pots propagated from divisions and seed including Knautia Macedonia; Bleeding Heart, Cupid; white campion and geum.

First of the Tender Vegetables:

It is a few weeks earlier than I usually sell these and they will definitely need protecting from frost and hardening off. For most plants, the roots are just reaching the bottom of their pots, but they all have plenty of room to grow in their existing containers. They will need to be kept under cover in a greenhouse, conservatory or bright windowsill and then gradually hardened off outside. It is best to plant them when their first flowers appear. Then they will need regular watering and weekly feeds with either seaweed solution or tomato feed. All tomatoes enjoy sun and can be grown in the ground or in containers in a greenhouse or outdoors in a warm spot. All the varieties below are of the indeterminate kind which means they need support (tying into a bamboo cane) and to have their side shoots removed as they appear. This may seem a lot of bother, but it is worth it for the delicious taste of a home grown tomato.

If you prefer to wait until later in May, I expect to have these plants available then and others too.

Courgette Blanco di Trieste: this pale ivory-green skinned courgette is a very healthy, quick growing variety. It is tasty and productive and it is also known for producing lots of flowers which are good for stuffing. £1.50

Tomato Black Russian: an old heritage variety, ‘Black Russian’ has large, deep red fruits with dark green shoulders. The flavour is excellent and is very rich and sweet with a hint of acidity. They start ripening nice and early indoors but also do well outside in a sunny summer. I grow this every year and it is a real favourite. £1.50

Tomato Chocolate Cherry: a small tomato which ripens to the colour of cocoa, it tastes delicious and has a sweet and fruity flavour. £1.50