I thought that I should do a quick update on the Tudor kitchen garden project. Unfortunately, not much has happened in the last week. Although we don't have snow on the ground here, it is freezing outside and I think that any seeds already planted will have rotted by now.
I will get re-sowing as soon as the weather warms up, although I'm starting to worry a little about the July target. On a more serious note, unseasonably cold weather would have been of great concern to Tudor householders who were relying on their vegetables to feed the family. When I planted my seeds a couple of weeks ago, the weather was relatively warm and, although rainy, it looked as though spring was coming. Within a couple of days, the weather had completely changed and it was snowing! There is little that people could have done to prepare for this in the sixteenth century, except cover their plots as soon as possible in an attempt to keep their seeds warm enough to germinate.
It also seems as though Tudor vegetables are in fashion this year, with The Guardian newspaper including an article on the subject on their website (http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2013/mar/29/gardening-tudor-vegetables) this weekend. It's fascinating and highlights how much I am going to need to learn if I am really to be enjoying a Tudor meal this summer. I may look into growing some Skirrets in future years...
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