Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons - Cultivation Practices

 The vegetable garden at Le Manoir looks just amazing.  Netting and fleece is used to protect susceptible crops from rabbits or flying criters - whether that be insects or the many pigeons that thrive in the garden!             

 

As soon as the seed is sown it is covered with fleece to protect it from being disturbed or eaten by animals or birds and it also helps to create a warm temperature speeding up germination time.  The fleece is used throughout the growing period, not just in the spring and it works a treat.  We sowed the final rows of colourful beetroot for the year 10th August:- Beetroot 'Golden Beet' (a lovely golden yellow beet), 'Chioggia' (red and white striped) and Beetroot 'Bollivar' (good old fashiond deep red/burgundy colour).



Companion planting Calendula either side of Kale

Companion planting techniques are practiced - seen here Calendula (Pot Marigolds) are planted either side of rows of Kale to help prevent white fly infestation.

 

Another example of companion planting was having nasturtians and sunflowers mixed through the squash bed to help with pollination.

 

They also look really pretty of course!

Le Manoir - A Brief Update

Everyone has been asking me how I have been getting on during the summer internship so here's a few more photos and brief update......

Le Manoir is an organicially run garden and certified with the Soil Association.  The gardens cover a 7 acre area with 1 1/2 acres being devoted to the vegetable and herb garden

The main vegetable growing area is laid out in 4 main oblong sections which are managed in rotation, moving vegetable types on from one year to the next, helping to prevent build up of pest and disease particular to one type of vegetable, and it means that plants that enrich the soil nutrient such as legumes (peas, beans etc.) adding nitrogen into the soil, is appreciated by brassicas the following year.

 

If only my vegetable garden looked like this!  I have loved working here.  It is especially nice in the morning while it is still quiet and the sun's heat is still getting going.

Below a snap shot of part of the Asian Garden with the unusual crops like Amaranthe, Orach 'Red', Yacon and Gotu Kola looking colourful.