Gerb’s Stroud market news 26th April 2019

Hotch Potch Organic return to the market this Saturday. The stall will mainly be plants at first. There is a nice range of peppers (sweet and hot varieties) and tomato plants for gardeners who’ve got their greenhouses ready or nearly ready and cucumber. They’ll also have courgette and butternut squash for those who can give them a bit of protection against late spring frosts, if we get them, or grow them on inside for a bit, before planting out.

For vegetables, they will have produce from Alderton Nursery, an organic greenhouse grower that specialises in early season produce. We are hoping for courgettes, cucumbers and aubergines but won’t know for sure which of these it will be until midweek, as they’ve been a bit erratic growing so far.

There will be plenty more plants on the way over the next few weeks at the stall, especially a wide range of tomatoes and squashes including heritage and unusual varieties, carefully raised to Soil Association Standards using an organic, peat-free, locally produced compost; Melcourt Sylvamix Natural is produced in Tetbury by Melcourt Industries. Growing advice will be freely available.

Current seasonal vegetables include tunnel tomatoes at Styan’s, purple sprouting at most of the stalls, chard and spinach, radishes, new season carrots and cauliflowers at Paget’s, and old season spuds and onions are still in good supply.

Elsewhere we have 4^th Saturday regulars Nifty Nut Butter, Simon Weaver’s Organic Brie, Tubby Tom’s Chilli sauces, Ye Green Men, Claire Powell pottery and College Green soaps.