June on the Allotment 2015

June on the Allotment 2015

I looked back at the blog I wrote last year on ‘June on the Allotment’ and was interested to note that May had also been cool and wet last year. I may be wrong but, I do feel that this year May has given us a better start as, although it has been disappointingly cool, we have had some pleasant sunny days between the wet days. My brassicas, at least, are looking happy. Pumpkins and courgettes which I planted out a couple of weeks ago are not so happy and have put on no growth. In my poly-tunnel, I have even lost a couple of tomato seedlings and a couple of chilli seedlings which I had planted into the ground of the tunnel. I can only think it was a cold night which finished them off before they got established. I was particularly sorry that one of the failures was my one and only germinated seedling of the Kashmiri chillies I had sown – it had seemed quite a sturdy little plant. However, I will try them again. [I hadn’t sown proper seeds but those taken from dried Kashmiri Chillies I had bought for use in the kitchen. If you have not tried these before, do try them. They are not hot but have a very distinctive flavour to enhance Indian cooking and I do love them added to the selection of spices I would add to a roasting joint of ham or gammon.

Maintenance  - around the plot and in greenhouses or poly-tunnels –

ü  Birds are always a problem though, thankfully, not indoors. Netting brassica plants is probably essential. I have also found it necessary to put nets over peas and carrots.

This year to my surprise, I see that pigeons [I assume] have eaten every little plant in two ridges of parsley [one curly leaf and one flat leaf]. I have sown again and might keep them in large pots at home – covered and slug-pelletted!  I have an image of the future of every bed of every fruit and vegetable being covered with netting.

ü  Berries, particularly gooseberries, are especially susceptible to harvesting by blackbirds. They also hugely enjoy redcurrants. I noticed last year that some of my red-currant bushes had already been stripped of their fruit even though the fruits were still green. This year I have loosely covered my strawberry beds with net. As I am not using the very fine netting which the birds can catch their feet in, I am hoping that the net will deter them but also give an escape route if needed.

ü  Slugs and snails are not so much of a problem in Green houses and poly-tunnels but do keep as lookout for them just in case. They can be quite a serious problem under cloches and in cold frames and a major issue on outdoor plants, especially brassicas. Do keep an eye on their activity – slug traps, pellets, etc are useful though, they can also be quite a pest underground with root crops and potatoes.

ü  Watch, also, for red spider mite on indoor plants – they like dry warm conditions and can take over and destroy your indoor aubergines, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and chilli plants. The leaves of affected plants will take on a mottled unhealthy appearance. On closer inspection you will see webs, mostly on the backs of leaves and when the infestation is severe, between leaves and stems [if the infestation reaches this level, it is best to dig up and remove the infected plants – keeping a close eye on nearby plants for similar infection].

ü  Carrot Root Fly – an ongoing problem in the UK for carrot crops. When thinning rows of carrots disturb the ground as little as possible and dispose of the thinning well away from your carrot beds. Alternatively, sown the crop very thinly to avoid thinning.

ü  By June you should finish harvesting asparagus. We should now allow the spears to develop into ferns to encourage strong growth in the crowns next year. Watch out for asparagus beetle and remove any beetles or larvae as soon as they are seen.  I haven’t seen any yet this year but, doubtless they will be with us soon.

ü  Aphids - particularly on broad beans, [Autumn sown broad beans are less likely to be attacked by blackfly – with spring sown crops, remove the tender top growth, once the first flowers have set to discourage this pest] and whitefly [on brassicas]. Watch out, also, for ants [especially red ants which seem to be more destructive and quicker to bite than their black ant cousins] – while they don’t, in themselves, damage the plants, they encourage aphids and will build their nests under plants undermining them. I have noticed that aphids on my plot have focused on specific plants while those plants around them are clear. I have therefore done nothing to destroy them. The loss of one broccoli plant among a dozen is a sacrifice I can make as long as I don’t have to use sprays.

ü  One of my neighbours has been particularly anxious about the presence of large numbers of Cabbage White Butterflies. She said that her young plants had been attacked while still indoors – before they were planted out. The green caterpillars of this variety can demolish your plants very quickly. Check daily, if you can and remove any caterpillars you see.

ü  Earth up main-crop potatoes as they grow.

ü  Pinch out the side shoots of cordon tomato plants as they appear [not from bush tomatoes], on plants already growing on in green houses and poly-tunnels. Stake or tie up the plants as they develop to keep them upright.

ü  Keep the plot tidy - cut grass on paths regularly to prevent weeds and grass from encroaching on your plot and to reduce slugs and snails.

ü  Weeding – keep seed beds, particularly, free from weeds. Hoeing is useful but take care to not damage young plants [hoeing is not very effective in wet weather as the hoed weeds will often re-root].

ü  Support your young peas plants as they start to grow.

Preparation and planning

ü  Re-dig beds to create a good workable tilth - ready for planting out. As far possible, maintain the plan you created over the winter for good crop rotation – sometimes this does not work out as planned – weather, timing and condition of the soil can prevent implementation of excellent plans. Avoid planting root crops where you have added manure or lime.

ü  In June you can still sow many seeds outdoors and preparation of the seed beds is important for good germination. [If the ground is too hard in a dry month to create a fine tilth, try watering the ground well, leave for a short time then water again. If this does not break down unyielding ground, create a furrow 4 – 6inches [10 – 15cm] deep and fill this with compost [I use bought-in compost when necessary]. Sow the seeds into this as normal. The seeds and young plants may well need lots of watering in dry weather to ensure germinating and growing on. The addition of the compost should help the quality of the ground for the next crop when dug in. However, if using bought-in compost, be aware that it will dry out very quickly on the top couple of cms which will prevent seeds from germinating.

ü  When transplanting brassicas, it is a good idea to add a sprinkling of lime around each plant if you know your soil is too acid. Don’t add manure at the same time as lime but try to dig in good, well-rotted manure earlier in the season when digging the beds.

·         Sowing and planting

-  under cover [in green house or poly-tunnel] Herbs – basil can still be sown to have successional pots of the herb. Tomatoes, peppers, chillies, cucumbers, aubergines can still be transplanted into ground indoors or into large pots.

– outdoors – You can still sow – French beans [some varieties are better sown a bit later. Read the instructions from the seed supplier], runner beans, beetroots [although you may have sown earlier in the season, if you like this crop you can continue to sow for a couple of months:-

-      Beans – French beans and runner beans can be transplanted outdoors;

-      This is still a good time for sowing brassicas outdoors, try – Broccoli/calabrese, spring cabbage for next year, winter cauliflower and kale.

-      Of course, carrots can be sown until the end of August, if you have suitable conditions although, I have found that I have had more success with earlier sown carrots.

-      Courgettes – if you have good, kind conditions, can now be sown outdoors although I have always propagated my seedlings and grown then on indoors to plant out in June. In a good year, with predictably warm forecasts do try for an earlier crop but, I would still prefer to wait.

-      Florence Fennel – a wonderful vegetable whose fresh aniseed flavour is such a wonderful addition to salads – sow from May until July outdoors;

-      Peas can be sown for successional crops until the end of June. Although I have sown some developed for late sowing in late July. While this did extend my harvesting time, the crops were not amazing;

-      Salad crops – lettuce, radishes, rocket, spring onions, can all be sown outdoors.

-       You can still transplant outdoors – aubergines [only in warmer, sheltered areas],  French and runner beans, Brassicas – broccoli and calabrese, Brussels sprouts, cabbages, cauliflowers, kale], celery, celeriac, courgettes, outdoor cucumbers, leeks, peppers and chillies[only in warmer, sheltered areas], pumpkins and squashes, outdoor tomatoes.

In all cases, harden the plants off well before planting out and do consider the weather. The young plants should be well watered into their final growing spot and continue to water until the plants have established – if necessary.

·         Harvesting – By now we should be coming to the end of the ‘Lean time’. For some time, the only crops available for harvesting have been asparagus, spring cabbage, purple sprouting broccoli, lettuce and rhubarb.

·          Overwintered cauliflower should be ready now, if it has survived the winter. Spinach and Swiss chard should provide a good harvest now – fresh young leaves are excellent in soups, salads, stir-fries, etc.

·         Early potatoes should now be ready for harvesting  but do check early in the month as growth has been slow this spring- I have now been harvesting globe artichokes for a few weeks, the purple ones especially have been outstanding. The plants have overwintered very well in spite of minimal protection and no cutting back.

·         Broad beans are now at their best – Autumn sown – the Spring sown varieties are not likely to be ready until the end of the month or into July.

·         Early sowings of peas – if sown under a cloche should start to provide a crop now.

·         Over wintered onions and garlic will now finish their growth during the month although there is no sign yet of die-back– look out for yellowing leaves and some withering. In onions, the leaves will fold over. Lift them and set them on the ground, in dry weather or on a rack, to allow them to dry out before storing in a cool dry place.

·         Young turnips, sown under cover in early spring should now be available for harvesting.

·         Rhubarb should now be at its best [don’t forget that the leaves are poisonous].

·         Soft fruit - redcurrants, blackcurrants and white currants as well as gooseberries, early varieties of raspberry and strawberries should now be ripening. Keep them protected from birds – they do seem to love redcurrants and gooseberries particularly. If you have lots of fruit, make sure you have containers for freezing and lots of jam-pots ready for preserving. If you still have produce in your freezer from last year, now is the time to use it up so that you have space for the new crops.

Recipes

Broad Beans à la Paysanne – recipe contributed by Alan Lock ( from the Cook’s Guide to Vegetables- Christine Ingram& Patrick McLeavey)

(Serves four)

15 ml olive oil                                    

1 Onion - finely chopped

75 g ham, lean thick and finely diced 

350 g broad beans – shelled               

2 Little Gem lettuces, chopped                       

75 ml. Stock – chicken or vegetable   

50 ml. Single cream                 Sprigs – fresh mint or chervi  to garnish                     

·         Heat oil in a saucepan.

·         Fry onion and ham until soft.

·         Add beans and lettuce.

·         Stir in the stock, cream and seasoning [Add salt and freshly ground black pepper]and cook over a very low heat for 20 – 30 minutes.

·         Stir occasionally, taking care to not break up the beans

·         Turn into a warm serving dish and garnish with the mint or chervil.

·         Serve with grilled meat or an omelette.

Notes:

Try with smoked bacon instead of ham, the smokiness works well with all of the other ingredients. If using bacon you can cut back on the olive oil. Fry the bacon first then remove and put to one side. Fry the onions in the bacon fat( with a little olive oil if needed). Add back the bacon when done and carry on as above.

Broad Bean Hummous – Cliodhna’s version of a River Cottage Recipe

400g shelled broad beans (late season large beans all good!!!)

1/2-1 glove of garlic (but to be honest I put 1/3 more than they ask)

about 3 tablespoons oil

generous squeeze of lemon juice (often more)

salt/pepper

Method

·         I steamed the beans for 8-10 mins (the older the beans I would give more like 10 mins)

·         Drain and cool (I just dunk them in cold water after cooking if I’m short of time)

·         Take off the waxy skins.

·         Put skinless beans in processor with oil, garlic, lemon juice and seasoning. Blitz and add more oil if the mixture is too dry (I added more lemon juice to do this job to avoid the mixture being too oily).

·         season to taste as necessary

I found this recipe from Hugh Fernley 'River Cottage Everyday' [ a book well worth buying]. But what I have written is my words not his and things I did a little differently.

I found it went amazingly with crisp fresh lettuce and cheese on toast! Yum!

Roasted Ham or Gammon with Kashmiri Chillies

1 joint of lean ham or gammon [ 1-1½ Kg approx] – smoked or unsmoked according to your taste

[I would rarely cook this for myself alone but, for a family gathering, it will provide good eating for sandwiches, grazing on, in omelettes, etc for several days if kept wrapped in the fridge. Of course it is also delicious eaten hot as a main meal]

2 – 3 hot chillies dried or fresh – sliced or broken into small pieces

2 – 3 pieces of cinnamon bark [if you are using cassia bark – the chunkier cinnamon bark, add a little more]

4  - whole star-anise                     10 bay-leaves approx. [fresh if possible]

Whole black peppercorns             a few whole pimiento [allspice]

8 Kashmiri Chillies – more if you wish although the flavour is quite dominant

A good Tablsp, runny honey

NO salt

Method

·         Remove packaging and wash the joint under the cold tap, dry with kitchen paper.

·         The ham/gammon will be cooked in a parcel and I have found greaseproof paper better than foil. Alternatively, if you can get hold of a roasting bag [can be bought in packets in supermarkets] this will give best results as it keeps the meat very moist].

·         Place the meat on the greaseproof paper and press the spices into as much of the flesh as possible, covering all with the bay leaves.

·         Pour over the honey then wrap the joint loosely into a secure parcel. If the juices leak out they are likely to burn and the joint will be less moist.

·         Alternatively, place the ham/gammon into a roasting bag and put the spices, herbs and honey in around it, making sure it is covered as much as possible. Seal the bag. And place on an ovenproof tray.

·         Roast in a moderate oven [180º reducing to 140º after about 45mins, Gas mark 4].

·         Depending on the size of the joint allow about 1½ hours.

·         Leave the joint in its parcel for at least 15 – 20 minutes before opening and slice. If you are opening it immediately, be careful of the steam in the packet.