On the Allotment in August

August on the Allotment - 2015

It has been a disappointingly cool summer and although holiday makers might believe it has been a wet summer, it has in fact, been very dry which has not been great for my brassicas, especially cauliflowers and Romanesco which have been small and a bit ‘sluggy’. They should have been watered well when they started to heart up but, I no longer have the strength and stamina to carry lots of water. Now, I restrict it to my poly-tunnel, seed beds and newly transplanted young plants. Similarly, I am trying to avoid any sprays and slug pellets except for newly transplanted brassicas. After they are established they just have to get-on-with-it. Brussels sprout plants are looking encouraging and already have the tiny sprouts developing well although it is too early to tell how they will do for the winter. The kale – Nero di Toscana, my favourite, is already harvestable although it was planted for winter harvesting. In spite of the dry weather, the courgettes [zucchini] are producing really well and I have already to put quite a few of my excess on my garden wall along with pots of runner beans.

It is a superb year for fruit of all kinds. Currants, especially red and white currants have been almost overwhelming. Still to come are the apples, pears, plums which all look like producing heavy crops. I have two Bramley Apple trees – one in my garden and one on my allotment. Already I am wondering what to do with them. I have never tried to store apples as I have never had enough to store before so, if anyone has some good advice on storing them for the winter I would be grateful.

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

v  It has been very dry this summer however, assuming that all indoor crops are watered regularly and appropriately, outdoor crops which would benefit from regular watering and feeding, if you have the energy and a plentiful supply of water are cauliflowers [ when heading up], courgettes, pumpkins, tomatoes, sweetcorn, globe artichokes, aubergines, cucumbers, peppers. Apply a good fertiliser fairly regularly to tomatoes, aubergines, courgettes, pumpkins. Tomato food, which is rich in potash [potassium – for flowers and fruit] is good for all of these vegetables.

v  Pick courgettes regularly [daily to every 2 days] to prevent them from becoming too large and to encourage the plants to produce more flowers – of course, you may prefer the large marrows. Similarly, beans [runner and French] should be picked regularly to encourage them to continue producing ;

v  Except for those varieties of pumpkins which produce small hand-sized pumpkins [Baby Bear, Wee B, Festival, etc which can put on viable fruits of 10 or more per plant] ‘stop’ the fruit production at 2 – 4, depending on the size;

v  Strawberries will now be sending out lots of new runners. Peg these into the ground near the ‘mother’ plants or into pots of compost, to create new plants. They will need to be watered regularly especially if in pots. Old spent beds, 3 years old and above can be cleared [they will have produced few runners although if this is your source of runners for the next bed, leave them until the new runners have established]. Once you have taken the runners you need and they are established, cut back the un-needed runners and old leaves from the established plants. Remove old straw and tidy for the winter;

v  Watch out for caterpillars – even netted crops can be attacked by cabbage white butterflies [I have observed the butterflies landing on the netting, folding their wings and creeping through]- Environmesh is excellent but, is expensive, especially if you have lots of crops to cover. Slugs and snails are always a problem although this year they have not been so destructive, I have noticed they have caused a lot of damage on my small summer cabbage and lettuce plot.

v  In greenhouses and poly-tunnels watch for red spider mite – they do love hot dry weather. I try to soak the whole area of my poly-tunnel to discourage them but, of course this can lead to botrytis infection. Caterpillars on tomatoes can be a big problem, they will munch into the leaves and the fruits, the damage will, of course allow botrytis to attack the plants. Watch out for their droppings and pick them off as soon as you see them – daily if possible – and destroy. I have left a couple of Brussels sprouts plants in my tunnel this year from where I had seed beds earlier in the year and I have noticed that the caterpillars have attacked those instead of the tomatoes. Of course they may well be different varieties of butterflies/moths and the tomato lovers have still to arrive !

v  On cordon tomato plants, continue to remove side shoots [they will re-grow], try to keep the plants to one stem and allow the plants to set 5 – 6 trusses only[remove the growing tip at this point] or you may have lots of small green tomatoes at the end of the season [however, lots of growers are looking for these green tomatoes, there are many recipes for green tomato chutney and green tomato jam]. For me the harvest I want is of red tomatoes for freezing pulp, tomato ketchup and tomato chutneys and relishes;

v  If you have not already done so, prune plum trees and blackcurrant bushes – avoid pruning plum trees in winter time as this can lead to disease infiltration. Remember that blackcurrants fruit on new wood. If you fail to prune on the new shoots on the old branches and this will probably give you a good harvest next year. However, if you are dealing with old bushes which have not been pruned for some years, try to cut out half of the old growth which will encourage new growth for next year but will still leave new shoots on old branches to produce for next year. In the following year, remove the rest of the old branches. When pruning redcurrants and white-currants, remember that they produce fruit on old branches so careful pruning is required to ensure there will still be a crop in the following year.

v  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.

- 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].

v   Clear away old leaves and debris from harvested crops and of winter brassicas – the leaf debris will give pests a home over the autumn and winter.

v  On Asparagus plots, keep a watch for asparagus beetle – there have not been too many of them this year. While I did check for the beetles earlier in the year and remove them, I become careless lately but, still see little damage from the larvae.

Preparation and planning - re-dig beds as soon as crops are harvested, to create a good workable tilth - ready for planting out.

v  Although it is early for ‘autumn’ digging, I will start to dig ground where crops have been harvested which will give me a chance to do the necessary digging [I have a large area to cover and opportunities for digging can easily be missed]. Areas such as pea beds and those for early brassicas can now be turned over.

v  Don’t forget that strawberry beds which are three years plus old should now be cleared – the ground re-dug and a new area set up for the young runners when rooted.

v  Globe Artichoke plants may well need to be re-established. Last year I dug up and composted  all the plants from my old bed. They had become quite woody and were not dividing successfully. I have established a new bed with new young plants. I will not let them ‘flower’ this year to allow them to establish well.

·         Sowing and planting

-      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;

-      Leeks can be transplanted as soon as the ground can be prepared. If it is very dry, water it well beforehand and continue to provide water until they have established;

-      Spinach and Swiss Chard can still be sown;

-      Salad crops – lettuce, radishes, rocket, spring onions, can all be sown outdoors – although, in this very dry year, seed beds will require daily watering;

-      Turnips can be sown until the end of August for harvesting into winter.

·         Harvesting –

v  This has been a wonderful year for potatoes. One of my First Early crops, which I am still harvesting, is one I have never grown before [ Red Duke of York ] and I have found them very delicious, floury of course so, if you are growing them do take care when boiling of they will fall apart. Second-Early and Early-Maincrop potatoes are now be ready for harvesting. Watch carefully for Blight and dispose carefully of any top growth you suspect may have blight – don’t compost it;

v  Runner beans and French beans should be harvested regularly to encourage the plants to continue to produce flowers and fruit [ stop the top growth as soon as it becomes a stretch for you to reach]. Those beans which are being grown for drying for the winter [Borlotto, Orca, Jack Edwards, etc. should be allowed to continue to grow without picking until the end of the season when they should dry on the vine [if the weather is very wet you might need to harvest them and pod and dry them indoors on trays]. That said, I do rather like the podded beans as a fresh vegetable, ensuring I leave some for drying;

v  Beetroots and carrots are also at their peak of quality – remember, when digging carrots to dispose of carrot tops well away from the crop to discourage carrot root fly;

v  Lettuces and spring onions [see above]. The lettuces won’t sit too long in the bed – eat them quickly or give them away and replant with new seedlings;

v  Globe artichokes are still harvestable although watch out for greenfly and black fly – they are quite a nuisance now coming into their main harvesting season.

v  Of course, in our greenhouses and poly-tunnels – tomatoes will be in full flow, peppers, aubergines, chillies will be ripening.

v  Cucumbers – indoors and out will be reaching maturity – don’t allow them to become too mature as the seeds can be unpleasant and will reduce the usefulness of the fruits.

v  Sweetcorn should be harvestable this month. The cobs should be ready for harvesting when the 'silk' has turned dark brown and is brittle. Don't let them sit too long or the kernels become rather tough. Keep an eye out for attacks by mice, rats or pigeons.

RECIPES

White Currant Mint Jelly

A large pan, bucket or preserving pan full of white currants

A good basin full of mint stalks with leaves [clean]

Water to  ⅔ cover the fruit

Several pieces of cinnamon bark [I usually use cassia bark- often sold as cinnamon]

Sugar – according to amount of juice

3 – 4 dried or fresh medium heat chillies – cut up or broken up

5 - 6 cloves of garlic – chopped roughly

2 – 3 bay leaves - crushed

Extra mint leaves – a good litre of [2 pints] – finely chopped or put through a food processor

Method

·         Pick over the white currants to remove leaves, dirt, insects, pieces of twig, etc. It isn’t necessary to remove the stalks.

·         Add water, cinnamon, chillies, bay leaves, garlic and basin of mint to the pan.

·         Place over a low heat  and stir well. Cook gently until the fruit is mushy and the garlic is soft.

·         Put the mixture through a jelly bag over a large bowl and leave over night or for 8 – 12 hours. DON’T SQUEEZE THE JELLY BAG – it will make your jelly cloudy for very little extra juice.

·         Measure the juice and add 1 kg of sugar for every litre of juice [1 lb for every pint of juice ].

·         Return the juice to a clean preserving pan and add the sugar.

·         Place over a low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved.

·         Bring to the boil and keep on a rolling boil until the temperature has reached 105º C [ 220º] – you may prefer to use the ‘wrinkle method.

·         Add the remaining mint and stir it in.

·         Allow to cool slightly before potting and stir again to disperse the mint through the jelly.

·         Pot up in sterilised jars, cover, seal and label.

Home made Tomato Ketchup

2Kg ripe tomatoes ( 4½ lbs)                            2 – 3 fresh bay leaves - crushed

568ml white vinegar( 1 pt)                              piece of cinnamon bark

190g white granulated sugar ( 6oz)                2 – 3 cloves garlic - crushed

1 Tblsp. salt                                                     2 – 3 red chillies ( dried or fresh)

¼ - ½ tsp ground allspice                                ¼ - ½ tsp ground cloves

Large pinch coarsely ground black pepper                                                    

Method

1.      Wash and roughly cut the tomatoes and put in a preserving pan or large saucepan with the salt, bay leaves, cinnamon bark, crushed garlic cloves and vinegar (be fairly sparing with the salt at this stage – add more in the final stages as necessary).

2.      Add the chopped chillies. Take care with these, especially if the ketchup is for children ( I have used dried  Joe’s Long, grown indoors - which are medium heat)

3.      Bring to the boil then simmer gently until the tomatoes are thoroughly softened.

4.      In the meantime, sterilise the bottles or jars – keep hot in low oven.

5.      Remove the cinnamon bark and bay leaves then, sieve the tomato mixture through a coarse sieve – preferable nylon. Return the juice and pulp to a clean saucepan.

6.      Add sugar then ground allspice, ground cloves and black pepper gradually, tasting frequently to ensure the flavour is not too strong. Remember, when the ketchup is cold, the flavour will be somewhat milder. You may also want to add more salt if needed.

7.      Simmer the mixture until it starts to thicken. Don’t make it too thick at this stage as it thickens as it cools.

8.      Put the heated sterilised bottles/jars on a wooden surface and fill them with the ketchup while it is still very hot. Seal the jars immediately. This ketchup should keep safely for several months.

Extra Hot Home made Tomato Ketchup

2Kg ripe tomatoes (4½ lbs)                             2 – 3 fresh bay leaves - crushed

568ml white vinegar( 1 pt)                              piece of cinnamon bark

190g white granulated sugar ( 6oz)                5 – 6 plump cloves garlic - crushed

1 Tblsp. salt                                                     5 red Scotch Bonnet or Bird’s Eye chillies

¼ - ½ tsp ground allspice                                ¼ - ½ tsp ground cloves

Large pinch coarsely ground black pepper                                                                

Method

·         Wash and roughly cut the tomatoes and put in a preserving pan or large saucepan with the salt, bay leaves, cinnamon bark, crushed garlic cloves and vinegar (be fairly sparing with the salt at this stage – add more in the final stages as necessary).

·         Add the chopped chillies. Use gloves when handling or chopping the chillies.

9.      Bring to the boil then simmer gently until the tomatoes are thoroughly softened.

10.  In the meantime, sterilise the bottles or jars – keep hot in low oven.

11.  Remove the cinnamon bark and bay leaves then, sieve the tomato mixture through a coarse sieve – preferable nylon. Return the juice and pulp to a clean saucepan.

12.  Add sugar then ground allspice, ground cloves and black pepper gradually, tasting frequently to ensure the flavour is not too strong. Remember, when the ketchup is cold, the flavour will be somewhat milder. You may also want to add more salt if needed.

13.  Simmer the mixture until it starts to thicken. Don’t make it too thick at this stage as it thickens as it cools and stir frequently to make sure the ketchup doesn’t ‘catch’ and burn.

14.  Put the heated sterilised bottles/jars on a wooden surface and fill them with the ketchup while it is still very hot. Seal the jars immediately. This ketchup should keep for several months.

Hot & Spicy Redcurrant and Chilli Jelly

Redcurrants – I am basing this recipe on approximately 3 Kg redcurrants.

2 whole garlic bulbs [ all dirt and outer leaves removed –cut across through the bulbs]

1 piece fresh ginger root approx. 3 cm x 6 cm or equivalent [it is not necessary to peel, just cut it up]

 5 – 6 dried or fresh hot red chillies – broken into small pieces

3 – 4 dried, crushed Kashmiri Chillies – these chillies are mild bur have a very distinctive ‘smoky’, flavour

1 stick of cinnamon bark [or 2 or 3 pieces of Cassia bark which I prefer ... often sold as cinnamon bark]

1 dsp, whole pimento seeds [ Allspice ] crushed roughly

Water

Granulated Sugar

20 gm approx. - Birds Eye or Scotch Bonnet Chillies – or similar hot chillies. Add more or less according to your taste

Method

·         Remove all pieces of twig or leaves from the berries and add to a preserving pan [ it is not necessary to remove the fine stems of the bunches].

·         Add the spices, ginger, garlic and enough water to show just below the level of the fruit – except for the Birds Eye or Scotch Bonnet chillies.

·         Simmer gently until all the fruit, garlic and spices have broken down and blended – at least an hour.

·         Allow to cool slightly.

·         Pour the mixture into a scalded jelly bag [firmly attached to an appropriate stand]. I use a ladle so that the mixture is added gently – a small jug will do as well.

·         Leave to drain overnight if possible or, at least for 8 hours. Do not squeeze the bag

·         Measure the liquid into a clean preserving pan.

·         Add 1 kg of sugar for each litre of juice – or 1lb Sugar for each pint of liquid [ the measurements are not equivalent but work just as well]

·         Chop finely, the fresh Birds Eye or Scotch Bonnet Chillies and add to the juice with the sugar.

·         Simmer very gently until the sugar has dissolved. Stir well.

·         Bring to the boil and using a sugar thermometer boil until the  temperature has reached 220ºF or 105ºC