Mid February on the Allotment and Lots to do

Mid February and lots to do on the Allotment

It’s the middle of February. The sun is shining and the temperature is up to a heady 10 - 12°C! Of course the ground is still sodden but, with the weekend almost upon us and the weather set fair for at least, a few more days there is a lot of work we can get started on.

This morning I planted my first short ridge of new potatoes in my poly-tunnel – Accent, 1^st Earlies [from Thompson & Morgan]. This year they arrived in plenty of time for me to have had them chitting since early January. The chits are sturdy and 1 – 2cms long. In previous years, I have put in twice as many but I have found that I have been giving so many away as I need the space in the tunnel for the next planned crop and, while giving away is no bad thing it is also quite extravagant. If the weather does stay fair well into next week I may plant a row of 1^st earlies outdoors and cover them with fleece or environmesh – I tried this last year though I found that slugs ate the newly emerged tops under the fleece. This year I must be more careful.

While I was digging the ridge in the tunnel for the potatoes I unearthed three red ant nests. That is a lot of ants in a small area, ready to decimate my crops. Already they have the first batches of eggs preparing to colonise my whole tunnel. Unlike some pests, they don’t seem to actually attack the plants or the roots. However, they build their nests around the roots, removing all moisture and soil causing the plants to collapse.

I also sowed a couple of rows of carrots, alongside the potatoes. A friend says he always grows carrots in his poly-tunnel where he can ensure the soil and water are satisfactory and the plants are protected from carrot fly. He always has a successful crop. While I don’t have a tunnel as large as his, I think it is worth trying for an early crop. I’m trying Early Nantes from VegetablesSeeds.net. This is not a variety I have tried before and I will report back on how well they do – or not! The rest of my carrots will have to take their chances outdoors when the weather warms up and the ground dries out a bit.

I also started my first sowing of brassicas in small prepared beds in the polytunnel. Brussels Sprouts – Bedford; Cauliflower – All the Year Round; Cabbage – Golden Acre Primo [all from Dobies] and Cauliflower – ‘Ottobrino’ Autumn Romanesco [from The Real Seed Catalogue]. While I have found in previous years that the ground outside has not always been suitable for transplanting these early plants, I think it is worth taking the risk as it does give the plants a good start and provides an early crop when conditions are good. I can sow again outdoors in  early March and protect the seedbeds with netting to keep the pigeons off them.

Some of the seeds I sowed in pots in my poly-tunnel in early February are just beginning to show signs of emerging – winter lettuce. The hoped for sunshine of the next few days should encourage the rest to appear.

Over the next few days I will set up my propagator and start sowing some of the more tender plants. It is an exciting time of the year.

Early March on the Allotment

Early March on the Allotment

It would be so easy to be seduced by the wonderful spring-like weather we are having at the moment and... I totally am! But really, we are only just out of February.

I have been trying to restrain myself from getting going on my plot too early and, perhaps fortunately, a heavy cold that has made me feel a bit miserable for a week or so, has prevented me from doing more than I might otherwise have done.

This is the first year, perhaps ever, that I am seeing the flowers on my really delightful double-flowered camellia not scorched and brown from frost. I suppose I could have put fleece over the bush each year to protect the blossoms but, that does rather seem to defeat the purpose of the plant. It is now very beautiful. Close to where I live there is an avenue lined on both sides with purple leaved flowering cherries. In spring time they can be absolutely stunning as they come into flower and as I passed them today on my way to my plot I was thrilled to see them just starting to bloom. When they have finished flowering the dark leaves can make the same avenue look quite gloomy and as they are pollarded every other year they don’t always look so spectacular. Hopefully, for the next few weeks they will make everyone who sees them feel joyful.

Some activities are reasonably safe... I think! Today I prepared seed beds for early sowings of some brassicas in my poly-tunnel. I have tried to rein myself in and have sown only a few seeds from each packet. Today, I've sown All Year Round Cauliflower, Cabbage - Golden Acre Primo, both from Dobies and Brussels Sprouts - Seven Hills from the Real Seed Catalogue [it's the first time I have tried these but they are recommended for exposed windy sites - my plot is certainly that although, being in the South West, t is probably not as exposed as some]. Brassica seeds will keep for several years so, it’s a good idea to sow only what you think you will need. Of course, if you are sowing very early you can successionally sow up to the end of April and for many varieties, well after that. Do read the instructions on your packets of seed and take into consideration where you are living and the weather conditions. In my poly tunnel is, I think, pretty safe but, possibly, if this mild weather continues, I could get away with sowing brassicas in outdoor seedbeds. They might be slower to germinate but that’s okay. If you are propagating indoors or in a propagator do make sure they are ‘hardened off’ [gradually reducing the levels of heat...without exposing to harsh frosty conditions, perhaps set them outdoors during the day then take back indoors at night!] before transplanting outdoors.

I did take a tray of propagator induced lettuce seedlings to my poly-tunnel a couple of weeks ago and today, I transplanted a few of them into the enriched compost of my tunnel and watered them well in. Although they were really quite small...second true-leaf stage, hopefully, I will have some early lettuce. This is well worth doing as they are easy to grow and are so expensive to buy. These are Cos, Winter Gem, Vaila, and are really quite hardy. Shortly, I will transplant some of them outside.

Today, I took the fleece covering from my globe artichoke plants. This is the first year I have covered them although all professional advice does recommend this [usually covering with straw for over-wintering]. After last year’s exceptionally harsh winter, when I lost 40% of my plants, I decided I was being just a bit too confident. Several of my allotment neighbours reported 100% loss. My plants are just starting to put on new growth and I felt it was time to divide a couple of them which were becoming a bit too ‘overgrown’ to do well in the coming season. The original artichoke plants will die back as they age and will put out side shoots. These will be fine for a few years but, eventually the plant will start to fail and will need to be replaced. This can be avoided by dividing the root mass. When the side shoots become obvious you can, during the ‘dormant’ months put the spade through the root mass and separate the side shoot from the ‘parent’ plant. This ‘side shoot’ can then be transplanted and will grow successfully as a new plant, removing the need for buying seeds or new plants. When you do this, make sure you take as much of the new root with your new plant as necessary. Several years ago I would complete this process without thinking and had 100% success. However, during the last 2 bitter winters, my propagation methods have had limited success and I am now so much more careful. Nothing beats over-confidence like a bit of failure!

Some very late transplanted and very miserable white-sprouting broccoli plants I bought from Thompson & Morgan [my own had failed as the very dry spring and early summer had prevented transplanting at the correct time and young plants I then bought from T&M were dismayingly dismal, leading me to complain bitterly] have now, actually started to sprout and today, I have brought home my first dishful, not a lot but I hope for increased cropping in the next few weeks.

I’ve also been back to my propagator and have sown two types of basil in pots, some orange scented thyme, Sultana tomatoes [little plum shaped, salad tomatoes which did absolutely brilliantly last year and tasted amazing... I bought my seeds from Dobies ]. I’ve sown pepper seeds and after the success of my chilli seeds, I hope these will be as successful. Last year’s peppers, although they grew and did produce fruit were not, what I would call, successful. The previous year I grew ‘Sweet California’ from a packet of free seeds which were outstanding. However, as we had little heat or sunshine during the growing season last year, the results were disappointing. Really, the impact of the weather conditions can’t be ignored, especially for crops which are not indigenous. My recent sowing was with Corno di Toro Rosso from Dobies. These are long sweet peppers, suitable for salads and cooking. I will sow my ‘bell’ type peppers later.

And, God heavens! the first asparagus spears are appearing... already!

From now on, I guess the year will speed up so, more stuff in the near future.

Acquiring a New PLot

Acquiring a New Plot

It’s that time of year again. The bills are going out to allotment holders for the coming year and many will look at the bill, consider what they have achieved on their plots in the last year – or not - and how they can better use their money and their time. As my daughter always tells me ‘You get out what you put in!’ This, of course does not mean the financial commitment [well! perhaps a little]. It mostly refers to the effort/ energy/ work/ time. Of course, when some people decide that the plot is not longer a viable venture, this is an opportunity for others, who have been on waiting lists for – perhaps years, to achieve their first plot. How exciting!

The plots I rent cost me, in the region of, £200 each year. This includes the rent for my plot, the shed and the seeds and, a contribution for my ploy-tunnel. It doesn’t include lorry loads of manure, canes, nets, fleece, environmesh and all sorts of other little items I think might be worth having but are not essential and most of them I can persuade my family to buy me as Christmas and birthday presents.You can also save on seeds by saving your own. Also, I know that, even in a poor performing year [in the last two bitterly cold winters, when I had to buy many of my vegetables] I, more than, covered those costs against what I would have bought in the shops of fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers, by a long way! Of course, my allotment association is definitely one of the cheaper ones and – if I dare say it – one of the better organised [though I have seen a better one!]

I do still have to buy mushrooms, citrus fruit, potatoes and onions [the latter two after about February until the new season starts in April] but, apart from that, I have preserved - frozen fruit and vegetables to use on those occasions when the ground is too frozen to harvest in winter. This may not always give me the vegetables I want to eat at any given time and it does result in gluts which must be dealt with but, all-in-all, financially, a plot is worth having.

But, and there is a BIG ‘but’, for the plot to be productive, it really needs to be planned and it is most important to put in the effort, time and work. This is difficult when people have commitments to, perhaps, a young family or a demanding job. Little children are not usually welcome if they are allowed to impose on other plot holders [similarly with dogs, unless well under control] though, most plot holders are happy to see children and young people getting involved and becoming interested in the whole process.

Do think about the time involved. If you have a demanding job and can, really, only come to the plot at week-ends or less often, remember that as your plants are growing, so are the weeds [and as it is their natural environment, the weeds will take over!]

Okay! Let’s assume you feel you can take over a plot and make it successful, productive and life enhancing. First of all you must plan what you will grow. Lots of plot holders only grow for the late spring, summer and early autumn months, which is fine, if that is what you want to do. Some plot holders are only interested in growing fruit – eating it, freezing it, preserving it. This is also great and is a really very low maintenance model though, do look at the rules of your plot membership. Usually trees are not acceptable, unless fruit trees are on dwarf rootstock. Talk to your field rep. about this. [ I have to admit to planting fruit trees on my plot without asking but, having since read the Tenancy Agreement more carefully, I’m now careful about keeping my little trees under control so that they don’t impinge on my neighbour’s plots]. Of course, fruit trees are not the only fruit to impinge on your neighbour’s plots. Raspberries produce runners which will appear up to a metre away from the parent plant and can be very irritating for your neighbours. Similarly, blackberries, loganberries, tayberries can put out long branches which grow across footpaths and neighbours plots.

Right! This is an excellent time to look at what the seedhouses have to offer. [In the UK, the main ones are Dobies, Thompson and Morgan, Marshalls, Suttons, Unwins – they can all be accessed on-line. If you prefer heritage or organic seeds, I do recommend The Real Seed Catalogue] Of course they will set out their stalls for you to choose from and you will feel tempted to buy far too much – I always do, even though I should know better though, many types of seed will keep for several years if you do buy too many. I also share with my children who each now have their own plots [as they share with me!]. check out will keep and what must be used in the year of buying.

If you have been allocated a full plot you might have lots of room to try out and grow a wide variety of produce. But, probably, in these days of long waiting lists you have only been allocated a half or even a quarter plot [and this might well be enough for you]. Even then it might have been untended for some time before your predecessor decided to give it up [very irritating for lots of people and a headache for the allotment’s organisation]. It might take you some time to bring it back. Pests, such as slugs, and many perennial weeds will have become established. It will take time and patience to eradicate them. [Actually, they will never be eradicated but, they can be controlled to a level where you control them rather than them controlling you].

Do plan! Think about:

·          what you like to eat

·         what you can grow all year

·         what you can grow easily in your conditions – soil, 

      weather, temperature, etc, check them out!

·         how much room do you have?

·    what tools do you need? – spade, fork, rake, dutch hoe, 

  trowel, watering can? – buy only what you need when you need it 

  you may find to don’t need some of this stuff and that there other 

  tools essential for you [eg secatuers]  – but, do buy the best quality you can afford.

·         how long will the crop be in the ground which might prevent you growing another crop?

·         when do you need to buy seed? when do you need to sow? when do you need to transplant? what are the care considerations [watering, staking, etc]? when do you harvest? what do you do with the crop when you have harvested? what are the pests/diseases which must be watched for and treated to ensure a good crop? what do you have to do to achieve optimum results?

There are lots of sites on-line available to help you with this information. Do check with the seed houses you buy from and do Google!

It sounds so complicated but, of course, you don’t need to do all of this stuff in one sitting. You can also, until you get the hang of it, buy young plants from your local garden centre or from the main seed houses. This can be a brilliant way to get started and is very encouraging. Even well experienced gardeners do this as it means they don’t have to go through the process of propagating and growing on when they don’t have [and don’t find it economic to provide] the conditions for ‘growing on’. It has to be said that there have been occasions when my seeds have failed or I have not been able to transplant my seedlings as at the right time, when I have had to buy young plants, plugs, mini plugs, etc.

If you have been lucky enough to acquire a new plot this new year, good luck and - most of all - enjoy it!.

The Summer Harvest - Tomatoes, Peppers, Chillies, Blackberries, Cooking apples and Recipes

The Summer Harvest

This is such a busy time of year. My intentions, when I go to my plot are:

• to spend some time maintaining the ground – weeding, strimming, pruning, etc.;

• to harvest crops which are ready;

• to water where necessary;

• to keep in touch with my allotment neighbours.

Well! I spend so much time watering, harvesting and chatting to my neighbours that I’m finding that the general maintenance is falling behind. Let’s face it:

- watering is essential for life;

- harvesting is essential for the satisfaction of having achieved;

- chatting is essential for the feel-good of life.

The maintenance will just have to be done as and when. I usually spend about 3 hours, 5 days a week on my plot. Occasionally this can extend to 5 hours and rarely- can reduce to 2 hours, depending on my reasons for going there. Really! If this is not enough to maintain my plot then – TOUGH!

I hope this doesn’t put prospective plot-holders off but, really – once a week with kids in tow who will not let you stay there to work will not result in a productive plot.

It is most important that we understand that ‘what we put in – we get out’, as my daughter put it so succinctly. But, this is not really what I want to talk about today:

Tomatoes – I’ve just harvested my first for this year – really too few to photograph and actually, well behind many others (including my son who has just started on the allotments experience – his were ripe three weeks or more ago!). This year, my firsts are Sultana – a small plum-shaped salad tomato from Dobies. Each year, following a suggestion from my daughter, I try something new, (this is not always successful but, new products and different varieties are always worth a shot if you have the time and space). The Sultanas – I picked all two of them which were ready were very delicious, though somewhat hard-skinned. I’m sure that is a positive in preventing –disease /blight maybe (give me time to research).

Don’t forget to keep removing the side shoots. These will re-grow and will keep coming up as your plant grows. Unless you are growing bush varieties, it is most important – very important – extremely important that you remove the side shoots as they appear (always, as the year progresses some side shoots will have escaped your notice. If this becomes apparent you must decide to leave them or remove them, depending on the amount of damage you might do the mother plant). If you don’t remove the side shoots you will find that you have hundreds of small green tomatoes of which, few ripen.

It is also very important to (as well as watering your plants regularly) feed your tomatoes. They are quite greedy feeders but, let’s face it, when we get it right they will continue to produce wonderful crops until the weather become too cold for them to do so. You can buy tomato plant food which is excellent though, last year, I decided to make my own organic food for my plants. I have a large bath tub on my plot which I filled with a mixture of nettles, comfrey and cow manure – topped up with water. This produced a thick black liquid that, I thought, was better diluted. This year I think it has been diluted enough with rainwater so am adding it to my plants neat – nothing has keeled over yet. Over-winter I will put the sludge out on my plot and start again.

Don’t forget that tomatoes can get blight – similar to potato blight. If you are growing outdoors you might want to look at ways of protecting your crop. In the past, I have used Bordeaux Mixture (essentially copper sulphate). This worked well and I believe was accepted by the Soil Association. However, it has now been removed from the market and I am growing all of my tomatoes in my poly-tunnel. If you have an organic solution for this problem (or even one which is not organic but is not too poisonous), please let me know and I will pass the information on.

Peppers/ chillies – these have been slow to establish this year and after a poor outdoor harvest last year I have dedicated a larger area of my poly-tunnel to this crop. I am amazed when I see tiny plants producing full sized peppers but, I do hope that they will grow a bit more and give me a better crop. That said, last year I had one particular plant, grown from a free packet of seed on a gardening magazine which I had bought – Sweet California – from a little plant, no more than 30cms high ( 12”), I had 8 full sized beautiful, ripe peppers. -perhaps I will be able to recreate that crop this year but, although my various pepper plants are looking hopeful, I don’t think it will be so spectacular.

Fruit – Blackberries and Cooking Apples

Blackberries are now ripening so, apart from just eating them straight from the briars we must think of ways to preserve them.

When I first took over my plot, half of it was overgrown with a very strong, invasive, 2 metre high bramble thicket. I spent a long time cutting back and digging out the roots which only mediocre success – I have been cutting out new young shoots ever since but, I’m winning. Of course, I was beguiled by an advertisement in my favourite seed and plant catalogue for a blackberry which produced amazing 2-3cm long fruits. Stupidly, I planted this about a metre from the door of my poly-tunnel. It established itself very quickly and started to fruit in its second year. It was quite good though, since I left childhood, I’ve not been a huge fan of blackberries. The fruits are nice enough but, the thorns are wicked.(I hate thorns and nettles!) This year, I find I have to hack my way into my tunnel about once a week as the plant is now putting out amazingly strong branches and side-shoots for next year’s crop. I can’t quite regret it, however, as it is also giving me a good crop of large succulent fruits and I now have to think what to do with them.

Fortunately, my Bramley apple trees – one at home and one on my plot – now in their third year with me, are looking excellent, with quite heavy crops. They are not totally ready to pick (they should come away from the tree easily when you take hold of them, without pulling) but, they are ready enough to use.
Do try:

Apple and Blackberry Pie

I can’t believe that my old college cookery book has no recipe for blackberry and apple pie. When I was a child this was definitely the dish I waited for all year. (well! apart from Christmas dinner!)We went out blackberry picking when I was very young – my mother said that I ate more than I picked. In wet years, I remember, the blackberries were full of maggots - well, each berry may have had its pet maggot but, I soon learned to ignore them in favour of the berries themselves. Blackberries are one of the real wild fruits available to us as the ‘brambles’ – the plants they come from are very hardy, deep-rooted, tenacious, so – are particularly difficult to eradicate. So, let’s make the most of them. (Don’t be put off by the reference to blackberry maggots, I haven’t seen a single one this year, in spite of the rain).

Ingredients – for a 1 litre ( 1½ - 2 pint) pie dish

2 good-sized cooking apples – Bramleys for preference

1 good sized punnet of blackberries( 1lb or 450 -500gm). The amount is not critical. The fruit must fit into your pie dish to fill it well.(the fruit will drop as it cooks)

3 Tblsp. sugar

Short crust pastry

150g plain flour (6oz)

75g margarine or butter (3oz)

Pinch salt

6 tsp cold water approx.(this amount may vary slightly depending on the weather and the flour you are using – you need the ingredients to bind together without being sticky).

Method

• Sieve the flour and salt into a baking bowl. Add the margarine and rub in with your finger tips to create a texture like fine breadcrumbs – don’t allow the mixture to become sticky.

• Add the water slowly to ensure the ingredients combine without becoming too soft.

• Knead gently to combine the ingredients for a short time – 1 minute.

Making the Pie
• Preheat the oven to 180°C, Mark 6 gas
• Peel, core and slice the apples and place half of them in the pie dish.
• Put in a layer of blackberries and a layer of the sugar.
• Repeat this process until the dish is full.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured board to ½ cm thick approx.(¼in)to the shape of the pie dish. Cut off a strip of pastry wide enough to go around the rim of the dish
• Wet the edges of the pie dish with water and apply the strip to the edges. Wet the top of the pastry strip with water.
• Put the pastry on top of the pie. Trim and seal the edges. Put a small slit on the top of the pie to allow the steam to escape.
• Bake for about 15 – 20 minutes then reduce the temperature and bake for a further 15 – 20 minutes to ensure the fruit is cooked. Don’t allow the pastry to burn
• When baked, sprinkle the top with a little caster sugar immediately and serve with cream, ice-cream or crème fraîche.
Try also:

Blackberry Jelly
Ingredients
Blackberries (the amount is, up-to-a point irrelevant, they must fit easily into your preserving pan)
Perhaps a little water to start the juicing process - ¼ - ½ litre if needed- depending on the amount of fruit..
Lemon juice
Sugar – depending on the amount of juice
A knob of butter
Method
1. Pick over the fruit to remove any leaves, etc.
2. Put in the preserving and over a very low heat, simmer gently until the fruit has broken down and is totally tender, (with the water if you feel it is necessary).
3. Strain though a jelly strainer.
4. Measure the amount of juice.
5. Allow 1 kilo (lb) sugar for each litre of juice (pt) – don’t mix up the quantities from metric and imperial measurement.
6. Put the fruit juice and the sugar into the preserving pan over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the lemon juice.
7. Bring to the boil in a preserving pan or a large saucepan to allow the preserve to come to a rolling boil.
8. When setting point has been reached, add the knob of butter and mix in well to reduce the amount of foam on the top of the preserve.
9. Pot, cover and label.

Blackberries can freeze easily, similar to raspberries – choose perfect, dry- if possible, fruits. Pack them gently into freezer tubs ( don’t squash them) and freeze.
On storage of cooking apples – more later.

Growing Leeks

Planting leeks

My little friend. He turns up whatever the weather, accepts a cuddle then, gets on with the business of catching lunch. I do know it's mostly birds and rats and that I'm attracting them by feeding them daily but, I try to keep the birds out of his reach. Unusually, he is a male. Normally it is the females who are the killers. But, he is cute and I believe, he lives off his hunting. Don't know his name but, he responds to 'Puss'

When I first took on my plot I was anxious to grow enough vegetables and a wide enough range of vegetables to provide for my needs all year round.

In my first year I came pretty close – it was a mild winter and although I became heartily sick of purple sprouting broccoli by the end of spring, I only had to buy onions, garlic and potatoes from January onwards and mushrooms occasionally (I've never attempted to grow them).

Although I'd never attempted to grow them before, I do love leeks and they are an important basic vegetable for use during the late autumn, winter and into spring. That first year I sowed a whole packet of Musselburg(Dobies) – it seemed like a good, reliable, not too expensive variety. I think possibly every seed must have germinated. I had leeks to give away to anyone who wanted them.

One of the other plot holders who had grown leeks successfully for many years recommended that I plant them out before the end of May. In a normal year this is probably excellent advice – this year it has not been quite so easy as the ground is rock hard after the very dry spring. With this practice you can start to eat excellent leeks by the end of October though, to have a crop to take you right through to April it is important to also have a later sowing. Last year I shared my early sowing with my daughter and she shared her later sowing with me. They were all excellent and what an great plan!

We thought this year, we would use the same strategy again. I sowed seeds in my polytunnel on 1^st March. I thought I’d try a couple of different varieties so started with F1 Carlton (from Dobies). The germination rate was dismal – I believe I got 15 plants! I sowed again. This time Toledo (Dobies) – the result has been even more disappointing and the ones which did germinate have made little progress. While I might be wrong, I believe the unusually warm, dry weather this spring has been responsible for the poor results, not just in leeks but with other crops as well.

I have sown again, outdoors so I just might have enough leeks though, only 15 to see me through the autumn! I think I might be begging!

The recommendation is for the leeks to be ‘pencil’ size when transplanting. As always some of my pencils are small and skinny and some really quite chunky but, they all grow just the same.

We all know that, when transplanting it is important that the roots should have as little disturbance as possible - well, with leeks, it seems, this is not always the case. The first of my advice of transplanting leeks is as follows:

-Water the ground where you are going to plant your leeks, really well.

- Using a pair of sharp scissors, trim off the ends of the roots and the tops of the leaves.Using a dibber(I use a dibber a neighbour gave to me made from an old spade handle – it is excellent).

 

Whatever you use, you will need something which will form a hole 2-3cm across(1in) and about 15cm deep (6in).

- You should plant the leeks about 15cm(6in) apart in rows about 20-25cm(8-10in) apart – wide enough to be able to hoe comfortably between the rows.

- Drop the prepared leeks into the holes then fill the holes with water.

Well, I have read around quite a bit on the subject of transplanting leeks and lots of different advice is given. Some information will suggest that they should be germinated in individual cells or pots to avoid disturbing the roots. Others suggest digging a trench and placing the young leeks along it.

I started by using the method I’ve given above and it has worked extremely well with no losses after transplanting so, I guess I’ll stick with that method.

 It is a bit like the continuing debate on when to water tomatoes. Some experts say they should be watered a little twice a day. (That would seriously not suit me!) Others say they should be given a good drenching every 3-4 days with nothing in between.Apparently it makes the plants lazy and shallow rooted !

I think we must try different methods and see what works best for us. Good luck. But, please do leave a comment if you have any better advice.

Asparagus Beetle alert!

Asparagus Beetle Alert and New potatoes for Easter Sunday Lunch

 

My beautiful and very productive, three year old crab apple tree,

pardon the compost bin in the foreground, it is one of my three bird tables on my plot - well! you've got to look after them and I can't feed them at home - I have 4 cats.           

It seems odd, in April, in England, to be praying for rain. When I was at my plot earlier today, a few darkish clouds drifted over and definitely some spots of rain fell, I swear it. The forecast is predicting heavy rain and thunderstorms for Easter Saturday. But we shall see. I’m sure gardeners, farmers and commercial growers are, like me, praying for an end to this prolonged dry spell – it must be six weeks or more now since we’ve had any appreciable amount of rain. Trying to dig my plot is like digging bricks. Although I understand that holiday-makers want a sunny warm Easter weekend, we will, holiday makers and growers alike, have to deal with what we get. As a gardener I feel that, whatever the weather, it is good for something.

Over the last few weeks I’ve been watching out for asparagus beetle. We only seem to get the common variety on our plots, at least, they are the only ones I’ve seen. Unfortunately, my asparagus has now grown beyond the eating stage so, for me, the harvest is over for this year. I planted some new crowns last year and hopefully, I will be able to harvest a few from them next spring.

Today my beetle watch was rewarded, if I can use that expression. I found three on one fern. I’m reasonably sure this is their first visit this year. When I went to warn a neighbour of their possible presence we found a good half dozen on her plants. These numbers are nothing. They are the vanguard. I didn’t have my camera with me today but, later I will try to get photographs of the beetles, their eggs and larvae and will put them into another blog.

For those of you who have not come across asparagus beetle – they are approximately ¼” or just over ½cm in length. They are quite colourful – black head, and abdomen with bright orange/red thorax and wing cases decorated with six bright white dots. I understand the spotted beetles are similar with more white dots (but, I have not seen them). They lay hundreds (nay! thousands) of tiny black eggs attached to the lower sides of the asparagus ferns which hatch into very unattractive larvae within a week approx. – though doubtless their mothers think they are beautiful. It is the larvae which do the damage and really, they do massive damage. Left to their own devices they will strip the ferns of your asparagus plants which then die back, causing your crowns to fail for the following year.

All is not lost, however. Unless you are totally swamped by the little pests, just pick them off as you see them and, if you can bear to do it, crush them in your hands (they are quite hard and will require some force). Otherwise go equipped with a container of soapy water and drop them into it. If you really have a plague of them, I have found that they don’t much like Derris powder – unfortunately this has now been banned but, if you do happen to have some left over, it does work quite well. For the larvae, I have been picking them off and crushing them. This is not a nice job. I advise, if you are going to try this method, that you wear rubber gloves – ugh! It has been suggested that if you just brush them off, using a soft brush, they will actually die before they can get back to the plant – perhaps I will try that this year.

The best method, as always, is prevention. On allotments that is almost impossible to achieve as they have probably already been hibernating in the soil that you have inherited and will move in from others’ plots but, you can limit the possible damage for next year. More advice on this later in the year.

Well this has been a fairly negative Blog, sorry about that – sometimes necessary – but, the good news is that I’m now harvesting early potatoes from my polytunnel. They’re not huge – about egg size – but, so delicious as only freshly dug potatoes can be. Mine are Accent - 1st earlies, bought from Dobies. I’ll have some on Easter Sunday with my leg of lamb, fresh mint and the last of the overwintered cauliflowers.

Happy Easter everyone!   :o)