Asparagus! Seedbeds! Growing chillies and peppers

Well, I've spent the weekend with my son and, apart from all the totally enjoyable social aspects of his company, we have been spending time on his new allotment. His plot is in Newcastle ( North East England for the un-initiated - this is much colder and at least a month behind where I  usually garden). That said, the weather was beyond springtime, we were working in t-shirts.
I do hope he writes a Blog here as we have got his plot so 'sorted'. In fact, his potato planting is ahead of mine in the 'warm gentle SW'. I know it is only the end of March but, already we are having temperatures above those we can often have in summertime - But, don't be complaisant, it really is still March and we can be hit by a very damaging frost for the next few weeks.
I do wonder at the idea of the fixed seasons. At the end of 2010 we had unprecedented snow and frost in November, into December. Although snow in December is rare for the South West UK, to have such heavy persistent snow so early in the winter season is very, very uncommon. Okay then, maybe it was going to be a particularly harsh, long winter - these are not unknown and affect us about every 20 - 30 years or so. This harsh winter has been followed by a very early spring which is even more uncommon. I come from a part of the country which has much harsher weather than SW England and, I've been around for a few years! I have no memory of such 'out of season' weather conditions. At the end of March we have weather, plant growth, nesting birds outside of the norm.
Having been away for a few days, the first thing I did today was to feed the birds on my plot (as they are nesting, it is most important they have a constant supply of suitable food). Also had to water my outdoor seedbeds and water seed beds and potatoes in my polytunnel.

The progress has been amazing outside and inside.
In the poly tunnel the early potatoes are now 6inches(15cm)high - they are doing well but, they must have enough water to develop properly.
My seed beds are progressing well: I have successional sowings of :-
Cauliflower - Dobies - All Year Round
Cauliflower - Romanesco - F1   Dobies ( you know, those beautiful swirly, delicate flavoured green ones)
Brussels Sprouts - Bedford ( Dobies)
Brussels Sprouts - Maximus F1 ( Dobies)
Lettuce - Cos - Vaila - Winter gem ( Dobies)
Leeks - I have some F1 Carlton from a March 1st sowing - they are well on - but few. I won't do them again.
All of these are doing well from sowings in a cold tunnel from early spring - some earlier sowings of lettuce in my propagator have been planted out and are surviving/ growing on well.
 I have also later sown, in my poly tunnel-
Cabbage - Primo. Cauli - Romanesco, Cauli - All year round, Lettuce - Cos, Vaila, Winter Gem, Brussels sprouts - Maximus and Bedford.
It is so easy to get bogged down in the aspect of sowing seeds and forget the progress outside. I have been particularly distressed by the total failure of my chilli seeds - all types from several sources (And I had bought a new 'state-of-the-art' propagator). My favourites are Joe's Long - available for most good seed suppliers. As a chilli they are predictable for heat, easy to grow and very suitable for drying. But, it's not too late. I have bought another packet of seed and will sow again. Last year I had just 1 plant and still have a long string of dried chillies from it, left from last autumn. My Jalapenos from last year were very disappointing. They grew well and produced a very satisfying crop but, amazingly, there was no heat in them. I discussed this with a friend who also grew them, with similar results. We decided that the cool wet late summer meant there was not enough sunshine when the fruits were ripening.. If anyone has any ideas on this, I would love to hear from you.
My peppers last year were so excellent. One small plant, no more than 15inches (40cm) high produced 8 huge, chunky, juicy fruits with such excellent flavour. I have never been a huge fan of peppers but, the flavour of the homegrown ones was so good that I am planning to fill all available spaces in my tunnel with them this year. I have sown California Wonder ( a freebee from a gardening magazine last year) and Beaver Dam (I have bought these from Dobies but, I think they are probably common enough to buy form any main supplier). And, at this stage I must say, in SW England, where it is really quite mild for the UK, my successes with capsicums has been inside my polytunnel. I planted some outdoors and they did grow but, the cool wet late summer ensured that the ripening process was so slow that slugs ate or damaged the fruit beyond using. I guess, if you have spare young plants and a spare well fertilised spot, it is worth trying with the hope of having a warm, dry late summer. If you do try, please let me know how you get on with them.

Well! asparagus! It is still the end of March and, already I have a few spears ready to cut. A couple of years ago several plot holders on my allotment field ( including me) 're-homed' some very mature asparagus plants on a plot which was so derelict it was going to be covered with black polythene for a couple of years before reallocating. It did seem a shame to allow the asparagus crowns to die. I put 4 of them into a suitable spot on my plot. A few weeks later I discovered I had also brought that awful weed -horsetail - entangled in the asparagus roots. However, I kept watch on it carefully and after repeatedly pulling up the horsetail as it appeared I think! really, I just think, I have got rid of it. I've allowed this asparagus 2 years to establish and this year - no really, this week, I am going to cut some to eat.
I also bought some 1 year old crowns for planting - seperately from the re-homed ones ( I bought mine from Dobies but, like other seeds, they are avaible from any reputable seed company). You can also buy 2 year old crowns which will be, presumably, ready for picking earlier.
Asparagus crowns are expensive to buy so, it is important to follow the instructions provided with these young plants. They do need well cultivated, freely draining soil (I am on heavy clay but, it is absolutely possible to ensure this can provide a good home for asparagus); need lots of well rotted manure (with a mulch of this in autumn) and definitely, definitely do NOT pick for the first 2 years. This is a plant which will give you good crops of wonderful, delicious asparagus for 20years or more but, only if you allow it to establish and treat it well. Think long term. Only cut the spears during the normal asparagus season - May /June, then leave the plants alone. The following spears, which grow up into metre high 'ferns' are needed to ensure the health of the crowns for the next year. That said, watch out for asparagus beetle. The beetle themselves don't seem to do much damage but, they will lay eggs by the thousand which will hatch into very nasty little dark green larvae which will demolish your asparagus ferns and ultimately kill the crowns. Do check these out. They don't like Derris Powder (no longer available). I'm afraid I don't know of any other organic solution than picking off the beetles when you see them and crushing. If you miss the beetles at the early stage you will have to (carefully - you don't want todamage the ferns) pick off the larvae and squash them - Ugh! I really hate this job.

But more later - next time I will talk about fruit - bush fruit, canes and strawberries - I'm a novice on fruit trees.
                       

Sowing Carrots and Poisonous Spring Bulbs

I shall start with the spring bulbs. They are beautiful and cheerful and make us feel good on a spring day no matter what the weather. What stunning colours they present. However, I have just had a text message from my cousin telling me he is in hospital. He has poisoned himself. He has eaten a daffodil bulb mistakenly thinking it was an onion. And, he is an adult. But, in the case of daffodils, it is an easy mistake to make, they do look similar. It is important to know that all or almost all spring flower bulbs are poisonous. Some, like the daffodil can even poison other flowers - try putting tulips or hyacinths in a vase with daffodils and see what happen to them. Some very strongly scented spring bulb flowers, like hyacinths can also give some people a headache if brought into the house. Please make sure young children don't mistake the bulbs for something edible. And, please don't eat any plant unless you know what it is and know that it is safe.

At this time of year I feel torn between waiting until the weather has warmed up a bit, and feeling that I'm running out of time - I must 'get on with it'. That said, it is a time for digging and, as that takes so much time on my very heavy ground that I really just have to keep working through the planting and 'chores'. I have now planted all my early and 2nd early potatoes. I have even planted two ridges of maincrops. British Queen (which I haven't grown before) and Mayan Gold ( I think they are maincrop. I also haven't grown them before but, have read such wonderful reports of them that I just had to try them). Actually the Mayan Gold didn't chit well. Although set out at the same time as the other potatoes, they have become slightly 'wizened'. I don't know if this will affect their growth, it hasn't happened to me before. I will report back on the success (or otherwise) of them later in the year.
It's worth noting that the potatoes I had planted in my polytunnel on 9th February are now well up above the ridges - excellent! But, I have also noted that some of the leaves have clearly been 'touched' by frost - not so excellent, (presumably on one of the very cold nights we've had lately). Although I have put fleece on my outdoor potatoes, I didn't think it necessary to do so in the tunnel. I don't think it will have done too much harm - I hope!

And, so to carrots. I didn't like them much when I was younger but, I have definitely acquired a taste for them. It upsets me somewhat that my ground is so unsuitable for growing them. Those that do grow, especially those wonderful, chunky, crispy, carroty-flavoured Autumn King, are also loved by carrot root fly. I did have a great crop from them two years ago when I sowed them early ( March/early April). A later crop, even interplanted with marigolds was destroyed. As I said in an earlier BLOG, the carrots I sowed in a carrot box (1 metre off the ground) were also attacked by carrot root fly - except for the white carrots (Blanc a Colet Vert - from The Real Seed Catalogue - wonderful, crunchy, flavoursome carrots). So much for the belief that carrot root fly can't fly above 30cm!
My daughter, who is lucky enough to have an allotment in London ( much different type of soil from mine. Hers is a beautiful, fine sandy tilth - very suitable for growing carrots) has also had problems with carrot root fly. This year we are each trying out different types to see what grows best on our land and resists carrot root fly. She has left a comment on a previous BLOG which I feel is worth adding here:-

- Having only just lifted the last of my 2010 carrots (oops! probably should have lifted them by now), I would love to add to the comments on carrot root fly. I sowed 'rainbow mix' last year as I love the different colours and flavours that you get. When I lifted the last of them 2 weeks ago I expected to dig up what was left after the carrot root flies had had their fill (not a pleasant sight as I am sure you all know). This was the case of the purple variety (cosmic purple) but the yellow variety were not only huge but almost untouched(one carrot has one rusty line through the top) - variety solar yellow. I couldn't believe it. Brilliant - didnt even know carrots would over winter.- ( Cliodhna - 21st March 2011)

So far this spring, in spite of Cliodhna's comments about purple carrots - well I had already bought the seeds, I have sown Purple Haze ( Dobies); Amsterdam Forcing ( Dobies); F1 Maestro ( Dobies). The latter two were sown in a raised bed and, as they have been developed for early sowing, I'm hoping they will be early enough to avoid the little blighters. I have also sown some seed which have been developed to be fly resistent - in this case Mr Fothergill's F1 Flyaway. More later, and I hope Cliodhna will also give me a list of what she is growing.

I have noticed that my asparagus is showing above ground - even it thinks it is spring. I had noticed it a couple of weeks ago and thought it was too early so, I earthed it up a bit. But, now I will just let it grow.

Growing Parsnips - and springtime

Parsnips

Okay then – Parsnips!  All winter I’ve been noshing my way through last year’s crop ( well, with the exception of the times when the ground has been totally frozen. They are very deep rooted and impossible to harvest then.)– they’re just beginning to  get a little ‘woody’ in the centre and I think this is the time to lift all of the remainder of the crop and use them, not least because I need the ground they are using. Always I buy too many potato seed and just now, I’m looking around for spaces I can plant them in which didn’t have potatoes last year ( and preferably the year before as well). This doesn’t always work out.

We can look at these plans of the three year rotation and hope to plan our plots around this perfect system. However, when I took over my plot, it had been sadly neglected and was totally overgrown with couch grass and amazingly strong nettle plants ( now, for some people these latter might be ‘the business’ but, for me – I HATE nettles – though I do put them in my tub of organic liquid fertilizer, among other things – more later!).

I started by digging each day, three ridges across my plot and removing by hand each plant and root of persistent weeds. These included mostly – nettles, couch grass and that unbelievably persistent weed, cinquefoil – even now, three years on, I have got on top of the couch grass and the nettles but, the cinquefoil is still an irritation. This weed is very deep rooted and broken off roots will regrow. That said, I will keep at it, removing each plant as it raises its unwelcome head.

Now, back to parsnips.  I prepared a  piece of ground I had allocated for parsnips. They don’t like manure so, it’s okay if manure was added for last year’s crop of whatever. As this vegetable is a strong, deep rooted vegetable, the ground needs to be reasonably well tilled to a reasonable depth – 2 spades depth. That said, I am growing on VERY heavy clay and I don’t ever double dig ( ie – digging to a 2 spade depth). I don’t have the energy or strength or time to do this – nor am I convinced that it is very effective – and I know there are people out there who will disagree with me – ‘in spades’.  But, we have to do what is effective on our plots, for the most amount of production, for the least amount of effort, for the least amount of damage of our ground and environment.

This year I sowed my parsnip seed a week ago – a different variety this year. I don’t know why I changed. Up to now I have sown ‘Tender and True’ from Dobies. They are a basic reliable seed and ‘do the business’. Although, I did sow twice last year – under cloches in February ( total disaster – not one seed germinated, though possibly because, under the cloche, the ground got too dry, in spite of my frequent watering, or maybe it was not frequent enough!). I sowed again in late March and, had an excellent crop. But, each year is very different. A February sowing in one year can be excellent but is disastrous in different weather conditions the next.

This year, I have waited until March before sowing and have changed to F1 Picador ( from Dobies). Now it might be a total disaster but, it will give me time to re-sow if necessary.

What do we do with last year’s crop – still looking good! Well believe it or not, we can freeze them. I’ve never done this before so. I will get back to you on how successful it might be:

·         Wash, and peel the parsnips – where necessary cut out the woody hearts.

·         Cut into roastable sized pieces

·         Blanche in boiling water for 3 – 4 minutes

·         Dry on kitchen paper or a clean teatowel.

·         Place in a freezer container – spray with olive oil ( or melted butter, if you’re feeling dangerous!)

·         Cover with non-stick greaseproof paper and repeat in layers.

·         Cover, and freeze.

I’m told this is a good way to preserve parsnips but, the proof as they say, is in the eating – will get back to you.

Please, if you have any experience in this or any other of my ideas – get back to me

Planting Early Potatoes

Planting Potatoes

Well!  Here we go again.  Yet another Blog about planting potatoes. But they are so important – well, for me anyway. Not everyone thinks they are an important crop. As I have said in a previous Blog, I think the difference between homegrown and shop bought is more striking in potatoes than any other vegetable. But, that’s my opinion.

The potatoes I planted in my polytunnel a couple of weeks ago have already put their shoots up. I’ve earthed them up as I am worried about the really cold nights we are having now, minus 4° here in Bristol. Gee! I know this is not cold by many standards. However, it can be damaging to my early plantings.

Although it is really cold at night now, it is also really sunny and ‘warm’ during the day and is absolutely delightful to have work to do on the plot. I am catching up on digging areas I had previously dug in the autumn. Although it is still very wet a spade deep, the ground is drying out quite nicely and breaks up well on the spring digging. This is the first time I am planting my potato seed into fairly well tilled, friable earth. Up to now I have been using them to help ‘till’ really heavy, solid, clay ground. And yes, they have been very productive, in spite of the poor conditions. This year I will hope for bumper crops of excellent potatoes. Of course, as Robbie Burns said – ‘The best laid schemes o’ mice and men gang aft aglay’, Please forgive me if I’ve got some of that wrong, I’m writing from memory.

My neighbour on the allotments was planting his early potatoes yesterday, when I was sowing parsnips and spring onions (the latter in a covered raised bed.) I always watch what my neighbour and his wife are doing. They are very experienced in our area and with our soil and, although not always successful in all crops, they are definitely ‘the business’.  He was planting in such beautifully tilled soil I looked at it enviously – like something from a BBC gardening programme. Mine will never, ever be like that. For me good enough has to be good enough.

Anyway, I did go home and collect my chitted early potatoes (Accent). I had enough for two ridges, which I could cover with one length of fleece ( highly recommended!). It was only when I had them planted that I realised that some of the potatoes were, in fact, Charlottes (salad potatoes – 2^nd early) Oh well! They’re in now.

A couple of days ago I sowed carrot seed in a raised bed under a poly cover. The accepted view on carrot root fly is that they won’t fly above 30cm. Believe me, this is not the case. Last year I had carrots growing in a box 1mtr above ground, and I covered it with fleece. The root fly still got into one of the varieties I had sown there. This year, my daughter and I (she has an allotment in London) are experimenting with varieties which the carrot root fly are not attracted to. Perhaps we need to plant the attractive ones alongside but, we’ll get back to you on this.

I was amazed to note that several of my asparagus crowns have already put out their new shoots, not only the older, more established crowns but also, last year’s new planting of one year old crowns. I thought it a bit too early so, I’ve earthed them up a bit.

Please get back to me on any thoughts/arguments you may have. I would love to have your comments.