July 2015 on the Allotment

July on the Allotment – 2015

My apologies for my June on the Allotment Blog - I managed to delete it and couldn't totally recover it.

Harvesting has been late this year but, what a bumper year we are having for fruit. The strawberries have been so sweet and flavoursome and I have made iced lollies, ice mush, strawberry jam, strawberry conserve and given loads away. Although they have been wonderful I have been disappointed by their keeping qualities. I have to tell people to eat them immediately or, when I get them home, I must use them immediately.

I have been harvesting raspberries for a few weeks from last year’s canes. I think I have said before that I don’t cut back the canes at the end of the season then I can get a wonderful crop early in the season. I have not found that this has affected the crop from this year’s canes and the pigeons just love them! I don’t usually net my raspberries as I have 3 good rows of them and it doesn’t really matter if the birds take a few however, as I was harvesting yesterday, a pigeon was also harvesting on the same row I was working on, no more than a metre from me. I did speak to him but, he just looked at me for a moment then carried on picking. I had wondered why so many of the small branches had been broken off ....!

Redcurrants, gooseberries and blackcurrants are also getting somewhat ahead of me. I find at this time of the year that I spend so much time picking fruit that I don’t have much time for the regular maintenance and weeds are getting a little on top of me. But, I know that, when I go home, I still have several hours of dealing with the crops when I get home – jam making, jelly making, freezing, etc.

I have only a couple of meals left of my broad beans and they are now getting a bit tough so, the skins need to be peeled from the beans. I have frozen a couple of tubs earlier this season and I hope they will be good. I have not tried that before. The beans have been excellent – Autumn sown Aquadulce Claudia – well worth it if they survive the winter as they mostly avoid the blackfly which can destroy spring sown crops.

So far, potatoes this year have been brilliant. My First Earlies – Accent, have been outstanding and very tasty. Of course my preference is for floury potatoes. I am hopeful for my Mayan Gold potatoes this year, their bright purple flowers have invited some comments. I haven’t yet started to harvested them as I have not yet finished my first Earlies [ I think I have been late planting this year so the crops are having a decent time to mature properly without me rooting for tubers when they could really do with a little more growing.

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

·         watch for caterpillar attacks on tomato plants – pick off and destroy as you find them – tomato caterpillars, which can be green or beige coloured and really quite chunky will feed on leaves and fruits , destroying the fruits and allowing botrytis [grey mould] into the plants.

·         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].

·         For me, at any rate, slugs and snails are not a problem indoors but can still be a serious issue on outdoor plants, especially brassicas. Do keep an eye on their activity – slug traps, pellets, etc are useful though, they can be quite a pest underground with root crops and potatoes.

·         Birds are always a problem though, thankfully, not indoors. Netting brassica plants is essential. Berries, especially gooseberries, are especially susceptible to harvesting by blackbirds. They also enjoy redcurrants

·         Do net carrots as pigeons have discovered them a s a source of fresh food as with parsley [ having had my parsley crop totally annihilated on germination by pigeons – I now have a tub of curly and a tub of flat leaf in my garden at home – both with good netting over them. Similarly with carrots – I will now grow in tubs at home with netting and slug pellets – with luck, the height will also keep the carrot root fly away

·         Carrot Root Fly – an ongoing problem in the UK for carrot crops. I have tried many methods of beating this pest, including planting above 30cm or in raised beds. I have sown in a carrot box – made for me by a kind neighbour – about 1 metre off the ground. It seems the carrot fly on my allotment field have not read the instructions. Last year I grew an excellent crop in deep tubs in my back garden – as no-one locally was growing carrots, root fly were not a problem. However, as my crop was nearing the first thinning stage I was astounded to see that my crop had disappeared. There was no indication of slugs so I assume pigeons were the culprits. I do have a bird feeding station in my garden and feel somewhat miffed that they were not satisfied with the food I was putting out daily but, next year I will try again with netting!

·         Aphids - particularly on all beans[blackfly], whitefly [on brassicas], caterpillars can all weaken or eat your precious young plants. 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. Broad beans are particularly susceptible to black aphids. Remove the top growing points as soon as the plants have set pods at lower levels. While this does not eliminate the aphids it should discourage and hopefully encourage them to move elsewhere.

·         Continue to 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 tomato and cucumber plants as they develop to keep them upright. By now the plants should be setting the young fruits;

·         Peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, courgettes and squashes are greedy feeders and are thirsty. They will require regular feeding and watering especially in warm dry weather;

·         Pick courgettes regularly to prevent them from becoming too large and to encourage the plants to produce more;

·         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. If you don’t need the runners for new plants – remove them as soon as you see them as they will take away from the ‘mother plant’

·         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]. However, hoeing regularly in dry weather will reduce the evaporation of water from the ground and should help to prevent heavy, clay ground from splitting.

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

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.

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.

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;

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

§  Leeks can be transplanted as soon as the ground can be prepared. If it is very dry, water it well beforehand;

§  Spinach and Swiss Chard can still be sown;

§  Salad crops – lettuce, radishes, rocket, spring onions, can all be sown outdoors;

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

Harvesting –

Second-Early and Early-Maincrop potatoes are now be ready for harvesting.

Main crop peas and beans – runner and French.

Beetroots and carrots are also just coming to their peak quality.

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. [ I am really bad at harvesting my lettuces and waste so many of them in-spite of offering them to others- I should rethink the varieties I grow and the quantities

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.

Soft fruit - redcurrants, blackcurrants and white currants as well as gooseberries, 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

Hot and 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.

Strawberry Slush and Strawberry Iced Lollies

I am thinking of my elder grandson who is very allergic to dairy and eggs. This ‘recipe’ uses only strawberries and sugar. His Mum will allow me to give him these iced lollies but, she says, if he gets on a sugar high I will have to deal with him. So, not too much sugar.

Strawberries – hulled, sliced and enough to fill the food processor

Caster sugar – 1 Tblsp. Poured in on top of the strawberries

Method:

·         Whizz the strawberries and sugar in the food processor until smooth.

·         Pour the mixture into ice-lolly moulds and freeze

·         Enjoy and let the children enjoy

·         Any extra mixture can be poured into a freezer container and used scooped out or cubed into ice cream or champagne to make a delicious cooling cocktail.

Hot and Sour Gooseberry Chilli Jelly

2 kg slightly unripe gooseberries

A good handful of dried red chillies broken up [keep seeds in]

½ tsp. Aqsafeotida powder

2 – 3  whole garlic bulbs [remove all dirt and cut across the bulbs to ensure all cloves are ‘open’

A good sized chunk of fresh ginger root – 8 – 9 cm long [2 – 3 inches], cut up, it is not necessary to peel

Granulated sugar

water

25gm [1oz] green Bird’s Eye chillies – well chopped

Water

Method

·         Remove any leaves, twigs or dirt from the gooseberries and wash.

·         Place the gooseberries in a large pan or a preserving pan and add water – not enough to cover the fruit.

·         Add the garlic, chillies and ginger and bring to the boil.

·         Simmer until the fruit and garlic have well broken down. Mash any garlic cloves still whole with the back of the wooden spoon.

·         Allow to cool slightly then ladle carefully into a scalded jelly bag over a suitable container.

·         Leave for approx.10 – 12 hours or overnight. Do not squeeze the bag!

·         Measure the liquid and add 1 kg sugar / litre [1lb sugar / pint] – adjust the quantities for the amount of liquid you have.

·         Add the green chillies and stir over a low heat until all the sugar has dissolved.

Bring to the boil and using a sugar thermometer, boil until the temperature has reached 
105º C or 220º F.

·         Pot up in sterilised HOT pots. Cover and label.