What to do in November on the Allotment

It’s Now November on the Allotment – What should we do this month?

Now that Hallowe’en is over and almost Guy Faulks [in England!], at the start of the month the year really starts to close down. It is only a few more weeks until the shortest day. Just after that we can look forward to the Christmas celebrations. However, for many people Christmas is not a time for celebration but a time for sadness and perhaps loneliness. Like many of us, while I am with my children and my grandchildren, I think I must think of those I know in my community who might be alone at this time. Of course, for many, Christmas with families can also be a time of huge stress. Families are not always so comfortable with each other and what a wonderful time to escape to the allotment and do a bit of digging or meet up with friends to share a joke or two and compare who has the best Brussels Sprouts or even swap a few vegetables.

However, I am jumping ahead of myself by a few weeks, more next month.

Maintenance

Ø  As crops finish their harvest, remove the spent plants and compost them;

 Keep winter crops – brassicas, leeks, parsnips, etc, clear of weeds and watch out for pests like white fly on the brassicas;

Ø  If you have not already done so, cut back asparagus ferns as they turn yellow and compost. Remove all debris from the asparagus beds to reduce overwintering asparagus beetles;

Ø  Finish all cropping in green-houses and polytunnels. Wash the insides of the spaces with detergent and water or, if you prefer with Jeyes Fluid [try to avoid this chemical on the soil but, using this should prevent the recurrence of algae for a couple of years]. You may find that the outside of your greenhouse or polytunnel has been more affected by algae than the inside [especially in a damp/wet year] and cleaning this is ‘a must’ to avoid a reduction in the light available for your crops in the coming year

Ø  As you finish using tools, cloches and netting, ensure they are clean and stored in a safe and dry environment;

Ø  If you have netting over fruit cages, it is advisable to remove it before winter – particularly on the ‘roof’ as the weight of winter snow can collapse your cage;

Ø  Clear away and compost dead rhubarb leaves.

If you have not already done so, in the milder parts of the country this is a good time to rejuvenate mature rhubarb clumps – dig up the crowns and split them. Replant the strongest pieces. Discard any small pieces and plant the best ones. Don’t dig up all of you old rhubarb plants in one year or you will have nothing to harvest the following year – the plants should be allowed to establish for a year before harvesting.

Ø  Cut back and cover globe artichoke plants before frost becomes severe. It is recommended that they should be covered with straw but, on an exposed site, your straw may blow away – environmesh or plant fleece will make good substitutes but, don’t allow the fabric to rest on the plants.

Ø  Put glue bands around the trunks of fruit trees, especially apple trees to capture moths which can damage the crop in the following season.

Preparation and Planning

Ø  As summer/ autumn cropping plants finish their harvest, clear the areas of plants and perennial weeds then, start digging, especially if you have a large plot to dig. On heavy clay soil particularly, the difference between autumn dug and spring dug ground is significant. One of the difficulties of winter cropping vegetables – brassicas [cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, spring cabbages], leeks, parsnips or autumn planted sets eg. onions, garlic is that the ground can’t be dug over until the following spring when the advantages of autumn digging [the rain and frost break down the heavy clumps of earth into a fine workable tilth]. Managing this aspect on heavy soil can be an issue if you wish to have a year round succession of vegetables.

Ø  Prepare beds for autumn planting perennial crops, fruit trees, bushes and canes;

Ø  Asparagus can be planted in autumn and I see that Dobies [of Devon] is advertising asparagus crowns in 3 litre pots which can [they say] be harvested the following year. Although they seem expensive if bought individually, they have deals of buying in groups which just about makes this a feasible proposition – why not try them in large ‘grow sacks’… like potato grow sacks in your back yard. I haven’t tried this so, I can’t say how successful it would be.

Most of the large seed houses have now sent out their autumn catalogues. Write to them to request a catalogue or find them on-line - Try Dobies, Marshalls, Thompson & Morgan, Unwins, Nickys Seeds, etc

Sowing and Planting

Ø  Suitable sets for autumn planting onions, shallots and garlic;

Ø  Broad beans – in a ‘kind’ year will over-winter well on the plots though will probably need protection from the harshest weather.  If you are using horticultural fleece or environmesh, ensure it does not lie down on the young plants during the winter as they will rot beneath the covering, choose suitable seeds for autumn planting, eg Aquadulce Claudia or The Sutton;

Ø  If you like to have flowers on your allotment – now is a good time to plant a good range of daffodils and tulips to give you a display and cutting flowers from late February until late April. For an early harvest of sweet peas, sow now in pots in greenhouse or poly-tunnel to plant out in early spring.

Ø  Fruit trees, canes and bushes can now be planted into prepared plots

Harvesting

Ø  Late main-crop potatoes can still be harvested and stored now

Ø  Brassicas – Brussels Sprouts, broccoli/calabrese, kale and winter cabbage are available now.

Ø  Leeks and parsnips are at their best now.

Important

Our birds can look forward to a harsh time over winter so, do think about feeding them and providing water for them during the cold months.

Autumn and Winter Vegetables 3 - Root Vegetables

Winter vegetables – 3 – Root Vegetables

Most of the recipes in this blog are not my own but, are ones I have used successfully – do try them

Root vegetables  - the mainstay of winter vegetables which, of course, can span several and all seasons if one thinks of carrots and I’m not thinking of shop bought carrots.

Having said that, I have failed, totally, to provide all year round carrots for my household and in some years have failed to provide them for any season.

My ground, being heavy clay, is not the best type for carrots. It isn’t stony, which is a bonus but, nonetheless, I really need to till the ground to a fairly fine tilth to a good depth (10 -12 inches or 25-30cms) to give a suitable ground for carrots to grow in. I have had some success with certain varieties but, carrot root fly is a serious problem.

Carrot resistant varieties like Resistafly and Flyaway have been quite successful, as have some of the less fragrant types like the white or cream varieties – Créme de Lite and Blanc á colet vert. These grow satisfyingly large carrots which are tender, delicious and reasonably unattractive to carrot root fly, possibly because they don’t have a dramatic carroty aroma or flavour. They will sit quite well in the ground, even into late autumn though, I have found that the longer I leave them in the ground the worse the carrotfly damage has become. Not really surprising. I don’t have facilities for storing carrots successfully so, at the moment I have no option. As I have said in previous blogs, it doesn’t seem to matter that I sow them into raised beds or even in metre high ‘carrot boxes’, the carrot fly have still invaded my crops. Inter-planting with marigolds has made little or no difference to the carrot fly although, I find, that the aroma from those plants makes me nauseous! In 2012 I intend to use environmesh to keep the flies out. I will report back on that in the new season – onwards and upwards!
To add extra vegetables to yours and your children's menu so that they won't notice( well, not really) - add sliced carrot, parsnip, turnip to potatoes when you are cooking for mash - then mash up together with freshly crushed pepper and seasalt - a knob of butter is good! Try also adding broccoli or sliced cabbage to boiling potatoes 3 - 4 minutes from the end. Add pepper and sea salt and chop up well before serving - delicious!

Parsnips are, of course, a must and have a long harvesting season, once you can get them established. I have found that sowing them too early (in February as suggested on some seed packets) can lead to a very low or zero germination rate. They can be harvested from July – wonderful young tender roots until late spring, when you might find that the centres of the roots become a bit ‘woody’ and need to be cut out. But, aren’t they a wonderful, flavoursome and useful vegetable.

 Parsnips Recipes

Roasted parsnips – from ‘British and Irish Recipes’

The much maligned parsnip comes into its own when roasted in the oven. In this roast parsnip recipe the oven roasting brings out the sweetness of the parsnip and creates a slightly caramelized outside. Delicious.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb/500g parsnips, peeled
• 2 tbsp goose fat, lard, dripping or vegetable oil
• Salt

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 425F/220C/Gas 7
• Cut the parsnips into even bite-sized chunks. Place them in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Once boiling reduce the heat an simmer for 5 mins.
• Heat the fat in a roasting tin until very hot but not burning. Carefully tip the parsnips into the hot fat. Using a tablespoon coat each piece with hot fat, this will prevent the parsnips from sticking.
• Return the roasting tin to the oven and roast for 20 mins. Turn all the parsnips over and roast for a further 20 mins or until the parsnips are golden brown.
• Serve immediately.

Parsnip Croquettes ( recipe from ‘Gourmet Britain’)  this is a wonderful for all roasted meat dishes. While this is not my recipe it is exactly as I would have made these croquettes when I was at college. Totally delicious!

·         900g/2 lbs Parsnips, peeled and with any hard core removed - cut into pieces

·         225g/8 oz Potato (floury-type), peeled and cut into pieces the same side as the parsnips

·         1 teaspoon (5ml) Salt

• 60g/2 oz Butter
• plenty of freshly-ground Black Pepper
• 1 scant teaspoon (3ml) freshly-grated Nutmeg
• Dried Breadcrumbs
• 2 Eggs, beaten with a little salt
• Oil for deep frying or oil and butter

Method:

1. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add the parsnip and potato pieces.
2. Simmer them for about 20 minutes or until they're tender.
3. Drain the vegetables and pass through a mouli-légume - or mash carefully to remove all lumps.
4. Mix in the butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
5. Allow to cool until they"re cool enough to handle then shape them into croquettes a little bigger than a cork.
6. Dip each in the egg wash, then roll them in the breadcrumbs until they are fully covered.
7. Deep-fry at 200°C/400°F until they're golden brown or shallow fry in a mixture of oil and butter.

Beetroots are one of my favourites, especially as a pickle or chutney. They are easy to germinate and establish and will sit a long time into the winter as a useable root. This year, I have learned to appreciate them as a vegetable (not pickled). They are best steamed and when cooked thoroughly, the skin just slides off, when the roots can be sliced and served straight or in a variety of ways. Next year, I hope to grow some of the more unusual varieties (as well as Boltardy which is a superb, reliable variety at a low cost)– just for interest!

Beetroot Soup ( or Borsch, Borscht  - even Barscht)

There are many recipes, some more complicated than others – do Google for recipes, but choose one that is simple and quick to make:- try this one:

1 lb/ ½ kiko beetroot ( 500 gms)                                      

1 onion – finely chopped

1 leek – finely chopped                                                        

1 stick celery – finely chopped

1 large carrot – finely chopped                                         

 1 large potato – diced or finely chopped

1 Tblsp olive oil                                                                    Salt and pepper to taste

2/3 cloves garlic – finely chopped                                    1 tsp caraway seeds

1Ltr vegetable stock ( or enough to cover the veg. in the pan)

Method

1.       Instead of chopping the vegetables, you might like to put them through a food processor.

2.       In a large pan, gently fry the onion, garlic, caraway seed and leek without colour in the olive oil.

3.       Add  the vegetables ( potato, beetroot, celery and carrot).

4.       Add the stock , season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil.

5.       Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for approx. 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the vegetables are tender.

6.       Pass the soup through a sieve or a liquidiser and check the seasoning. Add more if necessary.

7.       Reheat, and serve with dollops of cream or soured cream and chives on top.

Of the more unusual root vegetables, Salsify and Scorzonora are worth trying. They need to be cooked before removing the very tough skin which will then easily slough off. Their flavour is very delicate so don’t drown it with other much stronger flavours – try with a cheese sauce which is then gratinated – excellent!  

Salsify or Scorzonera  with cheese sauce

Scorzonera and salsify are very similar root vegetables. Both are considered a winter vegetable, best from November ‘til February. They are deep rooted 25 to 40 cm( 12 inches or more).The roots are quite delicate, easily broken and will discolour if the root is broken. They are often called the vegetable oyster as the flavour is delicate (though not at all fishy!) and it is important to not ‘drown’ the flavour with stronger ones.

The skin is quite tough and it is helpful t get rid of this beforehand – scald, steam or lightly boil the roots for a few minutes, then peel the tough skin from the roots. This should come off easily but , if not, use a peeler or sharp knife. Apart from cooking, you can stop the roots from discolouring by sprinkling with acid ( lemon juice or a mild vinegar – eg  tarragon, cider)

When the skins have been removed, cut the roots into lengths approx. 8 – 10 cm and place in a shallow oven-proof dish.

Make a cheese sauce:

30gm margarine ( 1oz)                                 ¼ litre milk ( ½ pint ) or veg stock

25 gm ( 1 oz) breadcrumbs- brown or white       Salt and pepper – to taste

30gm plain flour ( 1oz)

60gm ( 30gm ) cheese – cheddar is good though a more flavoursome one, like Stilton or other blue cheese is excellent – but don’t overpower the flavour of the vegetable.

Method 

1.      Melt the margarine in a saucepan and add the seasoning and flour. 

2.      Cook gently until the flour is cooked out – do NOT allow it to ‘catch’ or to brown.

3.      Add the liquid gently – little by little – stirring frequently until all the liquid has been added.

4.      Bring to the boil briefly then turn off the heat and add the cheese, allowing it to melt into the sauce.

5.      Pour the sauce over the salsify ( scorzonera) and sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top. If you wish, some extra grated cheese can be added to the breadcrumbs.

6.      Bake in a hot oven 180c for 15mins or grill until golden.

7.      Serve as a starter or side dish.   Yummy! 

winter vegetables

I've spent the morning at my allotment. It's cold and damp, a little drizzle but, at least it's not frozen. It's good to feed the birds and check for early signs of new growth and, yes! I could see my bulbs just beginning to appear above the deep layer of manure I put on the bed in the autumn. This is my 'no-dig' bed, an area of about 4 metres by 4 metres. When the bulbs have almost died down I plant out my squashes and pumpkins between the bulbs. So far, it has been a good arrangement. I have cut flowers for my home and the ground is always being used.
As the ground and the plants are not frozen, at the moment, it is a good opportunity to pick fresh vegetables - today, brussels sprouts and leeks, probably my winter favourites, well, along with parsnips ( my carrots have long finished so, I have to buy them. They don't count. I haven't yet worked out how to grow enough good carrots to have to store them). This year I have lots of leeks as I did successional planting - the first before the end of May and the second bed about 2 months later. I'm still only half way through harvesting the first bed and not a leek moth in sight. I'd never come across leek moth before last year and, while they didn't destroy the crop, they were slightly discouraging. This time I covered the crop with environmesh - good move.
Leeks are such a versatile vegetable,excellent in soups, casseroles or served with a cheese sauce, yummy! They are also nutritionally excellent - low in fat, sodium ( salt) and cholestrol but, high in essential vitamins and minerals.
The sprouts have been good this winter though, of course, are not so good frozen. I've had to buy them for a week or so. I have discovered that Maximus F1 and Bedford work particularly well on my ground, providing sprouts from early November (or even a bit earlier) until late February - if I've planted enough. This year I'm also experimenting with purple sprouts ( I can't say what variety as the young plants were given to me by my daughter). I'm not getting anything from them yet as, apparently, they crop much later into spring.
I could have dug up some parsnips as well. They have been good and very sweet but, they are very deep rooted which means me sinking deep into the mud to dig them out. I definitely have to be in the mood for that. ( I plant Tender and True - a good basic parsnip with excellent flavour and resistance to disease. They are also one of the cheaper varieties.)
I might get back to the plot again before the snow returns to harvest more of the same and some others. More later