A bean feast!

What a summer it has been!

This has been our hottest, driest, sunniest summer for a good 6 years and the vegetable garden has responded accordingly.

We have been harvesting different beans for months now. I grow most varieties in the polytunnel. The only reliable outdoor beans are the broad bean and they have cropped in abundance. The freezer has copious containers of podded blanched beans which I will use in vegetable curries, stews etc.

French beans are eaten as fast as they are produced and rarely, even in a good year like this, do I bother freezing them. I tend to grow the purple podded forms, they taste good and are so much easier to find and pick! Most of the colour disappears on cooking but they do look a nice dark green when on the plate.

Runner beans in the polytunnel have been cropping since July. This year I was more circumspect with my choice and number of plants. Runner beans can produce an abundance of foliage and this then smothers the flowers and encourages mildew. It is important that the plants are grown in a well ventilated spot. I chose 'Red Rum' and was initially concerned whether so few plants would produce enough of a crop. Instead I have had a steady supply over the last two months with a sudden surge in production at the start of September. It is likely that I will be freezing some of this later harvest.

I suspect that the very hot weather through late July and August, which took temperatures in the polytunnel above 30 degrees on most days, probably slowed production down. Now we are getting cooler weather and this is suiting the runner beans which are looking healthy and have plenty of flowers and beans setting. (We have already had a slight grass frost, so had the beans been outside I suspect they wouldn't be looking quite so happy.)

The borlotti beans are always a bit of a indulgence. I love the colour of their pods and really, for the space they take up, the crop isn't that good. You need to let the beans swell inside the pod and this requires time. Eventually a day comes when you know the harvest has to be taken and you have to accept that it is the size it is. In previous years I have been able to take two or three small harvests, this year it has been one larger one. I think the hot weather stopped new flowers coming and therefore the harvest is mostly beans which all set at the same time. However it's not a bad result and now the space can be cleared and I will put in some kale for the winter months.

What do I do with the borlotti beans? Rather than dry them, and risk losing them at the back of the cupboard, I cook and freeze them on the day of harvest. It is a perfect way of combining  beans and perishable vegetables to store as the base for a winter stew. Use an onion or shallot that you think might not keep, add some celery, courgette, fresh tomatoes from the greenhouse, aubergine etc. and add the podded beans. Cook for a while, allow to cool, bag up and freeze. The flavour of this stew base beats anything you can get in a tin!

Modular sown beetroot

I confess that I have had mixed results with beetroot over the years. Sometimes it is to do with the weather at sowing, occasionally I will admit that the seed has not been fresh. But as someone who has a fondness for beetroot as a vegetable it really wasn't good enough.
A couple of years ago I decided to stop sowing the seed direct and try raising the plants in modules and this has given more consistent results.

Beetroot is an amenable vegetable in that it does not need to be sown in any particular rotation group but can be slotted in to a planting plan wherever space allows.
The individual seeds are in fact a cluster of seeds, so one seed can produce a number of individual seedlings. It therefore means that one seed per module will result in either 1, 2 or more seedlings per module. I don't bother separating them at planting. As long as there are fewer than four they will push each other apart and usually have enough space to grow to a good size.

This year I sowed 4 x 12 cell trays at the end of March in the greenhouse as the weather was very cold then. Once they had germinated they got moved to the polytunnel. There they got rather forgotten about as other plants and the nursery stock demanded attention. Once space became available in the polytunnel bed I planted one of the trays out, nestled between spinach rows. I confess they got rather overshadowed by the spinach and must have taken a deep breath when it was removed and they could see the light again. Progress here was, and remains, slow.

In early May, in a fit of desperation that we would ever get weather suitable for planting outside, I turned to my trusted fish boxes in the other polytunnel and filled them with lovely compost from one of the compost bins. I then planted out one of the other trays, and pushed in some more beetroot seed in between the young beetroot plants. Here progress has been rapid. The beetroot have grown enormous healthy leaves and beneath are lovely round beet. They are close to harvesting and the seed is coming on fast too. They have obviously really enjoyed the rich moist growing conditions and the heat of the polytunnel.

Whilst I was weeding the chickweed from the outside planted beetroot, finally put in around mid-May, the advantages of modular sown beetroot really became clear.
It was so easy to weed around them, no need to thin, they were significantly ahead of the chickweed and well rooted so there wasn't the fear that I would inadvertently pull them out when weeding. In addition they were coming on well, much better than they would have been if I had waited for the weather to sow them direct.

The final advantage is that I can sow another batch to follow on from the autumn sown onions when they are harvested shortly from the polytunnel bed. But I think I will take a lesson from my fish box beetroot and make sure I enrich the bed with some more of my lovely compost before I plant them.

A slow spring

Personally a slow start to spring is better than last years see-saw weather from warm to cold to hot to frost.
It can be frustrating to witness slow growth and the advance of the calendar with no appreciable warmth. But the plants will make up for lost time, day length is increasing and once the sun comes out the growth can be extremely rapid.

Use the time to prepare for this sudden spurt.
Covering bare soil with black plastic will help to warm the ground, avoid the growth of weeds, protect the soil from soaking rain or, with the last couple of days of relentless wind, stop dry top soil from blowing off.

Remove weeds that start flowering early, particularly chickweed, annual grass, bitter cress, and remove sprouting perennial weeds. This is easy whilst any planted crops are still small, but also easy to put off, a slight flush of weeds in early spring will turn to a rash of weed seeds in early summer, so get them young.

Delay direct planting of seed or potatoes until the soil is warm. They will not grow in cold soil and you may end up wasting time and seed. The sowing times on seed packets are a guide, use your own judgement to decide whether it is warm enough to sow.

If you do want to get going then plant in modules so that the plants are ready to go once the weather becomes suitable. If you have a greenhouse or polytunnel this is easy but even a cold frame will suit many hardier vegetable types.  Many seeds will grow in modules: beetroot, Swiss chard, celery, lettuce, brassicas, onions, peas, beans, and herbs.

Finally consider how to protect seedlings when they are planted from the vagaries of the weather. I don't use cloches, my vegetable patch is too exposed and they are too expensive for the amount of plants I grow. I do however use micromesh which I find to be extremely beneficial. It will cover a large area, is relatively easy to pin down and will allow moisture through, both rain and evaporation. It creates a microclimate, reducing wind stress and raising the temperature. Additionally it protects seedlings from pests and predators.

What to sow in January

The garden and polytunnel are in lock down - by that I mean that they are under the hard grip of frost, and as temperatures remain around zero there is no likelihood of the frost lifting for a few days.

For avid gardeners it is a frustrating time, only a few days ago the soil was easy to work, now a fork would bounce off it. Even pruning shouldn't be undertaken on frost bound stems, damage could be easily caused to the plant.

Leave the garden and head for the greenhouse. This is where the greenhouse, particularly if it has a modicum of heating comes into it's own.

I always insulate the inside of the greenhouse in late autumn with bubble wrap. It provides insulation and, because I sling some bubble wrap over training wire below the roof space, it reduces the internal area needing heating. I employ simple heating by using tubular heaters slung below the metal benches. They provide gentle heat to the plants and limited space heating. On cold nights I fleece seedlings or plants which are further away from the heaters. It works and doesn't cost a fortune. You could use timers to limit the hours which the heaters are left on but I prefer to adjust timing depending on the conditions. Today the heaters will be left on, there is hardly any sunlight, yesterday I could turn them off because it was a lovely sunny day.

As I start most of my nursery perennial sowings now it makes sense to use some of that available heat to kick start the vegetable garden.

Broad beans are a traditional cold weather vegetable and sown in 3cm pots with a little heat they will be up within a couple of weeks. After gentle hardening off they will be ready for planting out from mid February (depending on the weather). This way I don't have to worry about mice or voles.

Sugar snap peas are another crop to start early. Sown on the same day as the beans they are already sprouting. I sow them 5 - 6 seeds to a 9cm pot and they will be planted as a group. The first seedlings will be planted in the polytunnel and I will expect to crop them from late April/early May. Once the first seedlings are growing strongly I will sow the next pots and these will be planted out in the vegetable patch.

I start podding peas a little later because you need more for a good harvest. They can be sown in guttering and I usually do this in the polytunnel around early March.

Lettuces can also be sown now. I sow in seed trays and prick out to modules. Early sowings will do better planted out in the polytunnel, but if conditions are mild cloches or micro-fleece may be sufficient protection. Lettuces don't require deep soil and early crops can be easily and cheaply raised in grow bags or even shallow cardboard boxes lined with old compost bags. Don't overwater early lettuces and always water on warm days trying to avoid the foliage.

Consider sowing other salad crops now, mizuna, mustard, rocket etc. These are best direct sown into polytunnels or greenhouse grow bags. Early sowings may go to seed quickly but frequent sowings can be made, and they are worth the work giving tasty fresh salad pickings from early spring.

I have been growing a wide variety of onions, spring onions, leeks and shallots for years and have always had good results from early sowings. Started now in 9cm pots with gentle heat they will need pricking out into modules when they start to produce their second leaf. They may be fiddly but I rarely have any bolting and they grow to a better size than those I have grown from sets. Obviously modules take up a lot of space but they are cold hardy and can be moved into the polytunnel and covered with fleece on cold nights.

I also sow some early broccoli/calabrese now. Usually a small headed variety which can be planted out in the polytunnel. Homegrown broccoli yields a main head but will go on to produce useful side shoots.

If you are interested in early potatoes and have a polytunnel consider raising some tubers in small pots in a heated greenhouse first. Then plant out in the polytunnel (I use crystalyx sheep lick boxes) as they grow. Usually by early spring fleece will protect them in the polytunnel on cold nights and you will get a good crop by May. Last year my polytunnel earlies gave me a better return than my outdoor varieties.

As January advances it is time to start the tender tomatoes, peppers and chillies. I use propagators to give a more even temperature for them and by the time they require more light and pricking out the weather should be more benign. Longer day length and better light levels make a huge difference to the temperature in greenhouses. Then we need to keep a check on rising temperatures. Ventilate carefully (avoid putting plants and particularly seedlings in draughts) but try to avoid too high a temperature too early. Dramatic temperature changes can cause plants to bolt or check, managing temperatures in polytunnels and greenhouses is an art requiring vigilance.

If you have the time, facilities and itchy fingers, then get growing, it is well worth the effort and what can be more pleasurable on a frosty morning than the sight of seedlings bursting into life?

Different manures and their effects on earthworms.

Yesterday was a mild day, perfect for clearing the ground and preparing for planting. Whilst forking over the various plots I couldn't help but notice the differences in the soil structure and earthworm densities and sizes.

My vegetable plot is divided into four equal areas which correspond to a simple rotation system. The beds all lie next to each other with just a narrow earth path between.
The rotation system is potatoes, followed by legumes, then brassicas and lastly alliums which also includes carrots. This works for me because I grow enough of all the four main groups and the manuring is simple and suits the various crops. Over the years the ground has now had each of the crops at least once and is on its second cycle. In the past the ground has been ploughed for oats but has been pasture for many years before I started working it. I am lucky that it is a good loam soil but am still surprised by the number of stones and even large rocks I keep digging up.

Potatoes start the cycle because they were used to first break up the ground. They are given a general fertiliser, usually chicken pellets, on planting and then a top dressing of homemade compost when they start to grow and need earthing up.

The legumes follow potatoes because they fix their own nitrogen and enjoy the remains of the compost left by the potatoes. I put seaweed on their bed during the winter to cover the soil. It also seems to deter slugs come the spring.

After the legumes are lifted the bed is forked over and fresh manure from the chicken and goose shed is laid thinly over the surface. This is covered by black plastic. Over the winter this starts to break down and is incorporated slowly into the soil by the worms. In the spring I add some lime when planting pot raised brassicas and have had fabulous crops as they enjoy the nitrogen from the manure. I do not raise any salads on this bed during the year because of the fresh nature of the manure, although by summer it will be 6 months old.

Finally alliums and carrots follow the brassicas and no new compost is added. They mop up any remaining nutrients in the soil and leave it ready for the potatoes again. Seaweed makes a good cover for the bare winter soil prior to the potatoes going in during the late spring.

Digging the potato patch this winter after a poor harvest, thanks to last years cold summer, I noticed how grey and barren the soil looked. Then I remembered that the bed had had no compost added to it during the year because there had been hardly any potatoes to earth up, (had I tried I probably would have buried them!)

Going onto the legume bed, still sporting some dried seaweed and barely any weeds, I was astonished at the difference. This bed had had a previous dressing of compost (when under potatoes) and a winter dressing of seaweed, through which the peas and beans had grown. The soil was darker, held together better and the quantity and size of the earthworms was tremendous. Each forkful brought up large dark mature worms and small bright pink young worms. The distance between the beds was barely 60cm.

The brassica bed also yielded good quantities of worms still working in some of the straw from the winter dressing of poultry manure. Again there was a better holding quality to the soil and it was darker than unworked soil. Already parts of this bed held bulbs of garlic and I have good hopes of as good a harvest as last years.

The situation in the potato patch needed remedying and luckily I have plenty of homemade compost. A thin top dressing should ensure the worms migrate back and I covered the bed with black plastic to keep it warm whilst they work it in. A trip to the beach should yield plenty of seaweed for a good covering and then the legumes and worms should be happy. Not long now until planting starts again.

Choosing seeds and the bewildering array of carrots.

One of winter's pleasures is choosing seeds for the coming year.

The first packets have arrived and need to be stored carefully away in a cool, dry place. I keep my seeds in an airtight plastic box with sachets of silica gel to mop up any moisture. These are stored in a cupboard in the potting shed, where no mice can attack them.

I tend to go back to the same seed merchants which I have found supply good quality seed at a reasonable price. There are many suppliers out there now and if you are not careful you can spend a lot of money, especially if you are seduced by the pictures and descriptions!

Before buying new seed I review my existing seed packets and consider how well the varieties performed. I keep seed from one year to another and, if stored well, this is no problem. Many seed packets contain far more seed than you require in any one year - few amateur growers need 100 plus cabbages! Sow the number you think you would like to eat and keep the rest for the coming years.

Like many people I am tempted to grow a wide variety of different cabbages, salad crops etc. Try to envisage your needs and draw up a list of varieties you want to grow, checking you have the space to do so. Then stick to it! Only buy the seed that you need to fulfil that list. By all means try a new variety, that's what keeps it fun, but consider replacing one variety with another, particularly if a crop didn't perform well for you.

When I first started growing carrots I was bewildered by the choice available; early, stump, main, round, different colours, etc. Many were not worth the effort, let alone the expense of the seed. Small carrots are fiddly to clean, and you need to harvest the whole row for a decent meal! It took a number of years, with many disappointments, before I settled on a couple of varieties which I have found to be reliable and tasty. Now I tend to stick to them and they rarely let me down. What are they?

Remember, I am growing in the far north and the soil doesn't really warm up sufficiently for sowing carrots until May, so early varieties are usually a non starter. For an earlier crop I sow 'Purple Haze' in the polytunnel, usually around the beginning of April. This is a sweet purple carrot with an orange core. We can usually start harvesting in June and by then they are a nice size perfect for salads. They will continue to bulk up, and even in December I can harvest them from the polytunnel. Outdoors I sow 'Autumn King' in May, usually later sowings don't do as well and there isn't much advantage in later sowings. By late summer they are a good sized carrot and they continue to hold well even as the temperatures drop and the ground freezes. They have a good flavour and I do not find that they are troubled by carrot fly to any great extent.

Would I be tempted to try any other variety of carrot? This is one of those vegetables where I would now probably only try another variety if it had been recommended by a local grower. Carrots may seem rather a common and easily bought vegetable to bother with, but the flavour of a home grown carrot surpasses any that you would buy. They are usually easy to grow and produce well from a small area. Also, when did you last see a purple carrot for sale?

A lack of fruit and vegetables

2012 will go down as the worst vegetable and fruit growing year for me, and I suspect many others. I won't put it down to cultivating so far north, even trees in Cornwall failed to produce fruit. I think we can all see the problems in our local shops and, being optimists, we look ahead to the coming growing season determined to succeed whatever the weather.

After any season it is worth reviewing what did well, failures and gluts. Keeping a notebook throughout the season really helps when the time to assess comes.

Failures this year were potatoes (disastrous crop), tomatoes (mostly failed to ripen), french beans (poor fruit set), cabbages (bolted), butternut squash (not much fruit) and soft fruit and tree fruit (no apples, no plums, unripe strawberries).

Gluts were had in broad beans, cauliflower and calabrese, and peas, both mangetout and podding peas.

Lack of warmth and sun and fluctuating seasons (a warm spring followed by a cool summer), account for most of these failures and it is unlikely that any grower could have avoided the problems that such weather brings.

I am a firm believer in 'not putting all your eggs in one basket' and diversity may be more important than ever when growing under challenging weather conditions. Having a wide variety of crops should ensure that there is something tasty to harvest throughout the year, even if some of the crops don't do well.

Presently I am harvesting leeks, carrots, parsnips (small this year but unblemished), kale, salad (though there will be a break in supply now that the hard frosts have started) and stored potatoes (Pink Fir Apple did quite well), onions and shallots.

What I am really looking forward to are the spring cabbages and purple sprouting broccoli in the polytunnel (to keep them safe from the deer and ensure a better crop whatever the winter brings). Having a crop to look forward to is one of the pleasures of vegetable growing and all growers should endeavour to have something to anticipate.