Kitchen Garden June 2017

GARDENING KIT T INCLUDING VEG FERTILISERS S, PLANTERS & GARDEN TOOLS S

WWW.KITCHENGARDEN.CO.UK | JUNE 2017

DOWN-TO-EARTH ADVICE FOR GROWING FRUIT & VEG

FREE SEEDS WITH THIS ISSUE + CLAIM* 10 MORE PACKETS

9 PAGES OF

GROWING GUIDES

ADVICE

SPRING ONIONS AND EXOTIC KARELLA

PEST-FREE CABBAGES

Sow sweetcorn & courgettes Try tasty cucumber dishes

WHY WE NEED WILDLIFE ON THE PLOT

SASKATOONS SA SKATOONS

The e easy fruit for every ga ar rden

MAKE YOUR OWN PLANT LABELS  HEALTHY EATING & RECIPES 

EDITOR’S LETTER

WELCOME Turn to page 84 to claim you 10 packets r seeds wort of h £21

DIGITAL K IN

DIGITAL K IN

Steve tries out one of the great label-making ideas in our feature starting on page 76

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KitchenGardenMag

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KitchenGardenUK

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It’s time to start sowing those tender crops for growing outside or in the polytunnel and greenhouse. Whether you like to grow sweetcorn, courgettes, cucumbers – or all three – we have it covered for you this month. On page 37 Rob Smith dips into the world of heritage veg to reveal some of his favourite old flavoursome varieties, while starting on page 56 Colin Randel has the latest on the very best sweetcorn for your garden or allotment.

We turn to our wonderful KG readers this month for some recipes and tips on what to do with the (almost) inevitable glut of cucumbers this summer (see page 54), while nutritionist Susie Kearley and regular KG cook Anna Pettigrew offer some recipes of their own. You’ll be amazed at just how versatile this familiar crop can be.

Deputy editor Emma Rawlings gives you her top tips on growing spring onions to pep up your salads on page 22 while fruit expert David Patch encourages us to try an easy but highly rewarding f , saskatoons, on page 46. fruit Steve Ott, editor Contact me at: sott@mortons.co.uk | 01507 529396 Find us at www.kitchengarden.co.uk Contact subscriptions: 01507 529529

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HELLO FROMTHE KG TEAM Picture: Clare Richardson

EMMA RAWLINGS

ROB SMITH

GABY BARTAI

COLIN RANDEL

As well as writing her spring onion growing guide this month Emma has been busy working with our readers to bring you some lovely stories from plots around the country (p58) and some great top cucumber tips and recipes (p54).

As a heritage veg expert and seed guardian for the Heritage Seed Library, Rob is our resident expert on those tried and trusted old varieties that might not make the supermarket shelves, but which provide tasty results on our plots.

Gaby travels to an old walled garden near Edinburgh. Once considered ‘state of the art’, it has only recently been rediscovered and thanks to a team of dedicated volunteers is now being restored to its former glory.

Professional seedsman Colin has his finger on the pulse of what is happening in the world of new veg varieties. In this issue he reports on the latest trials from RHS Wisley Gardens on the very best sweetcorn for your veg garden.

STEPHANIE HARROD Stephanie runs a successful gardening company and part of that success comes from her great knowledge and love for gardening – in particular, growing her own fruit and veg on her plot in Suffolk.

KATE HUMBLE Kate is a household name for all those who love nature. In this issue she joins us to explain why we all need wildlife in our gardens, why our plots are so important to our feathered friends and how to live in harmony with them.

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JUNE 2017 | 3

CONTENTS

EXPERT ADVICE TO HELP YOU GROW GREAT FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

6

58

✪ ON THE COVER

YOU

@GrowWithKG KitchenGardenUK

YOUR PLOT

6 ON THE VEG PATCH

KitchenGardenMag @GrowWithKG /kitchengardenmagazine FOR OUR CONTACT DETAILS TURN TO PAGE 15

Try planting potatoes under straw, make use of nematodes to kill pests, sow salads and beetroot, protect soft fruit, control greenfly on apples

10 IN THE GREENHOUSE Pollinate aubergines, plant basil, tend to tomatoes, ventilate the greenhouse, thin grapes

12 WHAT’S NEW? The latest news, comment and advice from the world of kitchen gardening

14 YOUR LETTERS AND TIPS Learn what other KG readers have been up to and pick up some great first-hand advice

18 QUESTION TIME

NEVER MISS AN ISSUE...

£20

ON PAGE 24

4 | JUNE 2017

Our panel of leading experts from the gardening industry answer your gardening queries and conundrums

58 BRITAIN’S MOST PASSIONATE PLOTTERS Meet more of our wonderful readers and find out why they love their plots

HAVING TROUBLE FINDING A COPY OF THIS MAGAZINE?

92 DIARY DATES

Just Ask your local newsagent to reserve you a copy each month

Plus giveaway entry coupon and details of seed and young plant suppliers

56 94 LAST WORD – IT’S A SNAIL’S PACE IN TWICKENHAM London artist Morgan Penn reveals a secret world behind the closed door of an allotment shed in his latest work

98 NEXT MONTH Some of the highlights to be found in your July issue plus news of great free gifts

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JUNE 2017

RECIPES ✪ More great recipes from

88

our resident chef Anna Pettigrew to help you make the most of your seasonal veg. This month strawberries, cucumbers and courgettes

Pg 88

Scan this, and we’ll tell you!

71

26 GET GROWING 16 ON THE PLOT WITH THE THREE MUDKETEERS This month the KG team try out a new range of tools

60 50 GET YOUR CLAWS INTO A NEW CROP Rob Smith on the virtues of tiger nuts

20 GROWING ONLINE

53 EAT YOURSELF HEALTHY ✪

Websites and blogs for gardeners

This month nutritionist Susie Kearley extols the health benefits of the humble cucumber

22 VEG AT A GLANCE ✪ Deputy editor Emma Rawlings with a guide to growing spring onions

26 FROM ROMANCE TO GROWMANCE

54 WHAT CAN I DO WITH ALL THESE CUCUMBERS? ✪ Our readers’ top tips for dealing with the summer glut of cucumber fruit

We meet a couple who have made a living out of their considerable gardening talents

56 STANDOUT SWEETCORN

34 TRY KARELLA ✪

60 PLANT MAGIC FROM THE SEA ✪

Sally Cunningham tries a cucumber cousin which tastes better than it looks

Why seaweed in all its forms is so good for your crops and your soil

37 CURIOUS COURGETTES ✪

64 PROTECT YOUR PLOT ✪

A look at the wonderful variety of bountiful heritage courgettes available

Organic ways to pest-free veg

41 TURN UP THE TASTE ✪

An exclusive interview with TV personality Kate Humble

Learn how watering and feeding can influence the taste of your produce

The latest news on award-winning sweetcorn

68 TALKING WILDLIFE✪

WHAT TO BUY 32 GARDEN STORE News of great new products for kitchen gardeners

44 YOUR CHANCE TO WIN £500 WORTH OF PRODUCTS FROM WOODBLOCX ✪ 79 INSTANT SAVERS This month save up to 20% on leading gardening brands including products from pippagreenwood.com, Backdoorshoes and garden paint

80 TRIED AND TESTED – WATERING KIT ✪ The KG team try out some of the latest watering equipment and vote for their favourites

84 READER OFFERS ✪

46 SASKATOONS - SWEET & EASY

71 THE LOST GARDENS OF PENICUIK

Fruit expert David Patch encourages us all to make space for this easy crop ✪

Visit a community project which is helping to rediscover a wonderful walled garden

48 TAKING THE HARD GRAFT OUT OF TOMATOES!

76 MAKE IT! PLANT LABELS ✪

86 GREAT GIVEAWAYS WORTH OVER £1778 ✪

Original DIY ways to keep your plants properly labelled

This month you could win garden tools, veg planters and fertilisers

How grafting can improve your crops www.kitchengarden.co.uk

Claim 10 free packets of seeds to sow now, worth £21, plus save on collections of carrot, beetroot, sweetcorn, spring onion, lettuce

JUNE 2017 | 5

JOBS TASKS FOR YOUR VEGETABLE PATCH IN JUNE BY MARTIN FISH

PROTECT PEA SHOOTS As pea shoots start to push through the garden soil make sure you protect them from hungry pigeons, otherwise they will quickly peck off the new growth. I use chicken wire bent to create a low cloche structure and this is popped over the rows.

CUT ASPARAGUS Asparagus spears need cutting every few days while tender and before they get too tall. The traditional time to stop harvesting is June 21, after which time you stop cutting to allow the ferny foliage to grow to help build up the roots for next year.

PINCH OUT BROAD BEANS Broad beans should be growing well now and well on the way to producing a crop of tasty beans.

If not already done, the tips of the plants can be pinched out to deter blackfly. The leafy stems can also be eaten and have a lovely fresh flavour.

PLANT LEEK SEEDLINGS It’s now time to plant leek seedlings out into the garden.

If the weather is dry after planting, keep the seedlings watered for a week or two to help them establish a strong root system.

Once their roots are down in the soil they will be fine.

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JOBS FOR THE MONTH

SOW SALAD LEAVES

It’s very easy to grow too many salads when you sow directly into the garden, but by growing in pots and trays you can easily control the amount to give a continuous supply all summer long. The secret is to sow little and often to avoid gaps between batches. If you eat lots of lettuce and salads a weekly sowing can be done, otherwise every couple of weeks should be fine.

TRY RADISH

Radishes are not as popular as they used to be, but a young, freshly pulled radish, sliced thinly into a salad, really does help to spice it up! They are also very tasty when eaten as a bar snack, as you would nuts or olives. They come in all shapes, sizes and colours and they’re easy and fast to grow.

Just sow a short row in the garden and wait a few weeks. Don’t leave them in too long though as they will turn woody.

GROW BEETROOT

The first beetroot of the season is always very welcome. Not only does it taste wonderful, it is very good for you. For really tender and sweet roots pull them before they get too large – ideally when they are not much bigger than a golf ball, although when larger they are still perfectly good to eat. For a regular supply through the summer and into autumn, sow every two or three weeks.

onthe v vegpatch M UP MIX NEMATODES N POTATOES UNDER STRAW A really easy way to get a clean crop of potatoes is to grow them under cover. I started mine off in April by placing the tubers on the soil surface and then covering them over with a layer of straw and fresh grass clippings. Since then the potato shoots have pushed through and are making good growth. Through the summer it is important to water and apply a liquid feed in dry weather to keep the plants healthy and growing.

This is especially important when tubers are forming. The mulch also needs topping up regularly with fresh grass clippings to seal in the moisture and to exclude light from the developing potatoes. www.kitchengarden.co.uk

W the withdrawal of many With insecticides and the desire to grow food free from chemicalss g more and more people are turning to other remedies.

Nematodes (microscopic worms) that infect the pests with a deadly bacterial infection have become very popular and there are several different types available to help control a range of pests on fruit and vegetables.

Pests such as carrot root fly, cabbage root fly, cutworms, onion fly, caterpillars, sawfly and codling moths can all be controlled by applying nematodes to the pests on the plant or the soil. For the nematodes to be effective, they need to be applied in warm conditions when the pests are active.

SOW NOW Lettuce, salad leaves, dwarf beans, runner beans, radish, peas, carrots, onions, leeks, beetroot, chicory, sprouting broccoli, calabrese, cauliflower, kale, kohl rabi, spinach, parsley, courgettes, turnip, spring onions and chard.

PLANT NOW Winter cabbage, Brussels sprouts, sprouting broccoli, calabrese, cauliflower, runner beans, kohl rabi, French beans, courgette, marrow, savoy, squash, cucumber, sweetcorn, tomatoes, herbs, celery, leeks, lettuce and potatoes.

HARVEST Early peas, spring cabbages (hearted), last of sprouting broccoli, asparagus, early carrots, early broad beans, spinach, rhubarb, radish, lettuce, salad leaves, spring onions, rhubarb and early strawberries.

JUNE 2017 | 7

TRAINWALLFRUIT ■ If you are growing potatoes in pots, keep the compost moist at all times and as the tops grow, top up the pot with more compost to encourage plenty of tubers to develop on the roots.

■ Feed clumps of rhubarb halfway through the growing season with a general fertiliser or liquid feed to give them a boost in growth.

■ Carry on planting out tender vegetables into the garden such as runner beans, French beans, courgettes, sweetcorn and squashes.

If the weather is cool after planting, protect the plants with fleece for a few days.

■ To keep weeds under control, hoe regularly between rows of vegetables. This is best done on a dry, sunny day to get maximum kill of weeds.

■ Very soon the first of the cabbage white butterflies will appear in our gardens, so protect all members of the brassica family by draping some insect-proof mesh over them to create a barrier.

■ If your leek seedlings have reached pencil thickness and are about 20cm (8in) tall, plant them out into holes made with a dibber and water in.

8 | JUNE 2017

PROTECT SOFT FRUIT There is nothing nicer than freshly picked soft fruit straight from the garden, but not only do we enjoy it, birds do as well! Blackcurrants, gooseberries, raspberries, strawberries and redcurrants are all prone to attack from blackbirds and starlings.

The only sure way to protect the crop of fruits is to cover them over with a physical barrier that will prevent the birds from getting to the fruits.

Fruit netting is readily available and can simply be draped over the fruit as it starts to ripen. The nets need pegging down securely to prevent birds getting in underneath and you should always check the nets daily in case a bird has got trapped. This type of net is ideal as a temporary measure, but the best form of protection is to build or position a fruit cage over the fruit bushes.

Fruit trees being trained against a wall or fence will be making strong new growth now. The aim is to create an even-shaped fan and the new growth needs spreading out and securing to wires or trellis with string. If there is excessive growth, don’t be afraid to thin some out to prevent overcrowding and if side shoots develop, these can be pinched back to maintain the shape.

CONTROLAPHIDS ONAPPLES Aphids can be a problem on the soft,, new growth on apple trees at this time of the yea ar. A few aphids aren’t a problem, but where the infestation is heavy and the growing tips are twisting and distorting, the pests really need controlling. A blast of strong water will wash them off or you can simply squash them with your fingers. Natural insecticides also control aphids very quickly.

FIGS IN POTS ■ Figs are interesting plants to grow and when planted in a warm, sheltered position they will usually produce a crop of fruit in August and September. Although the tree is very hardy, for the fruit to develop and ripen they need plenty of summer sunshine and warmth.

I have a fig fan-trained on a west-facing wall where it grows well and when the fruits ripen, they taste absolutely delicious. However, we can’t guarantee a warm summer every year in North Yorkshire and some years the crop isn’t as good as we would like, especially if the spring was cold. I will carry on with my outdoor fig, but to try and get more fruit I’m also going to grow a fig in a pot so that in the winter and spring I can give it some extra protection under cover, before standing it in a sunny position through the summer.

■ When it comes to choosing a variety, bear in mind that some need warmer conditions and are best suited to growing in a greenhouse all year round. Probably the best outdoor variety is ‘Brown Turkey’ which has red flesh and a sweet flavour, and this one is readily available in catalogues and nurseries.

Another that is suitable is ‘White Marseilles’ as long as you grow it in a warm position and this one produces fruits with a whitish flesh that is almost transparent when ripe.

■ For pot growing, choose a strong pot to contain the roots and for compost I use three parts John Innes no. 3 and one part multi-purpose compost which helps to lighten it up a little. Drainage is important so crock the base of the pot before potting. I’m potting initially into a 35cm (14in) diameter pot, but in a couple of years when the fig is

established I will move it up into a 45cm (18in) diameter pot, where it will stay for several years.

■ Through the summer the plant will be grown outside in a sunny spot and the compost will be kept moist at all times to help the roots establish.

■ Plant aubergines into the border or large pots if you didn’t do so last month ■ Sow kohl rabi in June for use in autumn and winter ■ Keep sowing salad leaves and spinach direct in drills ■ French beans sown in the border now will give an autumn crop ■ Parsley, beetroot and Florence fennel can all be sown this month

INTHE GREENHOUSE FABULOUS FRUIT: PEACHES Buy a peach tree in a large container at any time of the year, or wait until November to buy a plant to go into the border. Peach trees are greedy, so dig in plenty of manure at planting time. You will need a large greenhouse for a full-sizzed peach tree, but there are plenty of sm maller varieties available. Trees flower in Ma arch and ripen fruit in July or August. Gro owing in a greenhouse reduces problems with peach h leaff curll.

Care in June is about watering regularly and spraying over the leaves with water too. Use a seaweed foliar feed every two weeks while fruit is swelling and remove any damaged fruit. The scent of ripe peaches in the greenhouse is almost as good as biting into a freshly picked fruit.

10 | JUNE 2017

WITH JOYCE RUSSELL Pictures by Ben Russell

J

une isn’t a bad time to take a holiday!

Temperatures are settled and most plants are in their final home. There are still plenty of jobs to do, but it’s hard for ttoo much to go wrong if a gardening neighbour is in charge for a while. If you have automatic watering and ventilation systems installed, then short absences are easy. This is a time when plants should be in good health and there isn’t yet the full summer jungle, or harvest glut, to cope with.

USE MULCH U Moisture evaporates from the soil in a warm greenhouse and it can be hard to keep up with watering. Iff you are at work all day and need to be sure thatt plants th l t won’t dry out, then use a mulch material – straw, cardboard, sheet-mulch, coir, etc. – between rows of plants to help keep moisture in the ground. Just make sure that water can soak through or under the mulch as needed.

JOBS THIS MONTH

TIPS FROM A SMALL GREENHOUSE ■ Leave the door open day and night: small structures heat up very fast and temperatures can be too high before you get up in the morning.

■ Tomato care is essentially the same for a small greenhouse as in a large one. Remember to nip out side shoots and tie in tall stems. Use a high-

potash liquid feed around the roots and in growbags, every seven to 10 days while fruit is swelling. Train foliage and stems away from the sides of the structure if possible.

■ Check for pests, diseases and problems on a daily basis if you can. Things escalate quickly in a small structure: a rip, or invasion of slugs, or attack of blight, can be devastating. Fast action can keep everything growing steadily.

■ Use pots where you can: plants can be moved around as you need and they can even go outdoors on warm, sunny days. This effectively creates more growing space in the greenhouse.

TOPJOBS FORJUNE ■ Water carefully: try not to splash the foliage of aubergines and basil.

■ Damp down the paths in greenhouse and polytunnels on hot days to help cool the air.

■ Keep earth damp around tomato plants.

■ Keep tying tomato stems to supports as they grow.

■ Remove some grape clusters if there are lots, so the ones that remain can grow to full size.

■ Tend to melons which like aubergines and peppers may need a hand with pollination.

■ Enjoy crops when they are ready and never feel inhibited about harvesting.

AU UBERGINES HELP TOMATOES TO RIPEN Tomatoes start to ripen in June.

Leave the first ripe fruit on the truss until lower fruits start to change colour. Or hang a ripe tomato, or a banana skin, nearby: these give off a gas which speeds the process up.

Th plants produce such beautiful These flowers that they are worth growing just to look at! It’s worth ensuring a harvest of delicious exotic fruit too, so if there aren’t many pollinating insects around, get out a small paintbrush and transfer pollen from flower to flower between plants. The most successful fruit set always happens on sunny days. Water on to the ground so soil is moist. Try not to wet leaves or flowers if you can help it.

Reemove the petals from around small fruitlets so these don’t rot and spreaad the problem to the fruit.

PEPPERS

BASIL

First flowers often drop from the plant without setting fruit. Peppers are self-fertile, but they may need a hand to ensure pollination. Give plants a gentle shake, as if they are swayed by a breeze rather than a hurricane: this will allow pollen to fall where it is needed. A light mist with water may also help and leave doors open so insects can lend a hand.

Small fruitlets will form at the heart of the flowers.

Plants can go into the border soil as soon as nights are warm. Keep one or two in large pots if you like, but make sure the compost is never too wet or roots will rot and leavess discolour. Basil likes pleenty of sun: it can often grow w best in the middle of the greeenhouse and away from draughtyy doors. Dig some compost into the ground d and d put sticks 30cm (12in) apart to mark planting points. Put two or three plants next to each stick: they like company and will soon bush out. Don’t wet leaves when watering, keep soil on the dry side of damp, and nip out any flower spikes when these are small.

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OVERCROWDING

Tomatoes need more space than seemed possible when plants were only 15cm (6in) tall;

by June you see the potential for them closing all gaps and soon you won’t be able to get around plants to harvest at all.

The more years you grow in a greenhouse, the more you realise that a few less plants, with adequate space, can give you both healthier growth and bigger crops than if more plants are crowded together.

If growing in pots, then move these around to get sun and air to each one. If borders are seriously crowded then bite the bullet and remove one or two plants, so light and air reach all that remain.

JUNE 2017 | 11

YOU

YOUR PLOT

WHAT’S NEW? ALL THE LATEST NEWS, PRODUCTS & FACTS FROM THE WORLD OF KITCHEN GARDENING

GROW A MASSIVE MARROW AND WIN £100!

In the April issue of Kitchen Garden we gave away some free marrow ‘Long Green Bush 2’ seeds. We are inviting everyone to grow a massive marrow along ng with us this summer. We want to o see who grows the biggest. Mr Fothergill’s Seeds have kindly sp ponsored this competition witth a £100 voucher going to th he winner of the biggest with two o runnerup prizes of £25 vou uchers. We will be asking you to o send in a picture of your ma arrow with a KG magazine alon ngside and a measure of the girrth of the marrow and the leng gth. We will be showing you exa actly where to measure in na

It’s really hard to beat watercress as a garnish or added to a salad. It’s a plant that grows best in running water. However, a variety called ‘Aqua’ (available from various seed companies) does well in pots provided the compost is kept moist. Sow from mid-May to September for June to October harvesting. Packets contain plenty of seeds – up to 2500 – which should keep you well supplied.

later issue so look out for that. The largest ones will be verified and the winning marrow announced in a later issue. Look out for more details of how to enter e over the next few months. S So get sowing and growing tha at whopper!

Also look ou ut for Marvin the Marrow o on our website www.kitchen ngarden.co.uk.

Just for a bit b of fun we are sow wing some seed and ffollowing the progress from f seed to marrow. Follow the adventures o of Marvin the Marrow from m the first week in April A when he is being g sown.

This year’s Great British Bee Count runs from May 19 to June 30. As in the previous four years members of the public are encouraged to help create pollinator-friendly gardens, schools and neighbourhoods ahead of the count.

More than 15,000 people took part in last year’s count, organised by Friends of the Earth, with support from Buglife and sponsorship from Waitrose. People are urged to download the latest app which this year contains more bees and plant species, and more information on how to help bees. The bee sightings will be mapped and shared on the National Biodiversity Network, where researchers, experts and local authorities can access the data. For more information visit: www.greatbritishbeecount.co.uk

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF 10A DAY Recent research conducted by Imperial College London has concluded that the risk of cardiovascular disease and other diseases is reduced by eating 800g or above of fruit and veg per day, approximately 10 portions. The findings, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, estimated that globally 7.8 million premature deaths a year could be prevented if people upped their intake to above 800g. Salad leaves, brassicas and fruit such as apples and pears were particularly effective in guarding against cardiovascular disease, whereas peppers, carrots, spinach and brassicas reduced the risk of cancer.

DO YOU HAVE SOME HOT STORIES FOR OUR NEWS PAGES? SEND THEM TO TFLANAGAN@MORTONS.CO.UK 12 | JUNE 2017

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