EDITOR’S LETTER
WELCOME
The start of the season may have arrived a month late for many of us, but predictably things have caught up and it’s all systems go on the plot and in the greenhouse now. Our newly expanded six page job section is here to help you with top tips for the plot, patio and polytunnel. We also have a star line up of expert gardening celebrities in the form of Monty Don, Toby Buckland, Bob Flowerdew and Pippa Greenwood offering their advice as well as the regular KG team – every one of whom is a keen and experienced kitchen gardener. Highlights this month include two great features for those with limited space; a four page feature on growing delicious strawberries and another on crops in pots. We also have all you need to know to grow super harvests of broccoli, calabrese and your best ever root veg.
Steve Ott, editor
Follow us at facebook. com/KitchenGardenMag
Contact me at: sott@mortons.co.uk | 01507 529396 Find us at www.kitchengarden.co.uk
Hello from the KG team...
EMMA RAWLINgS
TOBY BUCKLAND
BOB FLOWERDEW
NAOMI SLADE
SHARON L ALLEN
JOE MAIDEN
KG deputy editor Emma is a self-confessed veg-aholic who loves to potter on her veg plot. She is a professional horticulturist who has spent many years growing and writing about plants.
Toby will be a familiar face to many as former host of TV’s Gardeners’ World as well as a prolific writer and broadcaster and contributor for KG. Toby cares for the large kitchen garden of Powderham Castle, Devon.
An organic gardening expert, Bob is a familiar voice on Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time and has written for KG for many years. When not writing or broadcasting he tends to his plot in Norfolk.
Naomi is a prolific gardening writer and blogger and also a keen allotment gardener in her own right. This month she brings you a super feature on a lovely small plot in the heart of beautiful Berkshire (p50).
Sharon Louise is one of the band of dedicated professional kitchen gardeners. When not working at her day job at several of the UK’s finest gardens she is a keen writer on all aspects of fruit and veg growing.
Joe has been BBC Radio Leeds’ gardening expert for more than 40 years. Once responsible for many of the lovely parks in Leeds, Joe now enjoys his ‘retirement’ - as a full time nurseryman and gardening writer!
SAVE £££s: FOR MONEY-SAVING TIPS AND OFFERS – TURN TO PAGES 49 & 100 www.kitchengarden.co.uk
JUNE 2013 | 3
GET GROWING
Andrew sows his broccoli into small pots.
C
ontrary to popular belief these are two different, but related, vegetables often both sold under the name of broccoli. Broccoli has small spears usually purple or white which mature from January through to May. Calabrese is its green cousin, usually sold as one large head and although sold all year round in the supermarkets is seasonally harvested from July through to October in the UK, if sown in succession. Both are worth growing on the plot as together they prolong the picking season of this tasty and nutritious member of the cabbage family.
WhEn tO SOW
Back to basics
Calabrese can be sown in succession, for harvesting throughout the summer, well into the autumn. For a summer harvest, the first sowing is made in February under glass; the resulting seedlings are pricked out into trays and grown on for transplanting outdoors in April for an early harvest. For late summer/autumn harvests, sow from late April to mid May in pots under glass and prick the seedlings out before transplanting outside on the plot as space becomes available. Winter/early spring maturing broccoli sowings are made late April to early May under glass and the seedlings transplanted out into the plot once large enough.
BROCCOLI & CALABRESE This month veg expert and keen kitchen gardener, Andrew Tokely turns his attention to broccoli and calabrese. Here is his guide to success with these cabbage family cousins.
22 | JUNE 2013
BROCCOlI & CalaBReSe BrOCCOlI & CalaBreSe
at a glanCe guIde Sowing
Broccoli harvest
Calabrese harvest
Jan Feb Mar Apr May June Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Sow nursery rows directly into the ground.
Alternatively both calabrese and broccoli can be sown direct outside in a seed bed from mid April then once the plants are large enough these are transplanted to their final positions as bare rooted plants. This method has been used for many years by gardeners, but sowing under glass and growing on in cell trays I feel gives me better control and the cell grown plants will get away quicker with no check to their growth, unlike bare root plants.
GrowinG from seed
Like many other brassicas (cabbage family members) traditionally broccoli and calabrese were sown in well-prepared seedbeds in cold frames or under cloches. The soil would be raked down to a fine tilth and shallow drills (1.5cm or ½in deep) would be made in the frame 23cm (9in) apart. Then the seed would be sown in each drill, and lightly covered. The method I prefer to use is to sow each batch into 7.5cm (3in) pots full of multipurpose compost. The pots are filled, gently firmed, watered with a fine rose; left to stand then the seeds are sown in each pot. Once sown and labelled the seeds are covered with fine grade vermiculite to the seeds own
Dec
Cell-raised plants suffer fewer growth checks when transplanted than nursery bed raised plants.
depth. The pots are then placed Plant sprouting broccoli 45-60cm in a heated propagator at (18-24in) apart in the row with 6018ºC (65ºF) when sowing 90cm (24-36in) between the rows. in February or March. Calabrese is planted 30-38cm If sowing in late (12-15in) apart in the row with April-May a propagator 38-45cm (15-18in) between If short of space at planting time do some inter cropping. is not necessary as the the rows. I prefer to plant the Plant sprouting broccoli in greenhouse temperature plants out from cells with a between Japanese onions or is usually warm enough trowel, rather than a dibber, which shallots that will be and the pots are just is often used when planting out bare lifted in the summer stood on the benching. root plants. These are planted firmly Once the seedlings are and watered in well initially. They are large enough to handle in the then watered as required for a few weeks pots they are pricked out into individual during hot weather until signs can be seen that cell trays, to grow on in the greenhouse. After the plants have established and have rooted well about three to four weeks these are moved into a into the soil developing a large root system, to cold frame to gradually harden off before carry the crop later in the season. planting out. Once planted erect protective nets or Enviromesh crop protection netting over hoops Ground preparation or a cage of sticks to keep the plants free from Both broccoli and calabrese need a rich soil so pigeon and cabbage white butterfly attack (see add plenty of manure or old compost to the soil page 72 for ideas on making a simple crop when digging in the autumn. Before planting protection cage). out, rake the ground to produce a reasonably Through the year keep the weeds down crumbly structure, then lightly rake in some so the soil is clean around the plants. Care Growmore fertiliser or chicken manure pellets at must be taken while hoeing not to damage the 60gm per sq m (2oz per sq yard) now it is ready stems of the plants as this will check their for planting. growth. ➤
TOP TIP
Garden ready plantS Many mail order catalogues now offer garden ready plants, which are grown on professional nurseries taking the worry of plant raising away. Your ordered plants will be delivered when they are at the ideal time for planting. All you need to do is make sure your ground is prepared and ready for them to be planted out as soon as they arrive.
Harden off in a cold frame prior to planting out. www.kitchengarden.co.uk
Protect plants from hungry birds.
JUNE 2013 | 23
In the garden
Monty with
E
KG
S IV
CLU EX
last season was reallY hard for veg growers in the uK. what would You saY to encourage them to picK up their spades again and get growing this Year?
Not everything will go your way in the garden, but a new year brings new challenges and new possibilities. Stay positive, and remember, however difficult it is for you, at least you can retire to the warmth and comfort of your home for the night. what piece of advice would You give to a complete novice gardener who wanted to start a small veg plot?
Pay attention. Every single plant will tell you something about the soil. If there are masses of weeds and it’s really lush and rank with them, that’s very good news because it means it’s healthy soil. If it’s sparse and there’s not much growing, you have to put an awful lot of organic matter in because it’s poor soil, yet it means things like Mediterranean herbs will grow really well. As you start to grow things, concentrate all your efforts into growing healthy plants in healthy soil. Don’t worry about slugs and snails and pests and diseases.
26 | JUNE 2013
We were lucky enough to have the chance of an exclusive chat to Gardeners’ World front man and champion of the organic gardening movement, Monty Don. We asked him for his thoughts on a wide range of gardening topics…
You are a committed organic gardener – how do You control difficult weeds on Your plot?
If you have a weed problem, which you occasionally will do, you simply dig them out. It’s not a big deal – you just weed. If you’re finding you have a temporary problem, you deal with it. It’s common sense. On the whole, these things all even out. I’ll never understand why gardeners are obsessed by problems – everything if it’s in balance will sort itself out. Gardening is not about solving problems – it’s about making things beautiful. What is the one Fruit you Couldn’t go Without on your plot?
“That’s a very difficult question... the apple.”
You recentlY presented a fascinating programme – montY’s french gardens. which would You recommend to visit and whY?
If you wanted to know about France and understand the history of French gardens, without any question the most important one to visit is Vaux-le-Vicomte, because it is the model that (a) broke the mould and (b) influenced almost all French gardens one way or the other ever since. It is the most influential garden in France.
Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte – the most influential garden in France.
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meet monty don
your chance to meet monty
Monty Don will be appearing at BBC Gardeners’ World Live featuring the RHS Flower Show Birmingham which runs from June 1216 at the NEC in Birmingham. For more information or to book tickets please visit www.bbcgardenersworldlive.com or call 08445 811340. For more details of the lineup at the show, see page 12.
Who are the best gardeners – the english or the French?
There is one very marked difference in France, and it is the French’s absolute love and adherence to order, symmetry, geometry and balance. In contrast, British gardens, which are not really like many gardens in the rest of the world, are obsessed by plants. British gardeners love plants more than design, whereas in France design will always take prominence over plants. as patron oF bees For development trust, What are your thoughts on the Failure oF the proposed european ban on neonicotinoid pesticide use FolloWing its rejection by the uK and german governments?
I think it’s a disaster. I think the British government and DEFRA have shamefully tried to support the suppression of the ban. The evidence we have is that neonicotinoids are at the very least potentially harmful to bees and there is good evidence from a study which shows that through uptake of the pollen from plants, the bees’ homing systems are being damaged as they gather their food. That means they get lost between getting the pollen and going back to their hives. This is disastrous. This is killing off bees. If there were no bees, mankind would struggle to survive. We absolutely need bees. We need them like oxygen in the air. ■
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“we absolutely need bees. we need them like oxygen in the air”
GET GROWING
Old style
gardening with a modern twist
Nestled in the heart of picturesque Pembrokeshire sits The Grove, a fine ‘restaurant with rooms’ and it is here that Sharon Louise Allen plies her trade... for within the spacious historic grounds is a productive kitchen garden.
T
he garden at The Grove is born from an ethos of provenance and chef Duncan Barnham’s desire to serve the highest quality seasonal dishes in the award winning restaurant. It is now a flourishing plot since seasoned horticulturalist David Butt became head gardener and invited me to join the project. Originally heralding from the flat lands of North Suffolk, I made my first visit to The Grove on a bright spring day, the daffodils in the banks were just starting to open and I was immediately charmed by the plots beautiful location. It is traditional gardening here, no ugly plastic cloches or ground cover, just hand tools and the occasional rotovator. All crops are harvested by hand when ripe or ready, liaising regularly with the kitchen, our main concession to modernity being a polytunnel.
UndercOver crOpping ABOVE: Head chef Duncan Barnham loves to use the fresh, seasonal produce in his kitchen.
RIGHT: Sharon Louise makes some early sowings outside on the plot.
PHOTO CREDITS: Rhiannon and Sharon Louise Allen
28 | JUNE 2013
We toil away rain or shine, chilled by winter winds swooping down from the stunning Preseli hills which bounce their way through rolling pastures, up to hit our garden, these have to be borne in mind when planting and any structure needs to be of sturdy construction. Our growing season is a week or two behind my native homeland, but having the polytunnel we can offset that somewhat. It is worth noting that on chilly autumn, winter and early spring mornings the unheated tunnel can be the coldest place in the garden. A tunnel provides protection from the worst of the wind chill, wet and rain, with extra warmth stored from the sun, however cold air can sit inside for some time; opening the door for a while first thing gets the air moving but we have to remember to close up later. The tunnel enables us to sow nearly right through the cold months. Even though plant growth is slower and germination can be erratic, keep sowing the right varieties and you can have pickings right through the year. ➤
Joe’s must-have varieties for your plot Joe Maiden has been growing vegetables all his life, but which are the ones he simply couldn’t be without? This month he reveals his must-have veg.
T
here is so much choice in the seed catalogues and with new varieties being introduced all the time, the range can be bewildering, especially for newcomers to the hobby. So which are my favourites based on decades of sowing and growing? I’ve been reflecting on this and the following varieties are some of my favourites which I just have got to grow every year on my North Yorkshire plot. Although some are old friends, others were new to me until I grew them on my plot for the Kitchen Garden trials that I have been involved with for the past three years or so.
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MUST-HAVE VARIETIES
TOP TIP
Potatoes make a matted rootball when gown in containers, so here’s what I do to harvest them. Remove the plant from the container and remove the larger tubers, leaving the small ones to develop. Settle the plant back into its container and water it in to help the small tubers swell, then 10 days later, knock out, take off the visible tubers and repot. You can do this five or six times before the plant gives up.
LEFT: Growing potatoes in buckets or bags can greatly extend the season for that ‘new potato’ taste.
My winter vegetable garden has some ‘must The area for my kale is dug over in the grow’ vegetables. One of our family favourites autumn and at the same time farmyard manure has got to be curly kale and I have tried many is incorporated. This should ensure my soil is in varieties over the years, but I always go back to good condition but also helps to hold the the variety ‘Dwarf Green Curled’. Kale is not moisture in dry weather conditions. difficult to grow; of course it is a member of I sow kale at different times (it can be sown the brassica (cabbage) brigade and like the rest from March to June), but last year April 20 was of the clan enjoys lime and good soil. It is also my sowing date and I planted six weeks later. By a good idea to try and rotate brassica crops so mid-August I had wonderful plants with fantastic as to avoid the dreaded clubroot disease; I ruffled leaves. We use our kale from October avoid growing brassicas on the same site onwards and it is the easiest of vegetables to for at least three years, usually using prepare. Simply gather the leaves just land which has previously grown before you are ready to eat; it takes “One Of early potatoes. minutes to strip it down into small
Our family favOurites has gOt tO be curly kale”
Curly kale can be grown in a pot. www.kitchengarden.co.uk
pieces, give it a wash and pop it into boiling water. The leaves contain plenty of iron and are very good for you.
‘Swift’ new potatoeS from bucketS
This super first early potato is among my favourites. What an eating experience. It is usually planted in March for lifting in June before the blight kicks in. However, it also makes a great veg for containers for an early crop. If you plant, say six containers of ‘Swift’ (or another early or second cropping potato) in your cold greenhouse you can usually start eating them just eight weeks after planting. If planted in February you can even have them on your plate before the ‘Jersey Royals’, (known as ‘International Kidney’) arrive in the shops. My method of producing these gems is to get them planted in pots in February. Having bought your seed potatoes it is essential to get them sprouted or chitted. This is done by setting potatoes up, say in an egg carton with the eyes (buds) pointing upwards. Place them in a light airy position, a windowsill is good. Once chitted plant in 25cm (10in) pots or buckets, I have used farmers’ plastic buckets in which animal feed is supplied. Make a few drainage holes in the bottom. These are placed on the staging in a cold greenhouse. The containers can be filled with growbag material and the chitted potatoes planted 10cm (4in) below the soil. When the potatoes emerge through the compost it may be necessary on a frosty evening to cover the young foliage with fleece to avoid frost damage. Then watch them grow, do not overwater as this makes the plant grow too much foliage. More water can be given at seven weeks then very small spuds will bulk quickly. ➤ JUNE 2013 | 39
WIN
A VERSATILE MANTIS TILLER WORTH OVER ÂŁ559! How to enter To stand a chance of winning this superb prize simply complete the coupon on page 109 or you can enter online at www.kitchengarden.co.uk The closing date for entries is Friday, June 7 and the winner will be the name drawn from our postbag after that date. See our website for full details of competition terms and conditions. For further information on this or other Mantis products, or to order direct, contact Mantis UK on 0800 988 4828 or go to www.mantis.uk.com
44 | JUNE 2013
We have joined forces with top tiller manufacturer Mantis to give readers the chance to win one of its brand new and highly versatile Deluxe XP models.
The new Mantis Deluxe XP incorporates all the great features of existing Mantis tillers and can be used with the wide range of optional Mantis attachments, however it comes with a new twist. The working width of the machine can be adjusted from 23cm (9in) to 41cm (16in) by simply adding or removing blade units. This means you can cover large areas more easily, for example in the autumn to incorporate organic matter or at the beginning of the season when tilling the whole plot to prepare your seed beds. That done simply remove the extra blade units, a job which takes seconds and requires no tools, and you can use the machine to prepare areas for second sowings between rows or to weed in among growing crops. To make the job of weeding even easier, the unique Mantis tines can simply be reversed when you need them for weeding purposes rather than tilling the soil. The Mantis Deluxe XP uses a powerful and low maintenance 35cc, four-stroke Subaru engine, so no need for mixing and measuring oil and petrol as there is with two-stroke machines. It also ensures there is ample power to provide a tilling depth of 25cm (10in). Comfort is a big consideration when using powered equipment and at just 15.5kg (34lb) the Deluxe XP is so easy to move around the plot and garden. In addition the handles can be adjusted to suit your height and fold for easy transport and storage. Not that the Mantis Deluxe XP will be in the shed for long since the comprehensive range of attachments ensures that the machine will be in regular use. There are accessories for ploughing and planting, plus a lawncare kit to make light work of dethatching and aerating (including a new 41cm/16in) aerator) and even a crevice cleaner to help you clean up the patio after the ravages of a long winter. A kick stand is supplied as standard with this model. All Mantis Tiller products are covered by the Mantis lifetime tine and ďŹ ve-year product warranties. In addition all Mantis tillers bought directly from Mantis UK are sold with a one year money back customer satisfaction guarantee. â– www.kitchengarden.co.uk
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JUNE 2013
45
I
f you have a large veg patch then it is easy to plant and grow pounds of delicious strawberries but what if you just want a taster and let’s be honest a handful of homegrown strawberries is worth a punnet of expensive strawberries from the supermarket. They are so easy to grow so why not have a go?
When to order straWberrIes
Get your strawberry plants now. Cold stored plants are available to buy from March to mid July and these will produce fruit in as little as 60 to 90 days after planting. There is a second window of planting in autumn when nurseries will send out fresh lifted plants in October and November. There are many specialist suppliers, turn to the classified pages of Kitchen Garden or take advantage of our special offer on page 49.
Where to groW
Strawberries will grow well in containers although you may have seen the special strawberry planters in garden centres. These are the large pots with holes in the side. My advice is don’t grow in these. They are fine if you can keep the plants well watered but from experience this is tricky especially keeping the plants at the base of the pot watered. You will have greater success if you grow strawberries in growing bags, troughs or large pots.
hangIng basket berrIes
berries
Strawberries are great subjects for hanging baskets. You do need to keep the compost consistently moist especially once flowering starts. Line a basket with moss or a proprietary liner and half fill with multi-purpose compost. Add a
from a bag
Biting into a sun warmed strawberry straight from the garden is mouth-wateringly delicious. Emma Rawlings has some top tips on growing this popular fruit in the smallest of spaces. Stawberries are attractive in hanging baskets. www.kitchengarden.co.uk
STRAwBeRRieS
Step by step pLANtING Up A GROWING BAG
A standard growing bag will hold about 9-10 strawberries.
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
handful of water retaining granules if you have them to help retain moisture. Place five or six plants in the basket (30cm/12in diameter size) spreading the roots out. Add more compost but don’t bury the plants leave a little of the solid crown above the surface. Firm gently. Water well and place in a sunny position. Drape some netting over the basket and chains once the flowers form to keep the birds at bay.
year if in large containers but if grown in growing bags or hanging baskets it is all too easy to neglect them after fruiting. It is best to either discard them and start again with fresh stock Vine weeVil: Container grown next year or lift and plant into the open ground strawberries are prone to these. If in early autumn. You could also plant them close plants suddenly wilt or die this may be together in a larger container with the result of the vine weevil larvae some fresh compost. Keep feeding on the roots. It is worth watered and in spring they can pulling back the soil to see if you be lifted and planted into can see any chunky ‘C’ shaped new growing bags or creamy white hanging baskets to fruit grubs. Use Agralan Insect Short of space even for another year. Barrier Glue around the a growing bag? Put brackets on a wall and Strawberries growing in lip of containers – this will fix up shelving to hold the open ground can be trap the adult beetles. growing bags or grow left where they are. Cut off In summer you can also water strawberries in a large the old leaves in late summer a biological control into the pot or tub. or early autumn. Some compost. runners can be kept if there are gaps in the bed but otherwise remove excess ones.
Give the bag a good bashing to break up the compost. It is usually badly compacted.
Trim the roots of the strawberries if they are very long. Cut off about a third.
after planting
Keep watered in the first few weeks especially if there is little rain. The plants will soon grow away and start to green up. Cold stored runners will quickly establish and once flowering starts keep the crop well watered. If growing in containers it is a good idea to add a tomato feed occasionally when watering. It used to be the norm to remove the flowers from strawberries in their first year to encourage good plant growth but with the modern varieties and cold stored runners this is not necessary. At flowering stage or just as the berries form drape netting over the containers to keep birds at bay.
following fruiting
In late autumn once the plants are looking tatty remove the leaves and trim off the runners. It is possible to keep the strawberries going another www.kitchengarden.co.uk
Make drainage holes in the bottom of the bag. Just six or seven along the bottom will suffice.
Plant the strawberry so the crown (solid part) at the top of the roots is half buried.
Make nine or 10 cross slits evenly across the top of the bag and tuck the flaps under.
Water the bag and place in a sunny position. Keep it well watered, but not saturated.
Watch out for…
TOP TIP
Care of older Crops
If you have strawberry plants that are one or two years old either in containers or in the open ground it is worth giving them a boost in late February with a sprinkling of sulphate of potash. If you didn’t do this then you could still apply a feed of Growmore or other general liquid feed. Strawberries are best replaced after their third or fourth season. ➤
GET GROWING
I
’ve been putting the finishing touches to my new terraced veg beds this week, I love the orderly ‘potager’ look but all the work and expense isn’t just about keeping up appearances. The planks retain a greater depth of soil than would otherwise stay on the terraces meaning that this year I can dedicate them to root crops. Once a must-grow mainstay of every plot, roots have lost some of their sparkle and are now the MPVs of the vegetable world – all function and no fun. Sure, next to a Ferrari-red chilli pepper or a trendy tomatillo, the humble turnip might seem humdrum but root-crops have their strengths. They’re reliable, the whole family eats them and their abundance makes the effort worthwhile. Roots however, are a different matter. Home-grown roots taste good and harvesting them is fun for me and the children. Levering up subterranean spuds, carrots or parsnips with a fork is like taking a rootcrop lucky dip – we’re never really sure of the quality or quantity of what will surface. And that’s exciting.
Carrots
Last summer carrots were a washout but with the extra depth of earth in my beds and improved drainage I’ve high hopes for better things this year. Carrots don’t need and should never have manured ground as the ‘super-sized’ diet makes for a profusion of thin and forked roots that are impossible to peel. As long as there are no stones they’ll happily grow in sand. An old show-grower’s trick is to create raised beds filled with only sharp-sand (the ‘washed’ stuff bought from builders’ merchants is ideal). Holes 60cm (2ft) deep and 15cm (6in) apart are made with an old fork handle in the sand then filled with a peat/John Innes No3/vermiculite mix and the seed is sown on the top and the roots grow straight following the sides of the holes. A lot of effort but worth it if top honours at the village show is your aim! A similar effect can be achieved by opening up a slit in the earth with a spade, waggling it back and forth and filling the resulting gully with a mix of horticultural grit/sand and sieved compost/leafmould. Even if your drainage is good this trick is worth using for baby carrots as it means the roots always come out clean.
Toby’s favouriTe carroT varieTies
My favourite baby carrot is the sweet ‘Nantes’ which is good for sowing in batches right through until mid-summer closely followed by the longer ‘Sugarsnax 54’. They mature fast (just 11-13 weeks for mini carrots) and are particularly tasty when small. If you’ve room for just one ‘Nantes’ is an okay keeper but for storing through winter choose heftier maincrop varieties as their greater mass ensures the roots stay moist for a long time once lifted. ‘Chantenay’ carrots shaped like gorillas fingers were perfect on the heavy silty soil under my old plot but now I’ve moved ‘Autumn King’ – a good doer on lighter soils is better. Key to success is keeping off root fly (see panel) and mulching. Carrots are difficult to weed without damaging and a mulch around the seedlings prevents weeds coming up and also holds in moisture mitigating against fluctuations in water levels in the soil that can cause the roots to fork. I use leafmould for this purpose.
62 | JUNE 2013
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Beetroot Sow in small batches for continuous picking as depending on variety roots are ready in just 60-90 days. Early in the year – or if weather is poor start seed off in cells then sow in situ. Large leaves are edible and a tip I learnt from chefs when working on TV cookery programmes is that they taste best when cooked twice – i.e., par-boiled then grilled or fried with butter. My favourite variety is ‘Burpees Golden’ as it’s very sweet and doesn’t bleed all over the chopping board.
ParSniPS
The biggest parsnips I’ve ever raised were in a newly created bed enriched with half a dozen barrow-loads of council green-waste. The whole row had 15cm (6in) wide shoulders and 75cm (2½ft) chunky roots large enough to feed an army. I’ve never repeated this success (probably because the parsnips are getting bigger each time I recount the story) but I’ve high hopes for this year as once again I’ve been piling in the green-waste soil-improver. It is perfect for parsnips – sweetening my acid soil (parsnips like it around the pH neutral mark) and releasing a gentle flow of nutrients throughout the potential 12 months in the soil. Like carrots, over-feeding can cause them to fork but a bigger problem is that a rich diet increases their susceptibility to ‘brown rot’– a fungal disease that develops as soft smudges on the shoulders. Another cause is drought-stress which the high humus content of the green-waste also helps prevent. Traditionally parsnips are sown under cloches from February to give them the longest time to bulk up but you can sow right though until May for respectable-sized roots come winter. Germination is slow so the best way to sow is in ‘stations’ two or three seeds at a time spaced 15-20cm (6-8in) and in rows 30cm (1ft) apart and then thin to the strongest once they sprout. As they’re slow starters sometimes taking weeks to show I use Joy Larkcom’s trick of sowing radish in between to mark the position of the rows. Once up though the glossy leaves soon cover the soil and even out-compete the weeds. In early summer I switch from the winter roots to sowing for summer. Parsnips pulled at just 10-15cm (46in) long before they’ve had chance to develop a fibrous core are delicious fried with marjoram and roasted. ‘Lancer’ (from Dobies) sown in tight rows 15cm (6in) apart is good for this and sown now will be ready by mid-late August. As for all parsnip varieties fresh seed is essential as viability rapidly drops after the first year.
Swede
Home-grown swedes have so much more character than those bought in the shops and their higher water content means the purple-topped varieties like ‘Marian’ cook fast so they don’t require being put on to boil the day before you want to eat. I prefer to sow mine in plug trays as opposed to direct in the soil for planting in rows spaced a boots-width apart straight under fleece cover to protect the leaves from cabbage white caterpillars and leaf-chewing flea-beetle. They are ready by October when the covers can come off. ➤
Kohl raBi and turnips The same sowing-in-cells trick works for these. Kohl rabi ‘Purple Vienna’ (picture below right) is a particular favourite and delicious when the tennis-ball sized globes are cubed and fried with bacon. It’s fast to mature and does well on my light acid soil thanks to the addition of alkaline green-waste-compost. Kohl rabi and similar fast-maturing turnips (‘Purple
Top Milan’ has a fabulous flavour) are winners in mixed weather as they are ready from just six to 10 weeks and can be successionally sown right through the summer. The key to success is keeping the ground fertile and the soil moist to boost growth and ensure their flesh stays succulent. Before sowing I sprinkle a handful of fish, blood and bone to the soil.
JUNE 2013 | 63