Kitchen Garden Nov 2015

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DOWN-TO-EARTH ADVICE FOR GROWING FRUIT & VEG | KITCHENGARDEN.CO.UK | NOVEMBER 2015

POTATOES

11

LET'S EAT!

10 YUMMY RECIPES TO TRY TODAY

VARIETIES YOU MUST GROW

SURVIVAL FORFOODIES BEAR GRYLLS ON FINDING GRUB FOR FREE

No. 218

November 2015

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GROW YOUR BEST EVER WINTER CABBAGES & PARSNIPS

MONEY-SAVING PROJECTS

GIANT VEGETABLES ON SHOW

MEET THE KG PLOTTERS

CONTENTS

EXPERT ADVICE TO HELP YOU GROW GREAT FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

YOU ✪ ON THE COVER Follow us at facebook.com/ KitchenGardenMag

FOR OUR CONTACT DETAILS TURN TO PAGE 18

YOUR PLOT

22 MEET THE PLOTTERS ✪

Plant garlic, start winter digging, late season sowings, harvest late veg, buy fruit trees

What are KG readers up to on their plots?

10 IN THE GREENHOUSE

26 BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO WINTER CABBAGE ✪

Harvesting hints, sowing and planting guide and tending to tomatoes

12 HOT TOPICS

Get back to basics with Andrew Tokely as he explains how to get the best from this winter favourite

The latest news and comment from the world of kitchen gardening

29 VEG AT A GLANCE: PARSNIPS ✪

Learn what other KG readers have been up to and pick up some great first-hand advice. Plus enter our fun Spot The Difference competition

20 QUESTION TIME

£20

Bob Flowerdew and Anne Swithinbank answer your fruit and veg growing conundrums

88 DIARY DATES Plus details of seed and young plant suppliers and giveaways coupon

ON PAGE 32

94 NEXT MONTH Some highlights to be found in your December issue plus details of great free gifts

HAVING TROUBLE FINDING A COPY OF THIS MAGAZINE

98 LAST WORD

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

This month KG reader Lynn Thorn tells of her challenges of gardening on limestone

4 | NOVEMBER 2015

GET GROWING

6 JOBS ON THE VEG PATCH

16 YOUR LETTERS AND TIPS

NEVER MISS AN ISSUE...

26

80

10

A KG mini growing guide

34 TUBERS WITH TASTE APPEAL ✪ Looking for a different potato variety to grow? Read our roundup of varieties worthy of plot space

38 WILD ABOUT FOOD ✪ Bear Grylls knows a thing or two about surviving in the wild helped by some good foraging skills

42 GOLDEN HILL: A COMMUNITY GARDEN FOR ALL SEASONS Steve Neal reports on a community garden in Bristol

48 GIANT GIGANTOMOS ✪ The KG team witnessed the weighing in of a new variety of monster tomato at Harrogate Flower Show www.kitchengarden.co.uk

NOVEMBER 2015

34

RECIPES This month tasty recipes for beetroot, turnip and cabbage ✪

Pg 90

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64 72 50 ANNE’S TOP 10 WORST LARGE GARDEN PESTS

WHAT TO BUY 76 KG BOOKSHELF Our roundup of some of the best books to buy for gardeners

Gardening writer and broadcaster Anne Swithinbank lists some larger creatures that cause havoc on the veg patch

78 READER SAVERS

52 HAVE YOU TRIED TRAINING FRUIT TREES?

This month claim your free raspberry canes, plus save on strawberry runners, gooseberries and blackcurrants

Lucy Halliday has some tips on keeping fruit trees in shape

80 TRIED AND TESTED The KG team put a selection of pruning saws through their paces

56 GROWING OUR DEFENCES AGAINST ALZHEIMER’S

83 WIN PLANT PROTECTION PRODUCTS WORTH £1050

Susie Kearley has some tips on eating healthily to help keep the brain well

We have joined forces with leading gardening sundries suppier, Gardenskill, to bring you the chance to win a super package of plant protection products including cloches, fruit and vegetable cages, plus raised beds and top quality garden tools

60 DIG FOR CAKE ✪ Carrot cake is always popular but other root veg can also make great cake as Julie Moore reveals

64 HOW TO MAKE RASPBERRY SUPPORTS

84 GIVEAWAYS WORTH £998

Joyce Russell explains the best method of supporting your raspberries

This month you could win Thompson & Morgan vouchers, RSPB Prize Packages, Compost Tumbler, Toro Blower vac, Hedgehog gutter protector

68 MAKE YOUR OWN NESTBOX ✪ Sarah Woods from the RSPB explains how

72 PLOTS & PLANS Organising your plot will pay dividends, as Michael Littlewood explains www.kitchengarden.co.uk

22

86 GARDEN STORE News of the best new products and services to reach the KG offices this month NOVEMBER 2015 | 5

GET GROWING

MEET THE PLOTTERS Around the country vegetable growers have been hard at work and enjoying the fruits of their labours. Here we feature some of our readers and their plots

ROBERTBAILEY

ROBERT’S TOP CROPS

FROM: NORWICH, NORFOLK Robert has an allotment and has been growing veg for 40 years. He is helped on his plot by Jo Balfe, Joey Kuna and Amber Gilbert-Squires (pictured with Robert). He likes to experiment with his growing and making raised beds out of old radiators is certainly experimental! Robert likes to pursue a permaculture lifestyle so incorporates some perennial veg in his growing such as Daubenton's kale which provides green leaves all year round. Robert also grows saskatoons which are like blue blueberries but don’t need acidic soil.

Goji berries, Daubenton's kale and saskatoons

JOSEPHINE EARL FROM: CALLINGTON, CORNWALL Josephine works her allotment with occasional help from her grandson. She describes the allotment as her second home.

“I love it there. We also get lovely sunsets as it’s south-west facing. Gardening is also great exercise; it saves me going to the gym!”

Josephine’stip I sow a few carrot and parsnip seeds in compost-fi mpost-filled lled cardboard tubes or ger lengths of newspaper pots. longer I then thin out one plant per pot.

I harden them off and when they are sturdy little plants I plant them out. This way you get a reliable row without gaps.

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GET GROWING

Winter Cabbage A hearty cabbage is one of our staple veggies for the colder months.

Andrew Tokely explains how to grow winter and Savoy cabbages

26 | NOVEMBER 2015

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GET GROWING

TUBERS

TASTE APPEAL Are you a potato grower on the lookout for something new?

We bring you a roundup of some varieties with more than just novelty value

T

housands of words have been written about potatoes and although some writers have referred to them as ‘the humble spud’, at KG we don’t think they are at all humble. In fact they are majestic plants in their own right.

Some modern early varieties can be ready seven to eight weeks after planting, while others can be planted on Good Friday and not be ready until October.

Extra early types like ‘Swift’ can be grown in buckets or pots set off in late winter and you can be eating early varieties such as the ever-reliable ‘Swift’ from the greenhouse on Easter Sunday even before planting outdoor crops.

The next category of spud – second earlies – can bulk up within 16 weeks of planting and usually give a heavier crop than earlies and certain varieties will also store well into the spring.

New varieties are coming along all the time

and this year we grew second early ‘Jazzy’ on the KG plot to test the claims that it could be ready to eat in as little as seven weeks after planting (early and second early potatoes would normally be ready between 10-14 weeks after planting).

Earlies are often most delicious when eaten young as boiled potatoes before the skins have set (hardened). The tender skins, which are highly nutritious, can be left in place or easily scraped away with a knife or a bristle brush.

However, many varieties can be left to reach full size and used for mash, chips and roasties. Following these are the maincrops, often known as late potatoes, since they are harvested later in the season than the rest. This crop takes all summer to mature and gives us the heaviest crop because of the steady growth of the tubers over many months.

The final group consists of the salad types and some would say that these have the best flavour of

“Earlies are often most delicious when eaten young as boiled potatoes”

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The varieties

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■ ‘VIVALDI’ (second early): Called the ‘butterless potato’ since its buttery taste means you don’t need to add more when serving. It is also low in carbohydrates.

■ ‘SHETLAND BLACK’ (second early): The deep blue-purple tubers of this heritage variety are attractive. The pale yellow flesh is great for baking, roasting and steaming.

■ ‘JAZZY’ (second early): The small oval white tubers are produced in abundance.

Good for growing in bags as well as in the ground. Great flavour and a good all-rounder.

■ ‘ISLE OF JURA’ (maincrop): Oval white tubers with a smooth texture. Has good resistance to diseases and stores well, too.

Considered a good general purpose potato.

■ ‘BLUE DANUBE’ (early maincrop): Bred by the company producing 'Sarpo' blight resistant spuds, this one also has resistance.

The blue tubers have a white flesh.

■ ‘BLUE BELLE’ (maincrop): The attractive tubers are great when baked or mashed.

Very popular with exhibitors thanks to the uniform size and shape of the tubers.

■ ‘PURPLE MAJESTY’ (maincrop): Deep purple skins and flesh, the latter retaining its colour on cooking. Good for baking, roasting, mashing and chipping.

■ ‘APACHE’ (maincrop): The colourful tubers of this maincrop variety are very distinctive and can be maintained on cooking if they are blanched before roasting.

■ ‘SARPO AXONA’ (late maincrop): Similar to ‘Sarpo Mira’ but tends to produce tubers of a more even size and shape. Pink skins and white flesh. A good all-rounder.

■ ‘SARPO MIRA’ (late maincrop): Great resistance to blight and slugs. Heavy yielding, floury tubers which are great for baking and chipping.

'Lady Balfour'

all. They are in fact simply varieties which, thanks to their waxy, firm flesh, are particularly good for eating hot or cold, but have their roots in one of the groups above. For example, ‘Charlotte’ (early) and ‘Pink Fir Apple’ (maincrop).

Earlier in the season we collected some varieties together that we hadn’t grown before and grew them on for flavour, quality and resistance to pests and diseases.

GROWING THE CROP

Manure was dug into the soil before Christmas, then left rough for the winter elements to work their magic, breaking it down to a good tilth.

Ten days before planting and on a dry day so as not to damage the soil structure (March 16) a 15cm (6in) trench was made to which potato fertiliser was added. Then the tubers were planted 10cm (4in) deep and in the case of the earlies 36cm (14in) apart with 45cm (18in) between the rows. The second earlies were planted 45cm (18in) apart with 50cm (20in) between the rows and lates 50cm (20in) apart with 60cm (24in) between each row. ➤ www.kitchengarden.co.uk

NOVEMBER 2015 | 35

GET GROWING

HOWTO

make

raspberry supports 64 | NOVEMBER 2015

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WEEKEND PROJECT

Raspberries are best tied against wires to help contain them and make harvesting easier. Here Joyce Russell describes creating post and wire supports

R

aspberries are an easy fruit to grow.

They like a slightly acid soil, an occasional feed, a bit of pruning, and of course the fruit must be picked. Some people use netting, but others don’t and still seem to pick plenty before the birds swoop in to feast. Left to their own devices, raspberry plants will send out suckers and push up new canes over a wide area. This may suit people with large gardens, who don’t mind an impenetrable and ever-expanding raspberry bed, but most of us prefer to put some manners on our raspberry rows.

The best way to do this is to make a structure that will last as long as the productive life of the plants. Wires are stretched between posts and the canes are tied in at appropriate heights.

Suckers that pop up beyond the desired limits of the row can be dug up and replanted if required, but the idea is to reduce spread and to keep the row growing along the support wires. ➤

TIMING The best time to make a raspberry frame is when the bed is first set up.

That way you can plant along the frame and get an even distribution of canes.

Wintertime is good for established beds because you aren’t battling with lots of extra foliage. Having said that, you will see that this frame was put up in spring when the canes were just bursting into leaf. It replaced an old one in my garden and this was the only moment to do it!

This project is quick and simple to make, so it’s better to get on and do it at any time of year than to delay until the bed is too wild to be tamed.

www.kitchengarden.co.uk

NOVEMBER 2015 | 65

GET COOKING

November nosh just couldn’t get more enticing than these super dishes from inspirational chef Anna Pettigrew. This month beetroot, turnip and cabbage are stars of the show

Autumn inspiration

90 | NOVEMBER 2015

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RECIPES

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beetroot &goat's cheesetart Fresh, colourful and delicious, this is a great treat to serve up with a big side salad.

SERVES 4

CHOCOLATEBEETROOTCAKE Not only does the added beetroot gently sweeten this rich chocolate cake, it makes it incredibly moist too.

MAKES 8-10 SLICES ■ 50g (2oz) cocoa powder ■ 175g (6oz) plain flour ■ 1½ tsp baking powder ■ 200g (7oz) caster sugar ■ 250g (9oz) cooked beetroot ■ 3 medium organic eggs ■ 200ml (7fl oz) sunflower oil ■ 150g (5oz) dark chocolate, finely chopped

■ 175g (6oz) beetroot ■ 400g (14oz) ready-made shortcrust pastry ■ 4 tbsp red onion marmalade/chutney ■ 2 large organic eggs ■ 100g (3½oz) crème fraîche ■ 100g (3½oz) goat’s cheese, sliced ■ 1 tsp chopped thyme leaves, plus sprigs to garnish ■ Salt and pepper

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas 6. Wrap the beetroots in foil, then roast for 45 minutes until tender. Leave to cool slightly, then rub off the skins and thinly slice. Set aside.

2. On a floured surface, roll out the pastry and use to line a 23cm (9in) tart tin. Gently press the pastry into the grooves of the tin and cut away any excess with a knife. Prick the pastry base with a fork all over.

3. Cover with a sheet of baking paper, then fill with ceramic baking beans or dry rice. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the beans, or rice, and bake for another five minutes.

4. Turn the oven down to 180°C/160°C fan/Gas 4.

5. Spread the onion marmalade over the base of the tart, then beat together the eggs and crème fraîche, season with salt and pepper, then pour into the pastry case.

6. Top with the sliced beetroot, goat's cheese and thyme.

7. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until just set.

8. Serve with a side salad. ➤

FOR THE ICING: ■ 225g (8oz ) icing sugar ■ 2-3 tbsp orange juice ■ 1 tbsp beet puree 1. In a large pan of boiling water, boil the beetroots in their skins until tender when pierced with a knife, roughly 40 minutes. Allow to cool and rub away the skins with your fingers. Set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/Gas 4, then grease and flour 2 x 23cm (9in) springform cake tins.

3. Sieve the cocoa, flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl, then add the sugar.

4. Pop the beetroot into a food processor, then blend until smooth. Scoop out 1 tbsp of the beets to use later in the icing.

5. With the machine running, add the eggs one at a time, then pour in the oil. Blend the mixture until the liquid is just smooth.

6. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix in the chocolate. Pour into the tin and cook for 30-45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

7. Remove from the oven and set aside for 10 minutes, then turn out the cakes and leave to cool.

8. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl.

9. Using a wooden spoon, gradually stir in enough juice until the mixture is the consistency of thick cream. Then add the beetroot puree, and mix until pink, smooth and thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.

10. Use the icing to decorate the cake. Spread half between the layers and the remainder on the top.

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NOVEMBER 2015 | 91

GROW THE MOST NUTRITIOUS CROPS IN JUST THREE DAYS

INSPIRATIONAL RECIPES FOR YOUR FESTIVE PARTY

REVEALED: NEW BLIGHT RESISTANT POTATOES

NEXT ISSUE ON SALE NOV 12

HE N GA RD EN M AG AZ IN E TC KI OF E SU IS R BE M CE IN YO UR DE

MAKE THIS SIMPLE BIRD FEEDER IN AN AFTERNOON

PLUS FRUIT GROWING NORTH OF THE BORDER OUR GUIDE TO GREAT RHUBARB NEW VARIETIES FOR 2016 CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS MONEY-SAVING OFFERS 94 | NOVEMBER 2015

DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF GROWING BIG ONIONS

SEE THE VEGGIE DELIGHTS OF DUNDEE FLOWER SHOW

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(*Just pay £1.95 p&p)

EARLY SOWING SEED COLLECTION INCLUDING ■ CABBAGE ‘PIXIE’ ■ CARROT ‘NANDOR’ ■ BROCCOLI ‘EARLY PURPLE SPROUTING’ ■ LEEK ‘ELECTRA’

ONLINE ★ POST ★ PHONE ON PAGE 32 www.kitchengarden.co.uk