Plotlife

Category: Fruit, Vegetables & Herbs

  • Pea Growing Hack: Sowing Seeds in Guttering

    Today I brought my pea gutters to the allotment (having kittens every time I braked worrying they’d flop out all over the boot). I’d already topped up the bed with fresh compost gathered when I refreshed my woodchip paths (really nice stuff – the weeds thought so too). I have used the gutter trick before and it worked out well. However, last time I was too skimpy on the water and let them get far too dry, so I was careful to avoid that this time around.

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    I germinated my peas in damp kitchen towel in plastic takeaway cartons. I’ve never had much luck with peas sowing direct or even in seed cells. Once they sprouted, I filled the guttering with multipurpose compost and transferred the germinated peas, planting them in diagonal rows of 3 around 3cm apart. That way, 40 pea seeds fit into a 1 metre length of guttering perfectly.

    The pea seedlings were in my greenhouse for a couple of weeks, growing on, watered daily and well cared for. They didn’t seem very happy towards the end though. Some were turning yellow. I figured it was the heat, since the temperature was bouncing from 6 degrees at night to 39 degrees during the day. I moved them outside and they seemed to get on better.

    To prepare the raised bed, I pushed two bamboo canes into the compost, feeding into holes I’d already created hammering rebars in so the canes would be nice and stable. I’d already added a bit of lime and some chicken manure pellets. I then cut sheets of builder’s barrier fencing I had left over, feeding them through the bamboo canes then securing with cable ties. I’ve tried cheap pea netting before and found it an absolute nightmare: just a big plastic tangle. This was so much easier to work with and should do the job just fine. I added two rows of support to the raised bed.

    I then placed one rebar at each corner of the raised bed and fitted blue tube hoops to support my nets. I knocked together the nets on my sewing machine a few years ago, making them to measure so I don’t have to mess around with loose netting. They’re made from debris netting and have stood up really well. I take them home and throw them in the washing machine every once in a while.

    After digging a trench for my peas to slide into, I lifted the end of the tray of guttering, anxiously awaiting the magic moment as gravity took over and my pea shoots slid smoothly into the gap, slick as butter. It worked perfectly last time and was so rewarding to watch. This time, not so much.

    I soon came to understand where I’d gone wrong. The compost was far too wet. No wonder they didn’t look happy. I was expecting a seamless transfer but it was all just a soggy composty mess, trying to transfer the clods bit by bit without damaging the plants too much. It was a bit like an episode of Bake Off where the chef is oh-so-smug, proudly turning out their Victoria sponge, only for it to do a belly flop. I planted one row each side of the support. I say planted, I mean manhandled and hoped for the best.

    I have some more pea seeds on top of the fridge at home germinating (hopefully…). Last time I grew peas I quickly came to see the need for repeat sowing. One minute the plants are producing happily, the next, they’re spent.

    I will be using guttering trick again, but I’ll be a lot less liberal with the water next time.

  • Five Low Maintenance High Yield Crops for Beginner Allotmenteers

    For many growers, getting their first allotment marks the start of a steep learning curve, paved with unanticipated pitfalls and setbacks. From pigeons whittling away your brassica beds to slugs chomping at your cucumber plants, it can at times feel like the tide is pushing against you.

    Some crops are notoriously challenging to grow, while others provide huge rewards with little investment of energy or time. In this article, we provide an overview of five easy-to-grow, low maintenance crops to help beginner gardeners drive down their grocery bills and make the most of their gardening space.

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    1.           Runner Beans

    A firm favourite of many allotmenteers, runner beans are easy and quick to grow. Just provide them with sturdy support and plenty of water, sit back and watch them spring into action. A single row of runner beans will provide a near constant supply of pods all summer long, provided you pick them regularly to encourage the plants to keep producing. The pods should be harvested when they are around 15cm long for maximum tenderness and taste.

    From July onwards in the UK, runner beans become unstoppable, subject to weather conditions. This classic British vegetable has the added bonus of brightening up gardens with its delicate red or white flowers, which precede the long bean pods.

    An excellent source of folic acid, fibre, vitamin C and protein, runner beans are low in calories, containing less than 20 calories per 100g serving. Once picked, they can last 2-3 days or longer in the refrigerator, if stored correctly.  Washed, sliced and chopped, they are also ideal for freezing.

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    2.           Potatoes

    Ideal for beginner allotmenteers, potatoes are relatively easy to cultivate, presenting a good return on investment in the form of a potentially long-lasting harvest. A versatile crop, potatoes are a staple food source that can go a long way towards improving soil structure. They thrive in a range of different conditions, making them the perfect choice for first-time growers.

    Relatively low maintenance, potatoes are excellent for breaking up the soil, encouraging the decomposition of organic matter and improving its composition for future crops. Compared to many other crops, potatoes are an inexpensive option, coming in several different types, including early, second early and maincrop.

    Potato crops are relatively easy to plant and maintain, typically grown in trenches, making them appropriate for growers of all abilities. To get started with potato cultivation, the grower will need only basic tools, such as a fork or spade. Selecting early varieties helps to reduce the risk of blight, enabling first time allotmenteers to enjoy harvesting new potatoes right through the summer.

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    3.           Onions

    Another staple food, onions add flavour to stews, soups and salads. In the garden, they prefer a sunny spot with well-draining soil. Onions can be grown from seed or sets, the latter producing a crop much more quickly, producing a harvest in around 80 days, while those grown from seed can take up to 100 days to mature.

    Onions are a relatively cheap crop to grow that presents scope for families to drastically reduce their grocery bills over the course of a year, given that a pack of three at the supermarket costs 99p, a packet of seeds costs the same, and a properly prepared harvest can potentially be stored for several months. From May to October, onions can be eaten straight from the plot, with stored onions lasting up until March and beyond.

    When growing a crop of onions, particularly from sets, a common problem is bolting, with the onion developing a flower spike. Bolted onions develop a hollow centre that renders them useless for storing. When this happens, the best strategy is to harvest and use them right away, discarding the fibrous, woody centre but using the surrounding flesh, which is still fine to eat. Bolting is said to be caused by irregular watering, particularly in early summer dry patches, or sudden changes in temperature. The sight of flower spikes can be disheartening for growers, but it is usually just 10-15% of the crop that is affected.

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    4.           Strawberries

    The quintessential taste of summer, strawberries are an excellent perennial crop that will keep coming, rewarding you with mouth-watering fragrant fruit, year after year. Plant runners in autumn or early spring, feed, mulch well and sit back, waiting for a generous crop of juicy berries in summer.

    However, be warned: wildlife enjoy this crop every bit as much as you do. You could find yourself competing with all kinds of critters – everything from slugs to birds to squirrels – so it is advisable to keep them netted to protect your harvest.

    The key to successful strawberry cultivation lies in selecting the right varieties, ensuring proper soil conditions and providing them with adequate sunlight. Strawberries are delicious eaten fresh or used in desserts and cakes. They can also be used to make jam, or frozen for use in smoothies. Strawberry leaves are sometimes used in herbal teas, imparting a mild flavour, their potential health benefits ranging from antioxidant protection, enhanced digestion and even providing relief to people with arthritis.

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    5.           Tomatoes

    Popular among beginner gardeners, tomatoes can actually be quite a challenging crop to master. However, even the laziest and most neglectful growers are usually rewarded with some fruit. Nothing compares to the flavour and aroma of homegrown tomatoes, unparalleled by even the most expensive store-bought alternatives.

    When growing yourself, tomato seeds should be sown approximately six weeks from the last frost date and raised on a sunny windowsill or in the greenhouse until the danger of frost has passed. With a myriad of different varieties available today, there are types available to suit every space, with bush tomatoes ideal for growing in hanging baskets. Cordon tomatoes can exceed 12 metres in height given the right conditions, so it is important to provide them with ample support.

    Tomatoes should never be allowed to dry out, since this can cause various problems, including  causing the fruit to split. Fresher and more nutritious, grown without the use of pesticides, homegrown tomatoes are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, including lycopene, which bestows a range of health benefits, including lowering the risk of heart disease and cancer.

  • Resurrecting Tutankhamun’s Peas

    Ancient vegetables on the brink of extinction were allegedly brought back to life in the West Midlands recently. Experts from Ryton Organic Gardens, horticulturalists based on the outskirts of Coventry, have been working to conserve circa 800 ancient seed types since the 1970s. Included in the gardens’ Heritage Seed Library are ancient peas believed to originate from Tutankhamun’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings.

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    Having ruled from around 1332 BC to 1323 BC, the ‘Boy King’ commenced his reign at the age of nine, having died aged just 18 years old. His golden sarcophagus was discovered by Howard Carter in 1922. Funded by Lord Carnarvon, the expedition led to recovery of more than 5,000 priceless treasures buried with the Pharoah. Other artefacts recovered included a crown, golden throne and elaborate carved chests, along with King Tut’s iconic golden burial mask.

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    Lord Caernarvon donated the Freers Mummy Pea seeds to Garden Organic, a registered charity. According to Garden Organic, these tiny seeds produce some impressive pea plants, growing to a height of over 2.5 metres and producing a plentiful crop. Famed for their tenderness and sweet flavour, the Freers Mummy Pea also freezes well. Unfortunately, the variety is now in short supply, however, due to their scarcity and popularity.

    Over the pond, another pea patch in Marysville, Washington, has also been linked to ancient Egypt. Doubt has been cast on aptly named King Tut Pea’s provenance, historians insisting that the variety’s origins are far more likely to lie in early 20th Century England. As custodians of the King Tut pea variety, the McKee family has vehemently defended its authenticity, maintaining that this heirloom pea is derived from seeds discovered in Tutankhamun’s tomb. However, Salima Ikram, an Egyptology professor at the American University in Cairo, has cast doubt on these claims, pointing out that various people have attempted to grow seeds from the tomb without success, the seeds being too old to germinate.

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    Documents from Kew Gardens tend to support Dr Ikram’s theory, with records revealing that despite many stories of seeds recovered from ancient Egyptian tombs germinating, there is no scientific research to back up any of these claims. Nevertheless, experts from Kew Gardens did concede that the dry conditions within Egyptian tombs were conducive to seed longevity, in some instances potentially extending lifespan to thousands of years.

    According to The Fortean Times, a British magazine dedicated to exploring unusual phenomena, the sale of so-called “Mummy Seeds” was common throughout the 19th and early 20th Century, visitors returning with them to their home countries and planting them in their gardens. It is claimed that the origins of the Tutankhamun Pea variety lie in the country estate of Lord Caernarvon, although one theory is that the pea was simply named in honour of his claim to fame rather than reflecting the pea variety’s true origin.

    Whatever the truth, those interested in keeping the legend alive can purchase Tutankhamun Peas through the Heritage Seed Library. By becoming a member, gardeners can gain access to a myriad of other rare and heirloom seed varieties, as well as receiving three free issues of The Organic Way magazine annually.

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