Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2016 i Kitchen Garden

How can it be November already! How was your season? Do you have plenty of produce in store for the winter? Lots to think about, yet there is still lots to be getting on with this month too. For a start there are onions and garlic to plant through October and November and leading garden writers Ben Vanheems and Rob Smith have some great advice to help you get the best from your crops. One of the pleasures of growing your own in the autumn is harvesting those colourful plump pumpkins and squashes. Turn to page 35 for Tony Flanagan’s growing and harvesting tips as well as some fun facts on this iconic autumn fruit. We have some great money-saving projects for you this month, too. Gardening writer and broadcaster…

PICK COURGETTES If the weather in October has been mild and sunny, it’s not unusual for courgettes to have a last spurt of growth and very often you can pick a final crop of fruits in early November. These are always very welcome and are a final reminder of summer, but don’t leave them too long on the plants as they are prone to rotting if the weather turns cool and damp! HARVEST KALE Winter kale is a great winter vegetable because it is fully hardy and can be harvested all through the winter months regardless of the weather. I’ve even picked leaves when they are frozen solid! There are several varieties to choose from, but my favourites are curly kale, ‘Redbor’ or ‘Nero di Toscana’, and I normally start…

Cracking pots If you don’t have a lot of space, or even a garden as such, you can grow lots in pots, and turn that balcony, backyard or paved area into a fruit and vegetable cornucopia. Crops in Pots by Bob Purnell will give you plenty of ideas of what to grow – 50 to be precise – including vegetables, fruit, herbs and edible flowers. Each entry shows you what to grow and has an accompanying recipe for when the fruits of your labour are ready. It also contains lots of useful growing advice and is attractively designed too. This book will inspire! (Enter our Spot the Difference Competition on page 21 for your chance to win Crops in Pots, published by Spruce at £12.99) ‘GREENFINGERS’ FOR THE GREEN-FINGERED Pledging its…

HAMBURG PARSLEY MONIKA: Just in case somebody is contemplating growing Hamburg parsley next year, here are my thoughts. They have grown well, but are about half the size of the parsnips and a very similar flavour to celeriac. PLUMPUDDING: Last year was the first time I had tried growing Hamburg parsley and only got a few very weedy plants. I tried it again this year and got good-sized tops but the roots were riddled with carrot fly. MONIKA: I grew the Hamburg parsley in the same fleece and micromesh ‘cage’ as the carrots, parsnips and celeriac which kept the carrot root fly at bay. To have your say on the forum visit: http://forum.kitchengarden.co.uk…

Our Star Question winner will receive vouchers worth £25; the writers of all other letters printed will receive a £10 voucher. They can be redeemed against any products in the latest Mr Fothergill’s catalogue, which will be sent out with the vouchers so you can choose from the massive range of quality products including seeds and garden equipment. To receive a free catalogue call 08453 710518 or visit www.mr-fothergills.co.uk Email questions to tflanagan@mortons.co.uk or post to Question Time, Kitchen Garden, Mortons Media Group, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR. Please include your full address on letters and emails. We do not publish full addresses.…

The site was originally a chicken farm run by an old lady who used to give eggs to people on the estate. There are some marker stones on the site that may relate to the spring, which runs beneath the allotments and gives it its name. The spring runs down to St Mary Redcliffe Church in the centre of Bristol and 800 years ago this was part of the city’s water supply. Every year in November there is the pipe walk where a group of people walk the course of the spring and carry out an inspection. The site is rich in natural history. Plotholders have found fossils on their plots as they have dug down. From the allotments you can see the Bommie, the local name for an area…

1 Cook linguine in a separate pan of salted water as per instructions on the packet. 2 Cook a piece of salmon for a few minutes and then break up into flakes and set aside. You could use smoked salmon instead. 3 In another pan, melt butter and toss in a few whole cherry tomatoes. I used ‘Sungold’ which I had grown and is a really sweet cherry tomato. Add some pieces of green beans or you could use peas. Just before you take it off the heat add some chopped okahijiki but only leave on the heat for a minute or two maximum. 4 Drain the pasta and mix in the salmon and the tomatoes, beans and okahijiki. Add a small pot of crème fraiche or cream and some…

In my previous existence as an electrical engineer in the construction industry (before I escaped into the world of horticulture) I often acquired scrap and surplus construction materials. Concrete reinforcing rod is one such material that I have manipulated into all sorts of garden uses, including plant supports, arches and the like. Following on from this I started to experiment with concrete reinforcing mesh – one creation that evolved from this was a leaf bin which I made last year. The reinforcing mesh is manufactured so that it has a grid of 20cm x 20cm squares. This is obviously too large to retain the leaf debris so it was lined with chicken wire which worked a treat. The bin was designed so that there are prongs sticking out at the…

LONG SEASON STRAWBERRY COLLECTION This collection allows you to stretch the picking season to the max. These three favourites for both flavour and heavy crops will keep you supplied from May through to the end of July. If you want to grow in a container or hanging basket, three plants is our recommendation for a standard 30cm (12in) container. You’ll receive five plants each of ‘Malling Centenary’ (May-June), ‘Elegance’ (Jun-Jul) and ‘Malwina’ (July). 15 top quality strawberry runners, five of each, for £18.95 or you can buy 10 runners of individual varieties (see coupon for prices). ALL SEASON GOOSEBERRY COLLECTION These fabulous fruits are one of the treats of early summer and are perfect for tasty fools or crumbles. This collection of three specially selected varieties will help to prolong…

CROPS TO HARVEST Asparagus, Brussels sprouts, chard, celeriac, celery, indoor lettuce, Jerusalem artichokes, leeks, kale, parsnips, broccoli, rhubarb, spinach, spring greens, swede, winter cabbage, winter cauliflower FROM STORE Apples, beetroot, carrots, dried beans, garlic, onions, potatoes, shallots In the kitchen CREAMY BROCCOLI & SPINACH PASTA WITH CRISPY GARLIC BREADCRUMBS A really satisfying dish full of flavour and easy to make too. Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes 200g7oztenderstembroccoli spears, or regular broccoli, florets halved lengthways 2 tbsp olive oil 6 heaped tbsp breadcrumbs 1 garlic clove, crushed 350g/12oz fusilli 200g/7oz baby spinach Freshly grated nutmeg 100ml/3½fl oz cream ½ unsprayed lemon, juice and zest of Grated Parmesan to serve 1. Blanch the broccoli for two minutes, then leave in a colander to dry. Heat a large frying…

STEVE NEAL Steve is an allotment activist as well as a keen veg grower himself. In this issue he visits a plot in Bristol which provides a vital function in the life of a community, serving diverse groups and creating a positive environment. ANDREW DAVENPORT Andrew is a keen exponent of QR (Quick Return) composting – a technique first expounded back in 1935. He is also a keen organic gardener and loves to find new uses for materials that can make our gardens more productive. JULIE MOORE Julie is a regular contributor to KG and we just love her unique ideas, especially those about gardening in tune with nature. Read her feature and you will find yourself in the garden putting together a home for your resident bees! ANNE SWITHINBANK…

Check fruit trees and collect any rotten fallen apples or fruits hanging on the branches with brown rot. This is a serious fungal problem and it is important to dispose of the diseased apples in a fire or bin, not the compost heap. Pull out old lettuce and salad crops that are now starting to flower and run to seed and compost them. Now is a good time to take hardwood cuttings from gooseberry and currant bushes. Make the cuttings from this season’s growth, trim to about 20cm (8in) and insert the prepared cutting half way into prepared soil or pots to root over the winter. As the tops of Jerusalem artichokes start to yellow, cut them down to ground level. Start forking over and composting ground where you intend…

WITH BOB FLOWER DEW & ANNE SWITH IN BANK KG EXPERTS & REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS TO RADIO 4’S GARDENERS’ QUESTION TIME POTATO FRUIT My ‘Maris Bard’ potatoes here in Somerset grew well this year but some of the plants grew little tomato-like fruit. I know these fruit are poisonous but are the potatoes underground safe to be eaten? Gill Southwood, via email BOB SAYS: Do not worry. As long as the true potato tubers have not turned green they will be edible. It is sensible to remove the flowers from potato plants to stop them forming these fruits, and if they do form to remove them before they ripen, just to save the plant wasting resources on them. KILLER ANTS This year my entire crop of very healthy runner beans, African…

Here is a selection of my favourite varieties from the many available: • ‘BORETTANA’ – An old Italian variety of cipollini onion, originating in the 1400s. Ideal for pickling or adding to winter casseroles, it’s sweet and easy to grow, forming flat, round onions. Seeds from Dobies’ Rob Smith Heritage Veg range. • ‘ROSE DE ROSCOFF’ – A traditional French onion from the 1700s, rose coloured with white and pink flesh. This onion has a designation of protected origin, meaning that it can only be called ‘Rose de Roscoff’ when grown in a certain area of France. Will keep until spring. Sets available from Suttons Seeds. • ‘WALLA WALLA’ – Amild, very sweet onion, with a flat bottom. Originally from Corsica but taken to the town of Walla Walla in…

BAG THOSE AUTUMN LEAVES November is a great month for collecting leaves to eventually use as compost, a soil conditioner or a mulch. The simplest way is to gather moist leaves into a plastic bin liner, tie the bag at the top and then puncture the bag with a garden fork. Leave for a year and you will have lovely, crumbly organic matter, great for the garden. For a really useful video on this just enter: 7 Ways to Use Leaves in Your Garden into the YouTube search box. ARE YOU FEELING NOVEMBERISH? Anne Williams @Williams13Anne Today was going to be a gardening day. Because suddenly it’s November here in Yorkshire, I’ll turn it into a reading day instead. Kitchen Garden Magazine Do you grow shallots? Quite good value for…

When I was recently asked what my favourite vegetable was, I didn’t hesitate. While melt-in-the-mouth asparagus, earthy beetroot and slowly ripened tomatoes all feature highly, for me it has to be garlic. You see, garlic has it all: good looks, incredibly good taste and an outstanding ancestry stretching back thousands of years. The bulbs are extraordinarily versatile in the kitchen. And they pack a punch of phytochemicals that keep those who eat them in rude health. It’s no surprise that this wonder bulb is celebrated the world over, with us Brits relatively late discoverers of what has now become a ubiquitous ingredient to just about any dish topping the taste charts. PUNGENT PICKS Garlic has been subject to many centuries of breeding – good news for today’s gardeners as there…

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH CHILLI It’s November, and that calls for heartwarming soups to come home to after tidying up the allotment! SERVES 4 Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 50 minutes 1 butternut squash 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp butter 2 onions, diced 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 mild red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped 850ml (29fl oz) vegetable stock 4 tbsp crème fraîche 1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut the squash lengthways, and remove the seeds. Pop in a large roasting tin with half the olive oil. Roast for 30 minutes, turning once during cooking, until golden and soft. 2. While the squash cooks, melt the butter with the remaining oil in a large saucepan, then add the onions, garlic and the chilli.…

We are fortunate to have four very different seasons, each with their own beauty and each producing different fruits and vegetables to harvest. Eating seasonally has many benefits. The first is we enjoy our food so much more. New potatoes just dug from the garden or a sun-warmed strawberry plucked from the plant is divine, and once they are gone we move on to other fruits and vegetables and appreciate them too. It also means we have such a varied diet and we get what we need when we need it – such as lots of leafy green veg in winter just when we need that extra powerful healthy chlorophyll punch. Our special supplement provides a listing of what fruit and veg is in season with a few tips on…

SOW NOW Sowing crops during the summer months can be more successful because the soil is nice and warm. Here are a few things to sow during the summer to extend the growing season... EARLY TO MID-SUMMER Dwarf French beans, runner beans, cabbage, kohl rabi, corn salad, chicory, kale, beetroot, lettuce, carrots, peas, radishes, spinach, turnips, swede, spring onions, salsify, basil, coriander, parsley and annual herbs, Swiss chard, Chinese cabbage, chicory, salad leaves, pak choi, annual herbs LATE SUMMER Spinach beet, Swiss chard, spring cabbage, Chinese cabbage, kohl rabi, corn salad, beetroot, lettuce, salad leaves, pak choi, 60-day broccoli, carrots, radishes, turnips, spring onions, basil, coriander CROPS TO HARVEST Spring cabbage, summer cabbage, asparagus, rhubarb, lettuce, salad leaves, onions, beetroot, spring onions, garlic, shallots, globe artichoke, radish, carrots, celery, peas,…

10 MINUTE JOBS SAVE RUNNER BEAN SEEDS Lots of gardeners save their own runner bean seeds with great success. If you are planning to do this, when the seeds have been removed from the dry pods they need to be stored over winter in paper bags in a cool, dry place. FEED BRASSICAS Now is the latest time to give winter brassicas such as cabbage, kale and Brussels sprouts a final feed to bulk them up before winter sets in. A general fertiliser with a balance of nutrients such as Growmore or blood, fish and bone is ideal. CHECK LETTUCE PLANTS Check young lettuce plants that are being grown under cloches to make sure the soil is moist. Also, remove any fast-growing annuals such as chickweed as at this time…

SOW & GROW IN NOVEMBER • Sow autumn-sowing varieties of broad bean, either directly in rows or in pots to transplant. • Try sowing seed of an early short carrot variety in a large pot; protect from slugs and cover with fleece. • Keep sowing rows of hardy salad leaves like rocket and mizuna. • Still time to plant garlic. A BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING A good tidy-up may be the last job you want to face now, but it is an important task if you want a healthy growing space in the year ahead. There is plenty to clear and clean so choose a bright day and enjoy the warmth and protection of the greenhouse while you work. A grapevine will drop leaves right through November and the job of…

Send us your tips and pictures and if your letter is published you will get a £10 Dobies voucher. If you are lucky enough to have yours chosen as our Star Letter you will get a £25 voucher. Your voucher will be sent out with a Dobies catalogue and you can choose to spend your winnings on a fabulous range of seeds, young plants and gardening sundries. You can get hold of a copy of the catalogue now by phoning 0844 701 7625 or go online to www.dobies.co.uk You can reach us by letter, email or via our Facebook page: FACEBOOK.COM/ KITCHENGARDENMAG Email your letters to tflanagan@mortons.co.uk  or post to Letters, Kitchen Garden, Mortons Media Group, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR…

PIGEONS Protect your winter cabbages and other brassicas with bird netting, otherwise hungry pigeons at this time of year will make a meal of them. Check regularly to make sure that no birds have found their way into the netting and can’t get out. MANURE When sourcing your manure, check that the land where the horses graze hasn’t been treated with hormonal weedkiller as this will come through in the manure and devastate your crops. BRUSSELS SPROUTS In vegetable patches exposed to wind, check that the roots of your Brussels sprouts haven’t rocked loose. Simply add more soil to the base around the plant and heel in.…

SOW: April-May HARVEST: October-November GROWING ADVICE SOWING 1. For pumpkins ensure that the soil is well-draining and rich in organic matter/well-rotted manure. A sunny spot is best and you will need plenty of space if you intend to grow more than one plant. 2. Sow seeds on their sides (rather than flat) to avoid rotting. Although they can be sown directly into the soil in late May or early June it is probably better to start them off indoors in April. 3. Fill 7.5cm (3in pots) or suitably deep modular cell trays with multipurpose compost and sow seeds to a depth of 2.5cm (1 in). 4. Place in a propagator if you have one or seal in a plastic bag – they will need temperatures around 18-21C (64-70F) to germinate.…

• ‘DOOCOT’: Hardy hardneck variety grown in Scotland for harvesting late July with large purple-tinged cloves and a deliciously sweet pungent flavour. (The Really Garlicky Company) • ‘EARLY PURPLE WIGHT’: Purple-tinged bulbs with good, fat cloves. One of the very earliest to crop – as soon as May! (Kings, D T Brown) • ‘IBERIAN WIGHT’: Excellent all-round softneck garlic producing large bulbs that store well. (Kings, Suttons, Dobies) • ‘CHESNOK WIGHT’: Very hardy hardneck variety that is ready by early summer. Both the skin and strong-tasting cloves are tinged purple. (Kings) • ‘SPRINT’: As the name suggests, this is a quick cropping hardneck which produces bulbs with white and violet striping, and plump, pink-beige cloves. (T & M, Dobies) • ‘SOLENT WIGHT’: One of the most popular softnecks, forming relatively…

Bees are estimated to contribute £651m to the UK economy annually through pollination services. Some 85% of the UK’s apple crops and 45% of strawberry crops rely on wild bees and managed honeybees to grow. It would cost the UK a staggering £1.8bn annually to pollinate crops without them. With new research revealing that the UK faces a food catastrophe because of the declining number of honeybee colonies, now, more than ever, bees need your support. Ancient cultures held bees sacred and considered honey a gift from the bees. Indeed, mankind has kept bees for millennia, ensuring the survival of these revered creatures, that is, until 150 years ago when everything changed dramatically. With the advent of modern intensive agriculture came ‘modern beekeeping’ which, like its farming counterpart, was geared…

STEP OUT IN STYLE! Premium boot brand The Original Muck Boot Company is launching a new print for autumn in association with the Royal Horticultural Society. This limited-edition boot, in the classic ‘Tremont’ style, comes in three beautiful flower- and vegetable-inspired prints, offering a fashionable, fun design for those seeking something a bit special. The RHS Tremont has a 4mm ( 1/8in) CR Flex-Foam interior, backed with a fleece liner, and offers a tall, slimming look with a matt finish that is easy to maintain. The generous pull-tab makes the boots smooth and quick to pull on, and they feature a shock-absorbing dual-intensity EVA insole ensuring ultimate comfort over long periods – so they’ll take you from the garden to the streets in style! To find out more or order…

CROPS TO HARVEST Leeks, winter cabbages, Brussels sprouts, kale, broccoli, chicory, celery/celeriac, spinach, Jerusalem artichokes, endive, kohl rabi, lettuce, salsify and scorzonera, swedes, turnips, parsnips, chard, savoy and winter cabbage FROM STORE Apples, carrots, pears, potatoes, beetroot, onions, pumpkins/ squashes, shallots Storage Some crops such as leeks and parsnips or other root veg such as swede can be difficult to get out of the ground if it is frozen solid. If you know you want to eat some in the coming days lift what you need when the weather is mild and dig a hole in a convenient spot. Place the roots or base of the leeks into the hole and backfill with loose soil. They will keep reasonably fresh for a few days in this way and you can…