Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2018 i Kitchen Garden

Having struggled through a long, chilly UK winter, it’s always so good when the days become noticeably longer and obvious signs of spring can be seen around us. But for those of you who would like to warm things up a little more, we bring some flavours of the Mediterranean to KG this month with seven pages dedicated to Italian-themed crops. Paolo Arrigo of venerable Italian seed company Seeds of Italy extols the virtues of some favourite old varieties, while KG regular Ben Vanheems explains how to grow your own wonderful Italian ingredients to make mouthwatering dishes that will remind you of holidays in hotter climates and hopefully too, of warmer gardening days to come. We also travel further afield with some great advice from K G ’s Tony Flanagan…

WHAT TO DO IN APRIL ■ Be organised and take good care of small plants ■ Buy healthy young tomato plants if you haven’t raised any yourself ■ There’s still time to sow cucumbers, melons and basil ■ Sow sweetcorn, pumpkins, French beans, spinach and salad ■ Start fennel, sprouts, broccoli, kale etc. for growing on outdoors ■ Plant tomatoes at the end of the month if weather permits ■ Replace old or torn polytunnel covers on a warm day and before the tunnel fills up with summer plantings ■ Ventilate and water with care A NEW GREENHOUSE A sloping garden can be a challenge when it comes to installing a greenhouse, but there are ways to make this possible. A polytunnel is more forgiving than a rigid greenhouse: glass…

MICE Mice will help themselves to newly sown seeds and also eat the foliage of seedlings; they can often find their way into greenhouses and polytunnels. SOLUTION: Start off in Rootrainers as these come with a plastic cover. Otherwise, sow in pots and cover with a lemonade bottle cut in half. Plant out when established. PEA WEEVIL The tell-tale signs of the pea weevil are little notches on the edges of the leaves. This is more of a problem with very young plants. SOLUTION: Usually plants are able to grow through the problem but you can start peas off in cell trays or Rootrainers first and plant them out when they are more established. SLUGS & SNAILS Slugs and snails will tuck into young pea plants like they seem to…

SOW: Feb-Jul, Oct-Nov HARVEST: May-Oct Peas, or to be more specific, Pisum sativum, are part of the legume family which includes all manner of peas and beans. Ridiculously easy to grow, they come in an array of colours and growth habits, plus they can be used for different things in the kitchen, from sweet, fresh petit pois to dried, floury seeds for making mushy peas. “There are several ways to sow peas including direct sowing, modules and rain guttering” A PODDED HISTORY Before the humble potato was brought to these shores, the pea was the staple crop which saw us through the long winter months; it was made into endless dishes and dried for all-year-round use. Back then it would have been unthinkable to eat sweet, young peas like we…

I think rhubarb is one of the most overlooked plants in the allotment or kitchen garden. It has a reputation for being indestructible, and so often gets sidelined to a shady or ‘problem’ area of the garden. Year in, year out we expect it to produce a crop, with just the occasional mulch of manure if it’s lucky, but happily spend time and money cossetting the latest ‘must-have’ kiwi fruit, Pluot (apricot/plum cross) or doughnut peach. Maybe familiarity has bred contempt, but for me the rich history of the rhubarb makes it well worth further investigation, and thanks to a new wave of British chefs there are a huge number of ways to use this versatile (and delicious) ingredient. “Forcing rhubarb does take a lot out of the plant, so…

20 STRAWBERRY PLANTS Nothing beats the flavour of freshly picked strawberries, a taste evocative of warm summer days in the garden. ‘Elegance’ and ‘Fenella’ are rapidly becoming the varieties of choice due to their heavy crops, strong disease resistance and tasty fruits. ‘Elegance’ crops from mid-June and ‘Fenella’ until the end of July. This delicious collection consists of 20 plants, 10 of each variety: ■ STRAWBERRY ‘ELEGANCE’ – Large number of heavy fruited trusses on strong, disease resistant, upright plants. The attractive fruit has strong skin, firm flesh and a magnificent flavour. ■ STRAWBERRY ‘FENELLA’ – A big fruited, sweet tasting recent strawberry introduction. It is a main season variety with superb resistance to weather and verticillium wilt and crown rot.…

10 MINUTE JOBS THIN OUT LEEK SEEDLINGS Leek seed that was sown last month in plug trays should now have germinated and the seedlings should be making good growth. Where there’s more than one seedling per cell, carefully thin them out to a single plant, leaving the strongest one to grow on and establish. APPLY FERTILISER April is when many vegetables are sown or planted into the plots. To give them a good start I apply a general fertiliser such as Growmore, blood, fish and bone or pelleted poultry pellets, sprinkled over the area and lightly raked in 7-10 days before sowing or planting. CHECK FOR ‘BIG BUD’ Check blackcurrant bushes for signs of ‘big bud’ which is spread by a gall mite. Infected buds are easy to recognise and…

RAISING CHICKENS If you’ve thought of keeping chickens, you might want to take a look at Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens by Gail Damerow, recently released in its fourth edition. This is a comprehensive reference book, which has been providing excellent guidance to poultry keepers for more than 20 years. Now updated and redesigned, it includes details on shelter, food, health care, eggs, chicks and meat – basically, all you need to know. It also explores recent research into chicken behaviour and communication. With new colour photos and illustrations, this is packed with information for wannabe and established chicken keepers alike. Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens is published by Storey Publishing at £18.99. IT’S SHOW TIME! One of the highlights of this year’s Harrogate Spring Flower Show will be Shed…

Depending on how tall your peas grow, you will either need short 30-45cm (12-18in) sticks for your peas to cling to, or you will need to create a structure up to 2m (6ft 6in) tall with either string or pea netting. Peas will cling to almost anything, unlike beans which need something to spiral around and climb up. I personally prefer to use twine pea nets or make my own from sustainable Twool (twine made from sheep’s wool) rather than use plastic versions which can’t be composted. These are simply made by making a frame from four canes and then making a criss-cross of Twool at 10-15cm (4-6in) spacings. If you are feeling a little more adventurous, you could grow a taller variety up a pre-formed tunnel; this not only…

Most of us will be very glad of that moment on the plot when we reach for the mug and a first restorative swig of tea. Hopefully while regarding the results of your toil... But have you ever thought of growing your own cuppa? Tea growing (in the right place) is an increasingly profitable business in the UK, and the results are surprisingly good. Unfortunately, tea is a very climate-specific crop, and unless you have the right site it’s not going to prosper without a lot of hard work. Having said that, I know someone who’s successfully growing a vigorous plant in central Birmingham, so there’s always hope! GROWING CONDITIONS Generally, tea likes a combination of mild soggy winters and cool damp summers, combined with an acid, humus-rich soil –…

DELICIOUSLY DIFFERENT VEG APRIL 23. Barnsdale Gardens, The Avenue, Exton, Oakham, Rutland. How to grow some unusual hardy crops. 10.30am-4.30pm. Book on 01572 813200 www.barnsdalegardens.co.uk GROWING IN POLYTUNNELS APRIL 21. RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Devon. Introduction to construction, siting and crop management. 11am-12.30pm. Book on 020 317 65830 www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor ORCHARD DROP-IN SESSION APRIL 14. Acorn Bank, near Penrith, Cumbria. Fruit growing demonstrations and advice from the gardeners. 10am-4pm. Book on 01768 361893 wwwnationaltrust.org.uk/acorn-bank. POWDERHAM CASTLE GARDEN FESTIVAL APRIL 27-28 Kenton, near Exeter, Devon. Stalls, celebrity speakers, sow, grow, cook tips; hosted by Toby Buckland. 10am-5pm. 07561 261615 www.tobygardenfest.co.uk For a full list of shows, festivals, events and courses this month please visit our website www.kitchengarden.co.uk  and choose the Diary Dates category. PLEASE NOTE  We have made every…

A CUT ABOVE The Heavy Duty Bypass Secateurs from Spear & Jackson make pruning a delight. Their ergonomically moulded handles are a perfect fit for comfortable extended use, and the clean sharp cut makes light work of woody growth. Designed to minimise stem bruising, they are ideal for pruning soft and living wood. These secateurs have drop-forged high-carbon steel blades for strength and durability. The blade is notched for cutting thicker stems or garden wire. The blade tension is adjustable, and they also incorporate a rubber shock absorber, a volute spring and a two-step catch providing a choice of cutting widths. A sap groove helps to prevent the pivot joint getting clogged up too easily. The strong but lightweight forged aluminium handles have easy-clean PVC-coated sleeves. The ergonomic set of…

STEP BY STEP PLANT SUMMER CABBAGES STEP 1: Young plants of summer cabbages can be planted into the garden now to grow on. If you haven’t grown your own from seed, there is still time, or very often you can buy plants from nurseries or garden centres. Plant out in ground that has been fertilised and firmed, spacing the plants about 30-45cm (12-18in) apart, depending on the type you are growing. Firm the roots and water to help settle the plants. STEP 2: If cabbage root fly is a problem in your garden, it pays to protect the new plants straight away by fitting a collar around the base of the plant. This acts as a physical barrier and prevents the flies from laying eggs on the soil at the…

DAMSONS IN DISTRESS  l have several damsons but very little fruit. Is it true that hanging stones in the branches may help? William Sharkey, Glasgow David Patch, professional nurseryman, R V Roger Ltd DAVID SAYS: Hanging stones from branches can help as it makes the growth on the tree more horizontal and this tends to be more fruitful. If there is plenty of blossom but no fruit, it is a problem of pollination. As you have several trees, it is likely due to poor weather in spring which stops bees from flying and pollinating your trees, or frosts which can damage the blossom. Put fleece over your trees in spring if cold nights are forecast. If, however, you are getting very little blossom, there are a few likely causes. The…

THE ORGANIC GARDENING CATALOGUE The Organic Gardening Catalogue brings you an exciting collection of seeds and supplies, all assured suitable for organic gardening and delivered direct to your home. www.organiccatalogue.com Tel 01932 253666 HARROD HORTICULTURAL This company has been producing top-quality garden products for 60 years and is innovative in bringing new designs on to the market. www.harrodhorticultural.com Tel 0845 402 5300 WOLF-GARTEN The WOLF-Garten gardening tool collection offers the total solution for soil and cultivation, lawn care, tree and shrub care and general garden maintenance. www.wolfgarten-tools.co.uk Tel 0845 894 1599 GREENHOUSE SENSATION This company sells a range of high-quality products that produce bumper harvests far greater than that from plants grown in pots or growing bags. The three prizes offered, Vitopod, Quadgrow and Duogrow, are just some of the…

■ SNOW PEA ‘GREEN BEAUTY’: Snow peas are like giant mangetout; they can be eaten when immature like a mangetout, or left for the peas to swell in the pod, giving you huge (15cm/6in long), juicy and stringless snow peas – perfect to snack on, stir-fry or eat in salads. Very sweet and tasty, perfect for kids. Available from www.suttons.co.uk ■ MINI PEA ‘HALF PINT’: An excellent windowsill pea reaching a maximum of 30-37cm (12-15in). Great for growing in high troughs or trugs and really easy to harvest. Shows excellent cold tolerance, down to -6C (20F). Available from www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk ■ MUSHY PEA ‘MARO’: What used to be termed ‘marrowfat’, the large tasty peas can be eaten green or left to dry on the vine before harvesting for future use as…

As a child, having Italian parents and there being no Italian stores locally, our ‘pilgrimage’ every Saturday was to the Camisa and Lina stores in Soho’s Italian quarter to stock up on everyday essentials like regional pasta, salumi, cheeses, coffee, Italian wines and other hard-to-find ingredients. You might laugh now, but at the time (and I’m not that old!), you could only find olive oil at the chemist in tiny bottles, and that was for softening ear wax. And of course, who hasn’t heard of the famous BBC ‘Spaghetti tree’ hoax on April 1, 1957 that had many viewers calling in to ask how to cultivate their own – and subsequently causing many UK Italians to roll around with laughter. ALL HAS CHANGED Fast forward to 2018 and this has…

PLANT: Late March – late May HARVEST: Mid-April – mid-June The berries on female plants are pretty but give rise to unwanted seedlings Asparagus used to be the preserve of high-class restaurants, but is now much more widely available and has become a popular pick-your-own crop. The result is that more people than ever are enjoying the distinctive delights of spring fresh asparagus spears. Yet it can still be expensive to buy and by supplying the plants with just a few simple needs you’ll soon be growing your own. The biggest outlay is for the crowns (young plants) and it is worth buying the best. It is also possible to grow your own plants from seed, but this is a longer-term prospect (three years before harvesting), you’ll have a very…

It is certainly difficult to avoid buying plastic goods altogether. However, if everyone reduced their plastic use just a bit it would make a massive difference; it would send a strong message to manufacturers to use alternative materials or improve biodegradability of their current products. Here we have some ideas which may help reduce your plastic purchases for the garden. 1 PLASTIC POTS It is estimated we each own 39 redundant plastic pots so potentially many millions in sheds and garages up and down the country. Personally for keen gardeners I think that is a low figure. I must have double that number in my shed but I do reuse them. Garden centres rely on them to sell their plants in so it is difficult to avoid acquiring them if…

ALSO IN THE KG £ SHOP THIS MONTH PATIO FRUIT COLLECTION This patio collection is ideal for any kitchen garden where space may be at a premium, utilising containers and hanging baskets to make the most of your growing space. Containing one of each of the following in 9cm (3½in) pots: ■ BLUEBERRY ‘BLUE SAPPHIRE’ 1 plant @ £9.95 ■ BLACKBERRY ‘BLACK CASCADE’ 1 plant @ £9.95 ■ FRAMBERRY 1 plant @ £7.95 Patio Fruit Collection (1 plant of each) £19.85 – saving £8 RASPBERRY ‘POLKA’ ‘Polka’ is a medium to large variety, holding awards both domestically at the National Fruit Show and internationally, showcasing its exceptional fruit quality. Bred in Poland with ‘Autumn Bliss’ as one of its parents, the virtually spine-free canes will yield…

MEDITERRANEAN FLAVOURED SORREL AND QUINOA BURGERS These burgers are packed full of flavour thanks to the fresh taste of sorrel, sun-dried tomatoes and basil. Serve them with a salad or in a traditional burger bun. MAKES 8 BURGERS Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes ■ 140g/5oz quinoa ■ 500ml hot vegetable stock ■ 100g/3½oz sorrel, stalks removed, leaves roughly chopped ■ 3 tbsp olive oil ■ 1 small onion, finely chopped ■ 2 garlic cloves, crushed ■ 1 tin chickpeas, roughly mashed with a fork ■ 2 medium eggs, beaten ■ A bunch of basil, chopped ■ 50g/1½oz sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped ■ 100g/3½oz Gorgonzola cheese ■ Olive oil for frying 1. Put the quinoa in a saucepan and pour the hot stock over. Simmer for 18-20 minutes…