Volume 19 Part 1 £3.99 N

50 Years and Still Growing

the quarterly magazine of the National Vegetable Society WINTER 2012 Truffles PAGE 27

Young Grower PAGE 12

Soil facts PAGE 36

simply sponsored by grow2eat.com savings, benefits and discounts Membership renewal forms enclosed simply vegetables The Quarterly Magazine of the National Vegetable Society Volume 19 Part 1 January 2013 Charity registered 1088979

Articles, notices, meetings etc relative to National National your Branch and DA should be sent to the President Chairman sub-editors below.…53 years Medwyn Williams MBE Barry Newman FNVS Scottish Branch AHRHS FNVS 01403 711598 01248 714851 e-mail: Sub-Editor:and still growing e-mail: [email protected] Jim Williams FNVS [email protected] 01875 320644 or medwynsofanglesey.co.uk e-mail: [email protected]

Northern Branch Sub-Editor: Tony Featherstone FNVS the team 01482 631110 15th-17th March 2013 | Stoneleigh Park e-mail: National Vice Chairman Membership Registrar [email protected] David Allison FNVS Branches 01943 862106 Neil Hope FNVS Midland Branch e-mail: 01932 844183 [email protected] [email protected] Sub-Editor: ASK THE EXPERT General Secretary Mrs June Davies FNVS David Thornton Msc FNVS Keith Abel FNVS 01531 822750 07778 622628 Chairman, Northern Branch e-mail: e-mail: 01964 552307 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] INSPIRATION Southern Branch Assistant Secretary Mark Hall FNVS John Croot FNVS Sub-Editor: ‘HAVE A GO’ SESSIONS 07768 290122 Secretary Northern Branch David Wall FNVS 01773 834213 01747 854108 [email protected] e-mail: Treasurer [email protected] DEMONSTRATIONS Derek Aldred, FNVS Colin Lewis FNVS 01373 836414 Chairman, Welsh Branch Welsh Branch e-mail: [email protected] 01267 236586 Sub-Editor: Mob: 07880 504344 Mary Thomas FNVS SHOPPING [email protected] Web Manager 01691 780420 Ian Stocks FNVS Mary Thomas FNVS e-mail: 01324 821274 Secretary, Welsh Branch [email protected] e-mail: 01691 780420 [email protected] [email protected] NVS Ireland DVD Distribution Editor: Call or book online Executive John Branham, FNVS Michael Gordon Gordon Francis FNVS Chairman Midland Branch 0844 338 8001 | www.theediblegardenshow.co.uk Southern Branch Chairman 086871 3359 01296 681307 e-mail: 01622 710486 [email protected] For groups of 10 or more call 0800 358 0058 e-mail; [email protected] [email protected] Chairman of the Judges Sandra Hall, FNVS and finally, myself… Examination Board Secretary, Midland Branch National Jim Williams FNVS 01952 541396 EXCLUSIVE NVS MEMBERS TICKET OFFER! 01875 320644 Magazine Editor e-mail; [email protected] David Allison FNVS A FURTHER 10% OFF EARLY BIRD RATE. JUST QUOTE NVS13* Also Chairman and Newsletter editor of the Scottish 18 Sandholme Drive, Branch Burley-In-Wharfedale, Ilkley, West Yorkshire, Our sponsors and supporters LS29 7RQ 01943 862106 e-mail; [email protected] …to whom all articles for inclusion in the magazine should be sent. * No limit to tickets bought per person through this offer. Adult ticket price using offer £10.80. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with another offer or promotion. simplyvegetables 3 Kitchen Garden and the National Vegetable Society – contents together helping the nation to grow better vegetables The Team Movers and Shakers in the NVS...... 3 Chairman’s Thoughts...... 5 chairman’s thoughts Editor’s Ramblings A bit of everything...... 6 DVD Library...... 9 Barry Newman FNVS Membership Applications and Renewals...... 9 Recipe page...... 10 Editor’s Postbag Your chance to have your say on any matters horticultural...... 12 NVS Member Survey, summary of findings...... 15 Firstly may I wish all of you a happy new year and in the formal sense with fixed meetings but one that BOOK REVIEW: Composting with Worms...... 16 let’s hope for a little less inclement weather for the communicates by email, messaging and telephone. I forthcoming season. News from the Executive...... 18 look forward to receiving their advice in due course Having said that, I’m beginning to think us growers are Whilst commenting on new initiatives can I mention Jersey Black Butter...... 19 6 a bit like farmers, nothing’s ever right but somehow we the work of Claire Hart has been carrying out for us. Jobs for the coming months in the Kitchen Garden...... 20 manage to come through in the end. I think particularly You will see in this edition of SV results of the survey Diary date 2013...... 21 of the disastrous start to the season last year when carried out by Claire. Whilst of a general nature at Getting Started on the Allotment Part 4...... 22 ground was flooded and shows cancelled, yet everyone this stage, it is information we have previously been Growing Truffles Commercially in the UK...... 26 seemed to grow and show some of the best vegetables without but it will now allow us to concentrate on Gardening at St Paul’s Primary School, Walkden, Manchester Part 2 ...... 28 I’ve seen in my twenty years with the Society. target areas where member’s expectations are not Last year in my first piece for SV I said I was being met. Equally important is the public relations Apples Around the British Isles – A Brief Tour...... 30 anxious to visit all regions and make myself known. work Claire has been doing, the major part of which Peat free compost trial...... 33 I am pleased to say I completed the ‘grand tour’ in is raising our profile in the gardening press and with Medwyn Williams’ 2012 Masterclass Weekend at Llanberis...... 34 November with a visit to the annual Scottish Branch the media in general. I have personally been asked to Our precious SOIL with some help from history...... 36 seminar at Penicuick, Edinburgh. A long way, but very contribute to several titles and I know colleagues have Sowing the seeds to a greener generation...... 39 12 much worth it to be part of such a well organised as well. It is important that we take every opportunity Squeezing vegetables into a small space...... 40 event and meet so many enthusiastic members. I to promote the NVS and make sure we are seen as thought I had travelled a fair distance from the south the leading authority in the growing of vegetables. The Budget Garden, part one...... 41 coast to Edinburgh, but you only begin to appreciate The major disappointment continues to be the slow The road to showing vegetables. Part 1...... 42 time and distance when introduced to a colleague progresses in attracting new members, despite the “ I have Are we doing all we can recruit new members?...... 43 from the Western Isles who had taken a day to get continuing “Grow Your Own” boom. Again, your ideas The Scotts Abroad...... 44 there by ferry and boat. Now that is dedication. Well as to how we might tackle this predicament would be personally Competitions...... 46 done to Jim Williams and his team for organising such much appreciated. been asked to Branch Newsletters Scottish Branch...... 49 an enjoyable and informative day. Meanwhile back on the plot I’ve just planted out a Turning to other Society matters, may I record my couple of rows of shallots which I potted up back in Northern Branch...... 51 thanks to Ian Stocks our new Web Manager for his November. Even in the south I find protecting them with contribute to Midlands Branch...... 53 part in the transition and presentation of the new a mesh tunnel in the early stages really pays dividends Welsh Branch, inc NVS Ireland...... 57 20 website. If you have not already visited it please do so and helps protect from the worst of the weather. several titles Southern Branch...... 61 as I am sure you will be impressed. May I also thank The potatoes seem to be quite happy on the John Harrison for his previous input and for ensuring a greenhouse shelf and are ‘chitting’ very well; I did and I know smooth transition. spray them over with a seaweed extract solution which Late last year I received an email, via our website, I think may have helped. colleagues Competition terms and conditions from Hannah Clarke and her school chums. She raised The garlic is coming through well and I will need to Competitions are open to all UK residents aged 18 or over, excluding employees or agents of the associated publishing a question which I had never really considered before, think about a top dressing have as well..” company and their families. One entry per person. The prizes and giveaways are as specified on the relevant pages. No but the more I thought about it the more the possible of fish, blood and bone cash alternatives. Entries must be via post or email as stated (no purchase necessary). Illegible entries and those that do answer intrigued me. shortly. not abide by these terms and conditions will be disqualified. No responsibility is held for entries lost, delayed or damaged The question, “What is the national vegetable of Ground preparations in the post, proof of posting is not proof of delivery. Your details will be processed by Crest Publications Ltd (publishers England” continue and I’m just of Simply Vegetables magazine on behalf of the NVS) in full accordance with data protection. Crest Publictions Ltd may It seems to me that the Welsh have their leek, the starting to uncover those wish to contact you with information of other services we provide which maybe of interest. Please indicate on your entry if 26 Scots their ‘neeps’ and the Irish have hijacked the raised beds which were you DO NOT wish to receive such information by post, phone or email. The decision of the judge is final and no correspo- potato so what is left? Sensible answers to the editor manured back in the nance will be entered into. Winners will be notified by phone, email or post, a list of winners is available on request from would be appreciated so we can help Hannah out! (no, autumn. I find getting Crest Publications Ltd, 20 Moulton Park Office Village, Scirocco Close, Northampton NN3 6AP. to the Chairman! – ed) the ‘muck’ on early and Back to business, may I thank the Buckinghamshire sheeting up with weed D.A. for the invitation to take part in their recent fabric keeps it clean and www.nvsuk.org.uk ‘Gardeners Question Time’. A really fun and allows the worms to Website username: nvsmember • Website password: grower informative evening attracting a good appreciative work in a protected and audience. At a time when we are all looking at ways warmer environment. Published by Crest Publications, 20 Moulton Park Office Village to draw members together it seems to me that both On taking the covers Scirocco Close, Northampton, NN3 6AP formats, the regional seminar and the extremely well off I just need to run 32 advertised themed evening, offer a good opportunity over with the cultivator The views expressed by the authors/contributors are not necessarily those of the editor, the Society, or its officers. to achieve that aim. and we are ready for Looking forward, I am particularly encouraged that business. Trustees have decided to reform the Strategy Working Always an exciting Group under the Chairmanship of David Allison. In time of the year, all the its previous incarnation the group did some great failures of last year just grow2eat.com work in paving the way for Simply Vegetables and a memory with all the savings, benefits and discounts formulating public relations and membership initiatives. plans for this year to look The difference in the new group is that we are looking forward to. to populate it with ‘non executive’ members who Have a great start to will hopefully come with a new perspective on the the season. 44 issues of the day. This is not going to be a committee Barry

4 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 5 Untitled-1 1 25/6/10 15:02:29 land for allotment use. We were not told what they were Also in the April issue, Marshalls have again kindly prepared to bid for it, but in the end it went for £85,000, agreed to supply each member with a free packet of yes £85,000, that’s £17,000 per acre for agricultural a new trial variety of Dwarf French Bean. More details editor’s land, and was bought by an adjacent householder to in the next issue. We are very grateful for their support protect his view, and prevent development! You couldn’t on both counts. make it up. At these prices, what chance has anyone Don’t lose any sleep over Ash Dieback disease, we got of acquiring land for allotment use. If you have a got over Dutch Elm disease, but you have to wonder view or any suggestions do let me know. where it will all stop, and what the future of the English ramblings Starting in April, we have been fortunate in landscape will look like. persuading a prominent environmentalist to write a By the time you read this it will be early 2013, series of articles for us and a preview of one of his so I trust you all had an enjoyable Christmas and “ Also in the books is to be found elsewhere in this issue. New Year, it only remains for me to thank you for In October a number of candidates sat the your continued support of the NVS and a successful April issue, A Happy New Year to everyone. judges exam at various locations in the UK, and growing year in 2013, whether for the show plate or Welcome to the Winter edition of our quarterly we congratulate those who have passed the exam. dinner plate or both. Marshalls magazine, firstly an apology. I mentioned in my Their details appear below, so if any of our DA/Show For some of us the season has already started, last last ramblings that, when announcing the awards secretaries are looking for judges next year please week (Mid Nov.) I collected my new leek plants from have again granted to members I stated that no nominations consider using them, and let them put their newly David Metcalfe (see photo below), a promise of things were received from the Scottish Branch. This was acquired qualifications to the test. to come? kindly agreed technically incorrect, as I have received an anonymous Their names will be included in the Directory at the But I must stop dreaming and get on with my winter letter (which winds me up intensely) from a very next re-print. They are; digging. to supply each annoyed Scottish member informing me that one We have been contacted by Niall Reynolds who name was put forward for a Gold award, but was not Southern Branch : owns Neutrog Fertilisers in Northern Ireland. They member with granted. This has been confirmed to me. I am not privy Jan Lovell The Siding, Sizewell, Leistron, manufacture a range of fertilizers using composted to the discussions at the awards committee so cannot Suffolk IP16 4TU. manure, seaweed and other ingredients. See website a free packet advise why the nomination failed, I can only assume Chris Passey 22 Estridge Way, Tonbridge, for more details; www.neutrog.ie . He would be happy it did not meet the strict criteria laid down for such an Kent TN10 4J to visit any DA in the UK to give short presentation of a new trial award. So whilst the outcome is the same, technically To embrace some of your recommendations, Anthony Walters 19, Kingsway, Tiptree, about his products, bring along free samples and I was incorrect. and provide ideas and a framework to take the NVS Colchester, Essex CO5 0LS. advise of the benefits of increasing organic matter in variety of Our PR Consultant, Claire has now analysed the forward, a new Strategic Working Group has been the soil. There’s an offer you can’t refuse! He can be responses to the Members Survey, and her findings formed, under my Chairmanship which consists of; Northern Branch : contacted on ; Mobile 00 353 086 8301709. Dwarf French and your recommendations are elsewhere in this Ian Stocks, webmaster, i.e. two trustees, plus Helen Graeme Watson Cowl Banks Cottages, Ainthorpe One or two members have had difficulty in magazine. It would seem that what we do is OK, the Vincent, Southern Branch, Mike Osborn, Northern Lane, Danby, Whitby YO12 2NG accessing the website, and I think I have found an Bean” magazine is enjoyed by most, and we are run by a Branch and Neil Muirhead, Scottish Branch. I will James Park Three Oaks, Ambleside Road, explanation for the problem. knowledgeable and provide you with updates as we progress. Windermere,Cumberland LA2 31EU If you have the old website saved in your “favourites” enthusiastic band of As I pen these notes in mid November, we have Ian Hairsine 110 Tranby Lane, Anlaby, East and try to access the site from there it will not work. volunteers. However a been constantly reminded over the last few days how Yorks HU10 7EA. If you delete any reference to the site in your good number of you fickle the British weather can be. The torrential rain David Peel 12 Robin Boyd Croft, Mirfield, West favourites box if this is the case, then go to Google or think we should embrace and subsequent flooding in a number of counties has Yorks WF14 0LE your search engine, type in National Vegetable Society, change, and use some caused considerable disruption, it seems that because Betty Wall 18 The Croft, Sutton in Craven, and then if all OK save that in your “favourites” box and of the social media the land is already saturated from a summer of rain, Keighley BD20 7PS you should be OK. Finally another apology to Scottish, channels available to further rainfall goes straight into the rivers which in Northern and Welsh Branches. Due to lack of space us, particularly if we are a number of instances have burst their banks with Midlands Branch: I have not been able to to attract a younger devastating results. Some poor households have only David Lownds 17 Pitcher Lane, Leek, publish your lists of class membership. just recovered from flooding in September. I went to Staffs ST13 5DB winners for your Branch One of your my allotment last week to gather up some veg for my Championships. Would recommendations is to last local show of the year and to support a talk I was Scottish Branch : have taken over 5 pages. cover the growing of giving, to find that the soil was a sticky mess, and Bill Duff Ib Smithy Road, Balmullo, Suggest you contact more exotic fruit and that’s in raised beds, the paths were all under water. Fife KY16 0BG Webmaster Ian and put veg, this pineapple You will find elsewhere in this issue my thoughts on the Jean Thomson 44 Cruickshank Crescent, them, along with all you (pictured left) was problems we have been faced with this year, but to my Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9BT photo’s on the website. growing at Tatton Park amazement, some of the veg I have been privileged to David Nelson 78 Lilybank Crescent, Happy gardening. Gardens, Knutsford judge has been of the highest quality, a testament to Forfar, Angus DD8 2JA David. Cheshire, taken mid the resourcefulness of our members. In addition a number of candidates passed one part Santa, all I want for November. We welcome a new member to the Trustee team, of the exam, we wish them well in their re-sits next year. 2013 is a fat bank Sandra Hall, and acknowledge the new roles some Some of you may know that we obtained agreement account and a skinny existing Trustees are undertaking, and also the five from Marshalls Seeds to put a NVS leaflet into each body. Let’s not try to new Branch Membership Secretaries, as, on the of their seeds order packets, mix up the two like you retirement of Grant Cathro, a decision was made to which included an application did last year. Thanks. transfer membership admin back to the Branches, for membership, 50,000 under the continued guidance of Neil Hope. leaflets were printed for this Congratulations to the Northern Branch on celebrating purpose. their 50th anniversary this year, and to mark the occasion, one of the initiatives they have undertaken is to hold a celebratory seminar in March, with guest speakers who are at the forefront of their specialist fields. See Northern Branch newsletter for details. A reminder that subscriptions I read that the waiting lists for allotments is twice as long today as it was 10 years ago, which reminded me for 2013 are now due, complete of a ridiculous situation that arose locally this autumn. the application form/renewal A five acre field was put on the market for sale by auction recently, situated by the side of the road on the form in this issue. If not outskirts of our village. It has no planning consent for development and is likely to remain a field at least in the renewed, this could be the short term. As we have a chronic shortage of allotments last magazine you receive. in our area, our local metropolitan council was We need to find space for a few more of these, Brian and Margaret Jenner’s superb allotment in Leeds. persuaded to attend the auction to try to purchase the Serious stuff this judging lark!! Malcolm Evans, Peter Morris and the editor putting their skills to the test.

6 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 7 THE NATIONAL VEGETABLE SOCIETY IMPORTANT!! New Branch APPLICATION/RENEWAL FORM GIFT AID DECLARATION Membership Mr, Mrs Ms, Miss �������������������������������������������������������������������(name) Name of Charity: Address �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� THE NATIONAL VEGETABLE SOCIETY Secretaries. REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1088979 ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Details of donor: Postcode ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Telephone ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Title: ...... Forename(s): ...... Membership No. if renewal: �������������������������������������������������������������� Surname: ...... email: ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Address: ...... Midlands Please accept my application for membership of the National ...... Trevor Last, FNVS, Vegetable Society for the period ending 31st December 2013. I ...... Tel: 01603 868316 enclose a cheque/postal order/standing order for £ …………….. Postcode:...... 43 Carters Road, Drayton, Payable to The National Vegetable Society Norwich, Norfolk, NR8 6DY Telephone:...... New members please complete and return to: e-mail: [email protected] Mr Neil Hope FNVS, 82 Hare Hill, Addlestone, Surrey. KT15 1DN Email: ...... Tel: 01932 844183, Email: [email protected] I want the charity to treat (delete as appropriate) If renewal, please send to the relevant Branch • my annual subscription Membership Secretary as listed on the right • the enclosed donation of £ ……………… MEMBERSHIP FEES • all donations I have made since 22nd October 2001, and all donations I make from the date of this Juniors (up to 16yrs).....£ 5.00 Affiliated Society...... £19.00 declaration until I notify you otherwise. Individuals...... £17.00 Educational Establishments.. £15.00 Northern Couples...... £19.00 Society Medal & Card...... £ 7.60 as Gift Aid donations. Mrs Sheila Lewins, Tel: 01244 674609 Payment can be made via the NVS website www.nvsuk.org.uk Signed: ……………………………………………… 39 St Marks Road, Saltney, under the “join the NVS” section , where there is a renewal form Date: ………………………………………………… Chester, Cheshire, CH4 8DE for existing members as well. e-mail: [email protected] Quantity DVD TITLE National Vegetable Req’d Society DVD Order On the Allotment With Stella & Peter Form Growing Exhibition Potatoes With Sherie Plumb FNVS Bayer • Scott’s Miracle Gro • Mr Fothergill’s • Clover • Humax • Gro-Well • Maxicrop • JBA Seed Potatoes • H Smith Plastics PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY USING Growing Exhibition Tomatoes

6X • Everris • Thomas Elliott • Moles Seeds • Gardman • Greenkey • Vitax • Gro-Well CAPITALS AND BLACK INK. THANK With Charles Maisey FNVS Scottish YOU Growing Exhibition Shallots With Jean Thomson, Graeme Watson FNVS Tel: 01224 715660 Your Name:...... 44 Cruickshank Crescent, Growing Potatoes With Alistair Grey FNVS Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB21 9BT Your Address:...... Growing Exhibition Carrots With Graeme Watson FNVS e-mail: [email protected] ...... Growing Exhibition Onions With Jim Williams FNVS The Home of Quality Gardening Products at a Cost Effective Price ...... Growing Exhibition Celery Postcode:...... With Trevor Last FNVS Growing Exhibition Blanch Telephone No:...... Leeks With John Soulsby Southern. Neil Hope, FNVS, Membership No:...... Growing Exhibition Pot Leeks With John Soulsby Tel: 01932 844183 82 Hare Hill, Addlestone, Date:...... An Insight into Vegetable Showing Surrey, KT15 1DN Post Completed Order to: With Trevor Last FNVS e-mail: Mr G J Francis FNVS, 147 Bull Lane, Eccles, – Compost Making with [email protected] Aylesford, Kent, ME20 7HW NEW Mick Poultney and 2011 Tel: 01622 710486 National Championships Email: [email protected] Growing for Showing 2006 With T Last, Cost of DVDs = £5.99 each including postage and John Branham & Gareth Cameron A family business with over 30 years To place an order or packing make an enquiry: 1 DVD = £5.99 2 DVD’s = £11.98 NVS National Show 2007 Malvern experience of supplying a full range of: 3 DVD’s = £17.98 4 DVD’s = £23.98 National Championships Dundee 2005 www.gro-welldirect.co.uk Welsh Crop Protection • Lawncare • Growing Media National Championships Pembroke 2006 Mrs Mary Thomas, FNVS Tel: 01773 742847 Tel: 01691 780420 Buy 5 DVDs Trio of Shows 2005 Pest & Disease Control • Seeds • Garden Sundries Fron, LLanrhaeadr, Y.M. Weed Control • Fertilisers • Pots & Containers Shop: Cherry Tree Cottage Farm, TOTAL NUMBER OF DVDs Ordered Powys, SY10 0JJ Vital Earth • Everris • Thomas Elliott • Moles Seeds • Gardman • Groworganic • Vitax • Groworganic • Gardman • Seeds Moles • Elliott Thomas • Everris • Earth Vital 210 Peasehill Road, Ripley, Derby DE5 3JQ get 6th one free Cheque Payable National Vegetable e-mail: £ [email protected] Gro-Well is the trading name of Codnor Horticultural (Wholesale) Supplies Ltd • Email: [email protected] = £29.95 Society Enclosed for AMOUNT

8 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 9 Lebanese style beans. Linda Hargrave

Over 400 This is a good way to use frozen beans. pages with 200gms French beans cut into thirds. new products From the Kitchen for 2012 2 spring onions or 1 shallot finely sliced. By Mary Thomas and Linda Hargrave 2 garlic cloves chopped. 1 tablespoon tomato puree. ½ cup water. Oil for frying. Winter roots Salt.

Mary Thomas Stir fry the onion until just beginning to turn brown. Add the garlic fry for a few seconds January is a month when root as for potatoes. To use, add a knob Add the beans and stir fry for a minute then stir in the tomato vegetables are indispensable as they of butter and pepper and serve as a puree. store well. Celeriac is a winter root side vegetable; make into a celeriac Stir in the water and season to taste. FOR ALL YOUR HORTICULTURAL vegetable sometimes called “celery and carrot puree or mash together with Cover and simmer very slowly for 5-10 minutes. LANDSCAPING AND root” because it has a distinctive potatoes. Better still try the following celery flavour. It is not a pretty recipe from Linda a local shopkeeper IRRIGATION SUPPLIES vegetable, but once the outer rough near to where I live. looking skin has been removed, you Linda originates from New York and are left with a more tender flesh rich in moved to Wales a few years ago. She Vitamin C & E and also a good source is passionate about vegetables, both Celeriac Soup of potassium which helps to lower growing and cooking. She is one of the Serves 6 blood pressure and cholesterol. main cooks at a delightful coffee shop Ingredients: Once peeled and cut, it discolours called Pickles Pantry in our market town OVER 400 2 tbs olive oil quickly, therefore treat as you would of Oswestry. Here she creates all sorts PAGES 4 rashers bacon with apples and cut into cold water with of delicious delicacies mostly vegetable WITH NEW PRODUCTS 2 med chopped onions an added dash of lemon juice. based. FOR 2013 1 clove garlic, chopped To use raw, simply grate coarsely or Hope you enjoyed trying these 1 chopped carrot shred finely and toss immediately in the recipes. Your comments, good 1 chopped celery stalk dressing of your choice. It also makes a or bad, are always welcomed ALLGo INOnline.. ONE CONCISE BUYERS GUIDE 1 large celeriac peeled and chopped good addition to coleslaw etc. and if you have any recipes you REQUESTwww.lbsbuyersguide.co.uk A COPY TODAY-CALL 01282 873333 1 tsp mixed herbs and salt and pepper To cook, cut into cubes or strips wish to share, please email me at ORDER ONLINE Head Office:www.lbshorticulture.co.uk Standroyd Mill, Cottontree, Colne, Lancashire BB8 7BW ½ tsp thyme and cook in boiling salted water for [email protected] or HEAD OFFICE: STANDROYD MILL, COTTONTREE, COLNE, COLNE, LANCASHIRE BB8 7BW 1 litre stock 10 – 15mins, depending on size. Test phone me on 01691 780420 2 tbs parsley ,chopped Butternut Squash and Chickpeas 2 tbs single cream with Taleggio cheese . Parsnips Linda Hargrave Fry the bacon in olive oil till crisp and remove to a plate Parsnips also predominate this time of the year and are at their best after a few to cool. frosty nights. Their starch and fibre content make them an useful alternative to 1 small Butternut Cut bacon into small bits potatoes or used along with potatoes. I like to cut them into pieces similar to squash about 500 gms ENGINEERED FOR URBAN GARDENS Sauté the onions, garlic, carrot and celery with half the what I use for roast potatoes, blanch them for 3-4 minutes and roast along side peeled and cut into THE PERFECT bacon in the same pan until lightly browned the potatoes. As with Celeriac, they can be pureed with carrots, mashed with bite-sized chunks. SOLUTION Add the herbs, salt and pepper and stir to combine potatoes and used to top your shepherd pies etc. Their Vitamin C & E and foliate 1 Onion chopped GROW TO SMALL SPACE Add the stock and celeriac content will enrich the food value of your mash – useful for healthy blood cells. 1 cup of cooked chick GARDENING Simmer for 20mins until celeriac is soft Because of their nutty sweetness, parsnips lend themselves well to cake making. peas BAG Puree the mixture until smooth We are all familiar with the carrot cake, but Linda makes a delicious Parsnip and 1 cup of slow roasted Stir in parsley and cream Maple syrup cake. Here she combines her American background with her passion tomato puree. CREATES WATERINGFRAME & HOLDS THE GROW Top each bowl with the other half of the bacon bits. for growing vegetables. It is one of the most popular cake in the coffee shop. Do 1 cup of vegetable give it a try, it is well worth making stock FEEDING VOIDS WITH BAG ON ITS SIDE TO Try this Soup with a chunk of Damper Bread (Roy 2 garlic cloves crushed. STRONG VERTICAL IMPROVE SOIL DEPTH Binfield Autumn Issue.) Parsnip and Maple Syrup Cake 2 tablespoons Dill or other herb of choice. PLANT SUPPORTS & FOR BETTER Serves 8 - 10 Preheat oven to 180C. Grease two 2 x 1 tablespoon of thyme leaves IS IDEAL FOR SMALL ROOTS & BETTER 20cm sandwich tines and line bases with 70 Gms Taleggio cheese. If you cannot get this Fetta would be SPACES. FITS ANY CROPS MOVEABLE Ingredients parchment. Melt butter, sugar and suitable. GROW BAG WHEN PLANTED 175g butter maple syrup in a pan over low heat & MADE FROM EASY TO ASSEMBLE 250g light When cooled whisk eggs into Fry the onion on low heat until beginning to turn brown. RECYCLED & FLAT PACKS brown sugar mixture Add the squash, continue cooking for about 5 minutes. GALVANISED AWAY 100ml maple Sift flour, baking powder and mixed Add the garlic and herbs stir and cook for a minute. STEEL. MADE IN UK syrup spice and add to syrup mixture Stir in the tomato puree and stock. 3 eggs Grate parsnips and apple and add to Season and simmer for 15 minutes until the squash is tender. 250g self-rising flour mixture. Add chopped pecans. Gently stir Stir in the chick peas, simmer for a further 5-10 mins 2 tsp baking powder together. qually divide mixture between the two tins. Transfer to a baking dish, arrange pieces of Taleggio cheese on top. 1 tsp mixed spice Bake 30 minutes Put under a hot grill for a few minutes until cheese begins to brown. 250g grated parsnips Cool cakes before icing 1 apple grated Make icing by mixing the marscapone with icing Note. To make slow roasted tomato puree, put tomatoes on a tray, 50g chopped pecans sugar to thicken the cheese mixture sprinkle over a pinch of brown sugar, salt, pepper and a drizzle of Best to use a electric mixer good quality oil. Roast at 100C for 1.5 hours. Process in a food Icing Add 2 tbsp maple syrup processor and sieve to remove seeds and skin. When you have 250g mascarpone cheese When completely cooled ice the tip of one cake with a glut of tomatoes this is a good way to freeze them. If you don’t Crown Garden Products Limited 4 – 5 tbsp icing sugar half the icing and place another on top have these in your freezer, you can use about a quarter of the 25 Mill Road, Burston, Norfolk IP22 5TW Telephone 01379 740221 2 tbsp maple syrup Ice the top of the cake amount of concentrated tomato puree and a little extra stock ORDER FROM Recipe adapted from Catherine Berwick’s Recipe instead. www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/12983 groweatlive.com

10 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 11 editor’s postbag

Dear Editor, I would like to share this picture of my grand Organic Cranks!! A letter regarding potato blight daughter Chloe Lean who is three years old. 15th November 2012 And as for Monty Don’s wishing to garden for love Dear David, spring. Any volunteer potatoes that appear She loves coming to – perhaps Rob Foster knows little of Monty Don’s I read with interest the article in Garden amongst the other vegetables never have the allotment with me in What a pity Rob Foster chose to personalise his background. He has been a serious and studious News recently on potato blight. May blight symptoms. Bridge of Allan, Stirling. article (‘Are All Organic Gardeners Cranky?) by gardener for decades, having pretty-well immersed I say Maria Ball of the potato council As far as hygiene is concerned most She enjoys all aspects attacking individuals. himself in it to the exclusion of all else for a very long underestimates the knowledge and gardeners would dispose of any blighted of the allotment and And what a pity he didn’t check his facts. time – well before he ever wrote a gardening article or understanding of fungal diseases like tubers they come across while a commercial all the other allotment That Peter Melchett did pull up GM crops is beyond spoke into a microphone. And he was doing it simply potato blight amongst amateur gardeners. grower wouldn’t pick them up in a field gardeners enjoy her doubt, but that had nothing whatsoever to do with the for the love of it and what it gave him emotionally in There are one or two points she obviously situation. They would probably rot there company too. Soil Association. At the time he was not involved with return. doesn’t understand. There is only one or get ploughed in. So at the end of the She is happiest at the Soil Association but was involved at the highest Not having taken any formal exam nor having systemic fungicide left that is available to day it’s a bit unfair for Maria Ball to expect getting her hands in the level with Greenpeace. acquired any formal qualifications does not preclude amateur gardeners. Myclobutanil sold as gardeners to stop growing potatoes in the earth pulling out new He was, for what it’s worth, found ‘not guilty’ of any any of us from becoming knowledgeable .... and, Systhane Fungus Fighter. This does not have forlorn hope that it might help commercial potatoes which she crime. what’s more, some, such as Mr Don, have other approval for potato blight. There is nothing growers get less disease. I think she’s being loves to eat, as Chloe What’s more, the case for GM crops is far from made equally valuable skills ... such as the ability to that an amateur grower can use with any unrealistically optimistic. If I planted my would say, Grandad, - and even if Peter Melchett’s position has changed (I communicate easily, passionately and clearly to the approval for potato blight. Therefore it is potatoes on top of the mountain behind my “These are Dee - don’t know if it has or not), many involved in the organic public. With glyphosate having been found in nearly a waste of time for any amateur gardener house they’d still get potato blight, all be it licious!!” However, and wider community are still far from convinced of a quarter of bread sampled by the government’s spraying potatoes because everything a bit later because it’s cooler up there. Her she also enjoys tasting its safety and are still resistant to the notion of GM agencies last year, maybe we should welcome that available is useless. Copper based potatoes to increase their crop by protecting members couldn’t get their fungicide sprays everything else at the crops growing widely in our countryside. The arrival passion and concern .... fungicides like Bordeaux Mixture are pretty them against potato blight and others who on because of continual rainfall, so blame allotment, particularly of a fungus carried on the wind from Denmark, and That he has a formidable, deep and broad useless because to have any effectiveness it wouldn’t spray under any circumstances. the gardeners. the peas and the which is set to wipe out 35million precious ash trees, knowledge is undeniable - so what’s to knock? would have to be used weekly to protect the As for myself, I live 800 feet above sea There’s one last point I’d like Maria Ball raspberries. is evidence enough that letting the GM genie out of the Rob Foster’s article would have been so much new foliage as it is only a contact fungicide level and can’t plant potatoes with any to understand, and that’s vegetable seeds Hopefully in the years to bag will undoubtedly mean we won’t be able to prevent healthier if he hadn’t felt it necessary to indulge in and not systemic. Potato foliage grows reliability before 25th April because of and plants are not V.A.T. registered, so come she will also be a GM contamination of organic crops once we have GM person bashing ..... such empty and inaccurate fairly quickly and the new foliage soon will possible frost damage. However we don’t commercial growers pay no V.A.T. on their member of the National crops growing around the nation. rhetoric, even though it helps fill a page, carries little grow out of the fungicide, generally get blight here till late seed potatoes, fertilisers or anything else Vegetable Society and Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised that some think weight. then there’s rain which tends July. I leave generous distances they use to grow their potatoes, while I get taking great interest in that destroying GM crops before their pollen is carried Yours faithfully to wash it off. To protect between the potato rows so the seed potatoes V.A.T. free but I have to everything she grows on the wind or the wings of insects is the only way David Cordingley potatoes with Bordeaux that when I earth up there is pay V.A.T. on my fertiliser and anything else I just like her “Grangag” to ensure that our countryside remains free of GM (It seems not everyone shares your view Mr Foster!- Mixture would cost more than plenty of soil in the ridge. When use in the growing of my vegetables. Kind Regards contamination for as long as possible. And I haven’t It’s always good to get a balanced view on such issues the potatoes are worth. blight arrives I just accept it, I And finally Maria Ball shouldn’t worry Tony McAulay seen the Soil Association advocating crop destruction - ed) The second point I’d like to don’t bother to cut the haulms about gardeners who grow potatoes Chairman of Bridge anyway. make is that many gardeners off, I think it’s just a waste of because if a gardener grows potatoes he/ of Allan, Avenue Park grow potatoes to have their time, blight spores are in the she eats potatoes and when their own are Allotment. own potatoes for as much air in abundance and it’s just all used, they buy them from one of her of the year as possible a matter of time for conditions members. She should be more concerned just to avoid commercially “ The second point to become right regarding about some of the young people who hardly Young Grower grown potatoes because they’ve been temperature and humidity for blight to ever eat potatoes and survive mainly on sprayed with systemic fungicides. LaterI’d like to makegerminate on my potatoes. I very rarely get pasta, rice and pizzas. Personally I think My grandson Matthew joined the National Vegetable in the season they are often sprayed with blighted tubers and if I get the odd one too in 20 years’ time there will only be half the Society in September at the Royal Bath & West sprout suppressants, which of courseis arethat manyclose to the soil surface it might get blighted, acreage of potatoes grown. showground on your stand. We thought you would herbicides. On the one hand there are the and if one here and there does it will Yours sincerely like to see what he grew this year all by himself from gardeners who would like to spray theirgardeners growdecompose and not re-shoot the following Ivor Mace the garden, in spite of the terrible weather this year. He is only 10 years old and a very keen gardener. potatoes…” Maureen Maggs. He is an inspiration to us all Maureen-ed.

What a friendly lot we are –ed. put themselves out to look after us, I took a few raffle prizes with me ; a good bag of basalt rock dust ; worm casts & perlka, all with Hello David, a write up !! If it isn’t too late can you put me a little thank you in our mag The talks went down quite well & with a few questions at the please; earlier on Maureen & Jim Robinson from the Westmorland end, as far as Colin & myself were concerned we had an excellent & North Lancs DA asked if I would give the their DA a talk on evening, and was rounded off by getting back to our digs at around making compost tea, no problem, a date was arranged (Tues .9th. 10.30 p.m., park up, drop off equipment, then to the nearest boozer Oct), and as it was a bit of a distance I didn’t fancy driving back for the last pint ! After explaining to the landlord why we were in home late at night, so I put it to Maureen, if you can find me a B&B Kendal (I think our accents gave it away!) I asked him what time last I will give you an extra talk (on composting). Luckily they agreed, orders were, he said this was his 4th day as landlord & for us would plus I had my mate Colin with me, we met up with Maureen & Jim stay open until midnight, that made it a break of all breaks, & he at our talk venue late afternoon they then took us to our digs in supplied the nuts ! Kendal, a quick wash then a fish & chip tea in town, then off to our From Colin & myself, Westmorland & North Lancs D.A. thank you, venue to set up; to say it’s in the sticks is an understatement, and we now have more friends. what an excellent turnout . It was an honour for me to be giving a Mick Poultney FNVS. talk to so many experienced veg men (& women), as the DA. had Chloe

12 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 13 NVS Member Survey, When is a courgette a marrow? Summary Of Findings Good morning David level as all the serious exhibitors know the ropes and which cultivars Claire Hart, Grassroots PR. Here is a question - are the regular winners so those are the ones that, in the main, are We held our village show on Saturday. There are 2 classes for entered. But at allotment and village show level there are all sorts of beans. “10 French beans - stalk attached” and “5 Runner beans oddities being grown, some of which turn up on the showbench. I An initial member survey was conducted back The call for “a new, modern more vibrant website – stalk attached”. An exhibitor put 5 beans variety ‘Cobra’ in the got a second in our “any other fruit or veg” class for an orange, one in April 2012 using an extended, 3 page, 21 to appeal to a wider audience,” has been heard and runner bean class and labelled the variety. This was judged NAS. The of two that have grown on my little tree this season. A late frost in question survey which was sent out by email to has resulted in the new look website managed by Ian exhibitor did not make a complaint but grumbled that the previous this area wiped out the local plums so the “plate of 8 fruit” was won 654 members, which represented the only emails Stocks. year she had put 10 ‘Cobra’ beans in the French bean class and got by some native mirabelles growing in an exhibitor’s hedge; the “one available at the time. An impressive 76% of members use the online a NAS on that occasion too! She asked should they go in the “any veg - novice” was won by an aubergine with a fennel in 2nd place. It Although this was valuable and gave us some useful forum. other veg” category? is interesting to note that the visiting public marvel at the long carrots insights, it was felt that a wider audience needed to be Social media such as Facebook should not be She has a point. Just where do “climbing beans - other than and the big leeks, but are just as fascinated by the peculiar entries. canvassed, hence a shorter, single page survey was discounted as 15%use it! This trend will increase if runner” sit? Should the French bean class be reworded “dwarf” I have been thinking about all this and decided it is a minefield and/ devised and sent out with this magazine in July and younger members are targeted. beans? Should the runner bean class be reworded “climbing” beans? or a can of worms. Advice to show committees about the wording handed out at DA meetings. The Simply Vegetables Magazine is well liked, being There are a lot of “cross-over” veg these days and perhaps you could of classes and how to deal with any complaints that may arise on The response was very encouraging and we described as “Very Good”, “Useful” and “Balanced”. persuade one of your senior judges to write you an article about their grounds of doubtful classification would be much appreciated. received a statistically valid 14% response rate. (For That said, larger print size, different font, and more classifications. Incidentally there was an exhibit of those red splashed Regards this type of survey, a sample size of anything over consistent editing have been suggested, plus articles borlotti beans in the runner bean class. They were labelled “A heritage Susan Rowe 10% is valid). This means that we are confident that targeted at growing to eat rather than showing and variety”. They were not placed but they didn’t get a NAS. This wasn’t a representative sample has been generated to tips for beginners and younger members have been my entry but I grow these to dry for winter use. My variety climbs but I I feel an interesting debate coming on! Interesting to read what give us a good insight into the demographics of our requested. We are also looking at covering more exotic know that other almost indistinguishable varieties don’t. local exhibitors put on the show bench. membership. vegetables. Also, another exhibitor had a plant growing a round variety of One of the responses to the survey was that as the climate In addition the comments and suggestions that Much has been said about showing vs Growing to courgette; one got away and became quite large so she entered it continues to change over the years and members grow a wider range came through have been very valuable and we are in eat. The overall feeling is that the NVS should shift their in the heaviest marrow class. This was also judged NAS. Again, no of veg and fruit, we should have more classes for these at shows at the process of categorising these into actions that will emphasis away from the show bench. problem as it wouldn’t have been placed anyway but when does a all levels, and they quoted kiwi fruit, sweet potato, and other “exotics”, be implemented in the immediate, medium or longer Branch/DA meetings need to be better advertised, courgette become a marrow? plus articles in the mag on how to grow them. Interesting view.- ed term. Your voice has been heard! possibly using email as a reminder and have more This is a problem unlikely to be encountered at senior showing regular meetings. So what did the survey tell us? Many members want to see the NVS using its As anticipated, the NVS membership still proves to be collective buying power to offer more merchandise an older one, with over a quarter of you being aged 56 (which would have the added benefit of helping us This is the response from Jim Williams, Chairman of the Judges examination Board. to 65 and half being aged over 65 and over. with branding and awareness), member discounts and However we do have a keen young member in the offers on seeds and equipment. This is being looked shape of Jamie Butterworth, aged 18, who is a BBC into. Gardener of the Year Finalist, and is keen to help us to A mentoring scheme has been suggested together target a younger audience. Jamie will be writing for us with more tutorials and an annual seminar. This Runner Beans or French Beans. later on. (He already has!! – ed) would raise the profile of the NVS, could help to bring Garden News is the most read publication in funds and help us to establish the NVS as the In response to Susan Rowe’s letter regarding problems with both French and Runner beans in the same class! i.e. two different accounting for 37% readership. Kitchen Garden Vegetable experts . exhibitors entering beans in different classes at shows, David has species on the same plate! I think that this would lead to more Magazine is read by a third of our members, with Grow Whilst most comments were positive, the NVS has persuaded me to put pen to paper. difficulties and problems for the judge, not to mention the exhibitor. Your own being the next most read publication. taken on-board some criticism over how it is organised The problem referred to occurs quite often nowadays, as the Well ! David asked me to help clarify the situation, but sadly I don’t Almost three quarters of you say that you grow to and its attitude to change. breeding programme of both varieties has produced many new and seem to have come up with an answer. eat, well over half (53%) are also interested in showing, Many members highlighted the need to get the varied beans, and the real problem is that there are dwarf Runner My own “gut” feeling, is that a good judge when examining beans whilst around 10% state an interest in Giant Veg. name out there and do more promotions. beans, and climbing French beans! (obviously all round bodied beans will be French) and when snapping 74.5% of you have shown vegetables at a local Strictly speaking both beans are different species. Runner beans beans it should be possible to distinguish between “string” and level, with many showing at both local and National In summary (string beans) belong to the family Phaseolus coccineus, and the “stringless” varieties. level. A quarter of you have shown at National/County To quote you as members;- “The NVS is a good French bean (string less or green) belongs to Phaseolus vulgaris. My conclusion therefore is to leave schedule wording as it is, level. society run by extremely enthusiastic gardeners and Runner beans are perennial vines, and all runners have flat pods, exhibitors must know the varieties that they are growing, and there is 74.28% have been gardening for a minimum of 20 growers.” It is seen as “the fountain of knowledge for while the French beans are regarded as half hardy annuals, and they absolutely no excuse for entering the beans in the wrong class. years. It is worthy of note however that we do have a growing veg”. But “People need embrace change in may have flat pods (e.g. variety Prince) or round pods (e.g. Safari) I also think that this highlights the need for all judges to keep small percentage (12%) of complete beginners too. order for the society to move forward” Do these botanical facts help the exhibitor or judge? Unfortunately pace with developments in new varieties etc. Winter reading of seed 70% of us are members of other societies, such as not. catalogues is of great value, and of course with internet access there NSALG. The Future Looking at the new Mr. Fothergill’s catalogue I was amazed to find are no excuses! Many seem to have joined as a result of visiting With one in five people in the UK growing their own listed, twenty seven varieties of “dwarf or French” beans, twenty six As for the courgette/ marrow class, it clearly states in the NVS a show or being taken to a meeting by an existing fruit and vegetables and a 20% increase in the waiting varieties of “runner” beans, and fifteen varieties of “climbing” beans. judges guide that quality marrows should be approximately 400mm. member. list for allotments, the Grow Your Own movement is I think all the climbing beans were “French” beans. in length or 200mm. in circumference, courgettes are approx. A quarter of members joined as a result of attending still as strong as ever. To further complicate the issue, there were at least three varieties of 150mm. in length, so basically any courgette over 150mm. is no a show such as Malvern or Tatton and 27% joined via Therefore there is a great opportunity for the NVS to runner beans classified as dwarf (minnow, pickwick and Hestia), and longer a courgette, and is not yet a quality marrow. post. 7% found us as a result of a web search and increase its membership and attract a wider audience, it specifically stated that they produced small sized pods! Why the judge gave NAS to a round marrow is beyond me joined online. and no doubt it will embrace change and act upon the In the original problem, the cobra beans were NAS in the French (especially in a heavy weight class). Many members feel the website needs to be findings of the survey. bean class, and sadly the judge got that wrong as cobra are definitely Sadly the majority of judges who give NAS are taking the easy updated more regularly. Claire. a French bean, but as there are over 130 varieties of beans, should way out, a note explaining your decisions, or meeting the exhibitor the judge be expected to know them all, even if the variety is stated after judging is a much more constructive and meaningful way of on the bench? I think not. preventing the problem arising again. In most show schedules it normally states one dish of runner or Hope this helps, one dish of French beans would changing the wording help matters? Jim Williams, I suppose we could ask for one plate of “dwarf” beans, and one Chairman, Judges examination board. plate of “climbing” beans, but that would mean that there could be

14 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 15 Haygrove NVS Advert Dec 2012 185x265:Layout 1 10/12/12 16:45 Page 1

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE The honeymoon is over ~ 2012 “Get 2013 covered a baptism of water not fire! with Haygrove!”

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Bicester Vermicompost is ideal to add to traditional composts, soil based or soilless, and he says, ideal for the garden or plants in pots or “Efficient, hard containers, as well as using to make liquid feeds, vermicompost tea. “Completed with Remember the articles on compost teas in previous issues of SV by working and friendly, with Worms Mike Poultney and Gareth Cameron?. minimum hassle, can’t fault the staff by George Pilkington. There is quite a large chapter on questions and answers, and a very pleased with or the product!” Published by eco-logic books (www. worms menu, amazing what you can sensibly add to a wormery. end result” Abbey Hay eco-logicbooks.com ) Finishes off with stockists of worms and worm bins, and a Caroline Munro, Paperback, 123 pages bibliography. Allotments Retail £7.95 Not exactly holiday or bedtime reading, and a few photo’s would Malpas ISBN no. 1 899233 13 X have added interest to supplement the text, but an excellent Why waste your waste?, who would reference source, if making compost using worms ticks all your boxes. have thought that anyone could write For further information on George’s work, visit his website, 120+ pages on vermicomposting www.nurturing-nature.co.uk (composting with worms), and keep Editor. the reader interested to the last page. Please send me a Haygrove Garden Tunnels Brochure. Not me but how wrong I was. To find out more about The book starts with the natural Haygrove Garden Tunnels Name process of decomposition, including how to make compost heaps and please call our local rate Address responsible waste management. number, click on our web site or complete the coupon It continues with the biology of opposite and post to us at the address below. earthworms, with good line drawings throughout, how to make a wormery, using worm compost, Postcode and a good review of commercially available worm bins, including the Tel: 0845 269 6395 “Waste Buster” series which the author designed and had built himself. (charged at local rate) Telephone George is an acknowledged authority on building and using wormeries, and as well as writing a couple of books, including Haygrove Ltd • Redbank • Ledbury • Herefordshire HR8 2JL “Gardening for Wildlife”, has written several articles about worm composting and talks to gardening clubs and horticultural societies throughout the North West of England and Wales, and teaches about www.gardentunnels.co.uk organic and wildlife gardening to adult educational establishments, George receiving an award at The Houses of Parliament recently

16 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 17 News from the Executive Jersey Black Butter Mark Hall FNVS – National Assistant Secretary Collette Bisson Jersey.

Although there are lots of ways apples can be used, display of locally grown produce and flowers. Two Jersey has a very special preserve – black butter, large pumpkins - one green and one orange, were Barry Newman Chaired the meeting that was held October 2012, and the ‘Member’s only’ section and which uses this fruit as its main ingredient. arranged in a barrow and were surrounded with a on the 13th October 2012 .One of the first items on ‘Forum’ would be transferred over from the old site. It is made from a traditional recipe that has been variety of very fine vegetables including cauliflower, the agenda was to fill the three officer positions that The domain name (NVSUK.ORG.UK) is registered to handed down from generation to generation and dates carrots, aubergines, peppers, tomatoes and peppers. had become vacant. Grant Cathro, Membership the NVS so would remain the same. An on line shop back to the era from 1600 to 1700 when 20 per cent In the farm courtyard, there were more pumpkins, registrar. Dennis Barry, Treasurer and John Harrison, has also been developed although orders for NVS of Jersey’s arable land was made up of orchards. The but these were for the children to carve and create Webmaster. Have all resigned before completing merchandise cannot be processed on line yet, it is apples from these trees were exported, farmers gave Halloween lanterns. their three year term of office. hoped to set up a Pay Pal system in the future. homemade cider to their staff as part of their wages The ingredients for the black butter included huge Trustees have filled these positions internally, until Trustee’s agreed that all advertising on our site and the end of the harvest was marked with a sethee quantities of cider apples –Romeril and Gros France in they come up for re-election at this year’s AGM. The and links to other web sites should be Horticulturaly de nier beurre ( a session of black butter making) this case, which were mixed with Bramleys. election of officers is done in two tranches on a three related. which brought all ages together and continued into the The first stage in the process was to pour fresh year cycle to avoid the possibility of all officers being Following on from the last Trustees meeting Ian night and next day with entertainment and dancing. apple juice – used instead of cider, into a huge elected in one year. Stocks had tabled a report titled ‘The Way Ahead’ Nowadays, traditional large scale black butter cauldron on an open hearth and to reduce this by The following were unanimously voted in by the the main aim of this report was to focus on how the making is restricted to just a few Jersey organisations half. Then the apples were added slowly, followed by trustees, as officers of the society. Society would move forward and develop it’s PR and and clubs such as the National Trust for Jersey sugar, lemons, mixed spices including cinnamon and Membership Registrar Neil Hope marketing following on from Claire Hart (Grassroots) which organised an event earlier last month at its liquorice. The mixture was stirred with a rabot, a Treasurer Derek Aldred whose formal contract, will be coming to an end headquarters at The Elms, an old style farm holding in wooden tool with a long handle to avoid the dangers Webmaster Ian Stocks before long and it is important that we have plans in the parish of St Mary. of the hot mixture spitting. Derek Aldred gave his views on what he was place for the continued development of the Society. Very much a community affair, helpers were To test whether the treacle-like mixture was ready, intending to achieve as the Society’s new treasurer. Ian’s report contained four options for Trustees to needed to pick and peel the apples, stir the mixture a little was poured on to a saucer. When it was sticky He hoped that the present system of accounting for consider, and after debating the four options Trustees continuously for 24 hours while it was cooking to enough to allow the weight of the saucer to be lifted by Branches and District Associations could be improved agreed that a ‘New Strategic Group’ be formed with ensure it didn’t burn and finally when it was ready, to a spoon, then potting up could begin. and made easier to follow. fresh members. Barry Newman felt it essential we pot it up. Whenever it is made, the preserve is soon snapped Derek had circulated two papers prior to the should look for membership outside of the current It also involved the up, many people putting their orders in well in meeting, one being the financial report which was Trustee group. participation of local advance. It is delicious, smooth and fruity and a “ The election of explained to Trustees in detail. David Allison would chair this new group supported members of the National perfect complement for toast in the morning. The His second paper was to give guide lines to the by Ian Stocks between them they would set up and Vegetable Society liquorice gives it a dark brown colour but for those officers is done in Trustees’ expense claims. Trustees worked though the report back to the Trustees meeting in January with including Graeme Le hesitant about its inclusion, be reassured its taste is paper and several changes were made to the present the format and membership. Marquand, Jill Green hardly recognisable as it blends beautifully with all the two tranches on a system. Myself and John Branham gave a debrief on the and Val Marshman who other ingredients. Neil Hope, newly appointed Membership Registrar, 2012 National Championships at Malvern. It was the provided a focal point Collette Bisson three year cycle to reported that five new Branch membership secretaries most supported National Championships that the in the old cider barn, Feature Writer had been appointed, including himself, one from each Midlands had ever held. Numbers of entries on the creating a very colourful avoid the possibility Branch and that communication, mostly by emails was show bench and exhibitors exceeded all past records. going well. Neil and the four other Branch membership David Thornton had received a couple of letters of all officers being secretaries did hold a brief meeting following the AGM referring to changes to the National schedule. Trustees at Malvern show. discussed the schedule and prize money but agreed elected in one year.” Neil then went through the membership figures it that, whilst continuing to keep it under review, the was noted that the Welsh Branch included more than classes and money would remain the same for 2013. 40 members from Southern Ireland. The Welsh Branch However the Northern Branch who will host the 2013 was pleased with this and was treating Southern championships would be able to choose its own under Ireland as a separate DA. 15 point vegetable to replace the Marrow class that Ian Stocks had circulated a paper on the Web site the Midlands Branch had chosen in 2012. prior to the meeting which he went through highlighting Mark. points. The new Web site should go live at the end of

Peeling of apples in progress

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This pic show Jersey branch members Graeme Le Marquand, All ages get involved, Travis Durkin, NVS Jersey member Jill Potting up Val Marshman and Jill Green who created a display using local Green’s grandson produce for a community black butter making event earlier this 18 simplyvegetables month at the Elms, one of the National Trust for Jersey’s properties simplyvegetables 19 MRF13 60x90 F13DNVS2 National Vegetable Society.indd 1 07/12/2012 12:46 wallplannersg2ehalf copy.indd 1 12/12/12 19:16:21 Jobs for the coming months in the Kitchen Garden “ Seed packets give good advice on run thewhen corner the of your contents hoe along should it to carve be sown, out your but drill. Water the drill before sowing then use the back of Rob Foster, Northern Branch. your hoeremember to gently pull it isthe only soil over a guide the seeds. as there During is cold spells pollinating insects are scarce particularly if you area big growing difference under cover. between So if you gardening are growing in peaches or nectarines then hand pollinate using a piece ofthe cotton North wool or tied South to the endof the of a country.small cane, leaving about three inches standing proud of the soil, rabbit tails are particularly good. Slugs and snails are January this should prevent the mint from creeping over rim and attracted to new lush growth, particularly at this time It only takes a mild spell even in the depths of winter into the soil. The pruning of apples, pears, currants and of the year. Control them with organic pellets based for weeds to germinate and romp away. Annual weeds gooseberries should be done by the end of this month. on ferric phosphate. Beer traps are effective but make can be pulled up and put into the compost bin. Any Also cut autumn fruiting raspberries to ground level. sure that the rim of the container is standing proud of perennial weeds should be dug out with as much root the ground by an inch to avoid any beneficial insects as possible and disposed of. Weeds are a good soil March dropping in. Blueberries hailed as the ‘wonder fruit’ indicator, for example: dandelion, docks and daisy March is often the first opportunity to sow a range will need pruning, begin by cutting out spindly or dead will indicate an acid soil whereas peppergrass and of seeds directly into the ground; including: carrots, stems. Then, when a bush is about three years old or pennygrass will indicate an alkaline soil. Chickweed spinach, lettuce, rocket, peas and broad beans. Other more remove a couple of the branches to ground level and red clover thrive in a nice fertile ground. Because plants such as leeks, cabbages, and broccoli are best as these become less productive with age. Towards soil will naturally become acidic over time it is good sown in a prepared seed bed to be transplanted into the end of the month prepare a seed bed for sowing practice to test your soils pH regularly. their final positions later. The only exception to this crops such as Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli Years ago we used to test the soil by tasting it hence is cauliflowers these perform a much better if sown and kale. Sowing the seeds at intervals over a few the term ‘sad soil’ because the soil did taste sad. in situ. Seed packets give good advice on when the weeks will ensure that they mature at different times, Nowadays you can purchase a cheap and cheerful pH contents should be sown, but remember it is only a giving a succession of vegetables over the winter when testing kit for a more accurate result and, if necessary, have some fresh horse manure then place this around guide as there is a big difference between gardening in they are at their most scarce. take remedial action. Why bother? If the pH is not the bottom of the bin, the rotting process will generate the North or South of the country. For accurate seed The Lazy Gardener right then the plants cannot take up the nutrients that some heat forcing the rhubarb on quicker. sowing use string to make a taut, straight line then www.thelazygardener.org they require from the soil and they will soon become Blackcurrant bushes fruit on new and old wood so sickly. Seed sowing can commence much earlier if pruning is about maintaining a balance on established 7th -8th August Bakewell Show, Derbyshire you cover a piece of ground now with some polythene bushes. About one third of the stems should be Diary dates for 2013 Contact Mrs L Baines 01629 812736 to warm it up. Order your seed potatoes as soon removed every year to maintain the plants vigour. as possible. When you have received them start the 1st -4th August RHS Garden Hyde Hall Flower Show chitting (sprouting) process straight away, this gets February 19th–20th February RHS London Plant and Design Show 9th -10th August Shrewsbury Flower Show them off to a good start prior to sowing in late April, There is a noticeable difference of daylight this month Contact 0845 612 1253 Contact 01743 234050 early May. Thin the emerging shoots to two or three and it brings with it a feeling of anticipation but 9th March NVS Northern Branch 50th Anniversary 15th – 18th August NVS Northern Branch Championships, as and six weeks before sowing the tubers water regularly February can be one of the coldest months. If you seminar. Contact Keith Able 01964 552307 part of Southport Flower Show with seaweed extract, an organic growth stimulant. If really want to get things moving have you tried growing 15th–17th March The Edible Garden Show, Stoneleigh, Contact 0844 847 1555 you like delicious tender young stems of rhubarb start peas in a piece of guttering? Warwicks. Contact 0844 338 8001 6th – 8th September NVS Scottish Branch Championships. forcing some now. First clear away all the dead foliage You will need to drill some holes along the bottom 26th – 27th March RHS Great London Plant Fair. Contact Neil Muirhead. As part of Dundee from around the crown. of the guttering for drainage. Then fill with some 12th – 13th April RHS London Orchid and Botanical Art Show. Show, Camperdown Park. 01592 611596 It is possible that you may see new growth already, multipurpose compost, sow the seeds evenly about 19th – 21st April RHS Show Cardiff 7th – 8th September NVS Welsh Branch Championships so be careful not to damage any emerging shoots. one inch apart but don’t push them into the compost Contact Mary Thomas 20th – 21st April RHS Hyde Hall Spring Plant Fair. Cover the plant with an old dustbin, or similar. If you until they are all in position. Once sown water them Rhonnda Sports Centre 01691 780420 25th – 28th April Harrogate Spring Flower Show thoroughly and keep them in a cold greenhouse, or 13th – 15th Harrogate Autumn Flower Show Contact Contact 01423 546158 cover with a cloche. When the seeds have sprouted September 01423 546158 Includes NVS National they can be slid out of the guttering into a prepared 9th – 12th May Malvern Spring Gardening Show Championships Contact John Croot 01773 trench and covered with some gardening fleece. Contact 01684 584 924 834213 If you are keen now is the time to prepare your 18th – 19th May Royal Welsh Agricultural Society, Spring 21st – 22nd RHS Hyde Hall Autumn Plant Fair. runner bean trench which should be about two foot Festival. Contact 01982 553683 September wide. You can put kitchen garden waste or manure on Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells the bottom of the trench. I, like a lot more gardeners, 28th – 29th Malvern Autumn Show. Includes NVS 21st–25th May RHS Chelsea Flower Show. September Midlands Branch Championships Contact never found any real benefit from this. What has 31st May–2nd June Gardening Scotland, Ingliston proved successful for me is placing several layers of Mrs Pat Brown 01782 566395 12th–16th June BBC Gardeners World Live newspapers on the bottom of the trench and giving 8th -9th October RHS London Autumn Fruit and Veg. Harvest Contact 0844 338 0338 them a good soaking before backfilling. A few years Show. ago an old gardening neighbour of mine sowed 9th–14th July RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. 22nd – 23rd October RHS London Shades of Autumn his runner beans in the same spot for over twenty 9th–11th July The Great Yorkshire Show, Harrogate 16th November Scottish Branch Seminar, Penicuik Contact years. He would just turn the soil over and add a little Contact 01423 541000 Jim Williams 01875 320644 gromore, he never failed to have a bumper crop, in fact Lakeland Rose Show, cancelled for 2013 For further information on all RHS events/shows, they grew so well his main problem was picking them 25th–28th July RHS Tatton Park Flower Show tel 0844 338 7526, or go online at www.rhs.org.uk/shows fast enough. Mint is an excellent herb to have with 22nd–25th July Royal Welsh Show, Builth Wells new potatoes dug fresh from the garden. A few roots 30th, 31st July, NVS Southern Branch Championships The above details are believed to be correct at the time of potted up now will provide some nice leaves ready for 1st Aug As part of New Forest Show, Brockenhurst, going to press, but the NVS accepts no responsibility for any the first potatoes of the season. The problem with mint Hampshire. Contact Chris Neel 01425 629694 errors or omissions, and visitors are advised to contact the is it is so invasive. It is best grown in in a large pot or 2nd – 4th August Ayr Flower Show organisers before travelling. container on the patio or plunge the pot into the ground

20 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 21 Getting Started On The Allotment Part four. Derek Brooks, Worsley, Manchester.

This is the fourth article in a series intended to help the bottom of the trench and fill it with soil from the anyone who has or is about to get an allotment for second trench. Carry on like this right across the bed the first time and assuming that they are new to and when you get to the other end the last trench gardening is filled with the soil from the first trench. Manure can be added to each trench as you go along if you you shouldn’t have to do it every year. The soil on my nitrogen in the growth phase but later on when they Preparing the ground wish. Double digging is just the same but you dig the allotment is good,having been cultivated for many years begin to flower they need more potash, and tomato I assume that you have decided the location of your trenches two spades deep. If you need to add lime so I don’t need to dig by either of these methods. All I feeds all contain a high proportion of this element. vegetable beds and marked them out and possibly don’t let it come into contact with the manure. You can do is fork the soil over as the beds become empty in As mentioned earlier, fertilisers can be either organic made paths between them, as I suggested in the last put a layer of manure in the bottom of the trenches the autumn. This is all you may need to do as well. You or inorganic. Organic fertilisers are derived from animal article. You now need to prepare them for planting then replace the soil and spread the lime on the top. may already have done a lot of forking over the soil to or plant remains such as bone meal or “fish blood and or sowing by forking over or digging the ground and When talking about lime in the last article I suggested get rid of weeds as I often have to do. bone”. Inorganic fertilisers are either mined from the adding some fertiliser. putting lime on first then manure a month later. So you I have a load of manure delivered each year in the ground or manufactured, such as sulphate of potash. can separate the lime from the manure by time or by winter. I spread it on all the vegetable beds, except the Organic fertilisers are generally slower acting and they Digging distance as I have said above by putting manure in the root crop bed, and fork it into the soil. If I needed to are generally considered to be more environmentally There are two methods of digging, single and double bottom of the trenches and lime on top. add lime I would have done it at least a month before. friendly. “Organic”gardeners will not use any inorganic and which you use depends on the condition of the Digging by either of the methods described above A few weeks before planting or sowing I spread fertiliser fertilisers or any chemicals for that matter. Personally soil, mainly how heavy it is. Single digging involves can only be done in winter because the soil needs on the ground and rake it in. If seeds are to be sown I am not totally “organic”. I use organic fertilisers as taking out a trench along one edge of the bed one time to settle before sowing or planting in the spring. If direct the soil needs raking fine, which we call a tilth. much as I can but I will use inorganic ones if needed. spade wide and one spade deep and barrowing the your allotment is new it may be a good idea to double Plants don’t mind whether their nutrients come from soil to the other end of the bed. You then fork over dig it at first if the soil is heavy and if time allows but Fertilisers an organic or an inorganic source. They have no way I now need to cover the subject of fertilisers because of telling. I find that beginners have not much idea about it. Fertilisers that contain all three of the major plant They put fertilisers on the ground without having much foods are called “general” or “balanced” fertilisers. knowledge as to what purpose they serve other than When you buy a bag of fertiliser it should say on it believing that they are doing good. the N:P:K ratio. An example of a balanced fertiliser It can be a complicated subject but I will explain it as is “growmore”, the ratio being 7:7:7 which means simply as I can. that it contains equal parts of N, P, and K. This one There are three major plant foods is inorganic. Two examples which are organic are nitrogen(N),phosphate(P) and potash(K ).All plants “fish, blood and bone” and calcified seaweed which need these foods in fairly large quantities but not all in are slightly higher in potash. These are all in powder the same proportions. Also some plants need them in or granular form for raking into the ground before different proportions at different stages of their growth. planting. All fertilisers contain at least one of these major plant There are three others foods, and can be organic based (fish,blood and that are nothing to do bone meal) or inorganic or chemical based (national with vegetables but I am growmore). mentioning them just to There are also minor nutrients that plants need in complete the picture. The smaller quantities. These are calcium, magnesium and first one is “rose fertiliser” sulphur. Also there are “trace elements” which plants which is high in potash and only need in minute quantities. These are iron, boron, can be used for flowering manganese, molybdenum and copper, amongst shrubs and fruit bushes as others. Most soils contain enough of these elements well as roses. There are so they rarely need to be added. two types of lawn fertiliser,one for“ spring There and aresummer three others that are Going back to the major plant foods which are the which is high in nitrogen and one for autumn and ones we are mainly concerned about,nitrogen (N) winter which is low in nitrogen and highernothing in the to other do with vegetables but I am is mainly for leaf and stem growth. All plants need two elements. it in their early stages of growth and leafy plants Whereas all the above are meant tomentioning be used in solid them just to complete the like cabbages need fertilisers that contain a high form there are several liquids that are diluted and solid proportion of this element. crystals that are dissolved and appliedpicture. with a watering The main purpose of phosphate(P) is to promote can. These are applied when the plants are growing, to root growth. Plants need it initially to help germination keep them growing well or to give them a boost. They of the seeds and to create a good root system. Plants can be plant specific and are generally fast acting. will not grow well without a good root system because Examples of these are it is the roots that that take in most but not all of the Phostrogen – high in potash-use for tomatoes and nutrients they need.. other flowering and fruiting plants. Potash (K) is mainly for flowers and fruit production. Chempak liquid fertilisers – there are different Flowering and fruiting plants like tomatoes need formulations for different purposes.

22 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 23 ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Maxicrop – made from seaweed extract and is for This is the month to general use. buy your seed potatoes. Maxicrop tomato special – similar to phostrogen. If you have not ordered Miracle grow – also similar to phostrogen. them from a supplier The Walk-In Wonderwall® There are just a few fertilisers that contain just two there are plenty in the of the three major plant foods. They are not used as garden centres. Stand (TM) much as general fertilisers but examples are them upright in trays, egg Nitrate of potash – Approx. 14% N, 46% K boxes are good, rose end Phosphate of potash – Approx. 15% P,44% K uppermost, to start them Netted Brassica / DESIGNED - MANUFACTURED - PACKAGED - HERE IN BRITAIN. There are several fertilisers that supply just one of the into growth in a light,frost HELPING TO GROW THE GREEN SHOOTS OF RECOVERY three major plant foods and these are called “straight free place.. There are probably sprouts“ This and is swedes the month to to buy your seed vegetable Tunnel fertilisers”. harvest. Examples of these are On the allotment I have a load of manurepotatoes. delivered If you have not ordered them The Walk-in Wonderwall provides a wall Sulphate of ammonia – approx .23% N inorganic which I barrow onto the plots that need it and fork it in, against the elements and garden pests. Sulphate of potash – approx.. 48 % K inorganic weather permitting. from a supplier there are plenty in While, at the same time allowing rain and Superphosphate of lime – approx. 18% P inorganic sunlight to enter. The Walk-in Wonderwall is Nitrate of soda – approx.. 16% N inorganic FEBRUARY the garden centres.. designed for the garden / allotment growers Nitrochalk – approx.. 16% N inorganic If you have a heated greenhouse and propagator you budget and is ideal for the organic grower. Bone meal – approx.. 20% P organic can sow peppers, aubergines and celery. After fighting a losing battle year after year Dried blood – approx. 12% N organic On the allotment I carry on forking the manure into against pigeons, cabbage white butterfly Hoof and horn – approx. 13 % N organic the beds if not finished last month. and other garden pests, we realised that we I have included bone meal as a straight phosphate The sprouts and swedes are likely to be coming to needed something that could both eradicate fertiliser but it does contain a small amount of nitrogen. an end so I usually harvest the rest and put the sprout these problems and also be affordable and These are not used as much as general fertilisers stalks on the compost heap. It helps the composting hard wearing. either, unless you know that your soil is deficient in a process if they are cut up into small pieces first. We came up with the Walk-in Wonderwall. particular element. No more having to remove net to weed Bonemeal is useful for mixing with the soil when MARCH or thin out. No more makeshift bits of from outside or inside the Wonderwall. The wonderwall has a standard width planting shrubs or fruit bushes. Onions and leeks The first cabbages, cauliflowers, sprouts and wood / bamboo cane frames etc. No more Assembly time is 2-3 hours, using our of 3.5m and is sold in lengths from 2m are usually given a sprinkling round the roots of one lettuce can be sown this month. They don’t need a height restriction for our brassica (with the easy to follow instructions. upwards. that provides nitrogen during the growing season to propagator like those sown earlier. They can all be Wonderwalls 1.9m height). Each stage of assembly is accompanied We can however, manufacture give them a boost. I usually use nitrochalk but dried sown direct in the ground but I prefer to sow them in The unique light weight, yet robust pvc by a full colour photograph. No specialist wonderwalls to fit your raised beds exactly blood,nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia are cell trays or small pots in the greenhouse. frame needs no base and fixes directly into tools are required for assembly. ie; 2.5m width x 3.2m length.” suitable. Hoof and horn is too slow acting. Onion sets can be planted outside but I prefer to the earth. The frame is then covered with Buy direct from the manufacturer. Not a fine heavy duty uv rated netting, which available in any retail outlets. For more information and customer You could,of course make your own general fertiliser start these off in small pots in the greenhouse as well. feed back, please visit our website by mixing three of these straight fertilisers. It doesn’t Shallots planted in small pots in December are ready drastically reduces wind speed within the We have Wonderwalls in the Orkney isles, save you any money though and is not really worth to be potted on into 5 tunnel and can withstand very strong winds. the Shetland isles, the isle of Arron, Republic www.walk-inwonderwall.co.uk doing when you can buy them ready mixed as “fish inch (12.5cm.) pots. The entire growing space can be worked of Ireland, France, Jersey, Croatia, and also – blood and bone” or growmore. Leeks may also be with ease and watering can be carried out Port Stanley in the Falkland Isle. ready to go into larger Use of fertilisers pots. In the last article I advised you to buy a kit to test the Manuring should be Grow more and extend your season with this walk-in NETTED brassica/vegetable tunnel pH of your soil, which is easy to do. I test my soil for finished this month if nutrients as well and use which fertiliser I think best not already done. Some according to the tests. I would not expect beginners years I can finish it in to do this though and it is rare that I find my soil January and some years unbalanced. I normally add fish blood and bone or it takes till March. It growmore at 3 or 4 oz. per square yard (105 or 130 depends entirely on the ® gms. per square metre) a few weeks before planting weather. The Walk-In Wonderwall and you can’t go far wrong doing this as well. If tomatoes were sown (TM) When plants are growing I normally go over to liquid earlier they should be feeds apart from for onions and leeks mentioned ready to transfer to small above. Three or four feeds throughout the growing pots but they still need season is usually sufficient. and for many crops I use warmth. maxicrop which is a good all purpose feed. Derek. MADE IN BRITAIN I will say more about feeding individual crops when AN AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVE TO POLYTUNNELS, I cover them later in the series. 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A GREAT BRITISH PRODUCT I am listing here the jobs I normally do each month but I will give you more detail about these jobs when we Buy direct from the manufacturer-Not available in any retail outlet consider the different vegetables later in the series. • GROW ALL YEAR ROUND • ALLOWS AIR TO CIRCULATE / PROTECTS AGAINST HARSH WINDS • EASY TO WEED/ EASY TO WATER JANUARY • ALLOWS RAIN AND SUN TO PENETRATE • IMPROVES QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF YOUR PRODUCE • CAN BE MADE TO FIT RAISED BEDS Whether you can sow anything so early in the year just depends on whether or not you have a heated • PROTECT AGAINST CABBAGE WHITE BUTTERFLY AND CATERPILLER • PROTECTS AGAINST PIGEONS/ BIRDS greenhouse or a propagator. In my propagation greenhouse I have two warming benches and also Prices*: (Standard width - 3.5m. Standard height 1.9m) PREVENT BRASSICA MASSACRE! some propagators. I sow tomatoes in one of the propagators towards the end of the month. 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wonderwall060912.indd 1 6/12/12 14:01:58 24 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 25 An electric fence installed to keep out badgers and wild boar (if appropriate). Sufficient agricultural lime should be applied to Growing Truffles raise the pH to 7.9. The amount that will have to be applied will depend on the natural pH of your soil. A rough guide is 2 tons of lime per hectare per 0.1 pH unit that the pH needs to be raised. It is important not Commercially in the UK to apply excess lime otherwise the concentrations of some trace elements, such as iron, can fall to critically low levels. Several smaller applications of lime should Claire Hart be applied to gradually increase the pH. Specialist suppliers, such as Mycorrhizal Systems offer help with measurement and testing of soil and subsequent pH No I am not suggesting that you can suddenly take birch or poplars, and like sun and a moist, alkaline soil balance maintenance. Cadburys head on and start growing chocolates- I with a pH of around 7.3-7.9, although even acidic soils If you are planting on an exposed site, protect your am of course referring to the fungus variety- can be used with the right liming methods. plants from the wind. You can use artificial windbreaks Handfulls of black UK truffles which can be as small as a penny or as large as Suitable growing areas in Great Britain are likely to or a hedge. a tennis ball and are “ectomycorrhizal”, growing be over chalk or limestone ie: Chiltern Hills; North and done using grazing stock such as sheep. symbiotically amongst tree roots. South Downs. Between Norwich and Cambridge; Irrigation Hazel trees will need some light pruning after 3 or 4 There are around 20 species of truffle, but only 7 Hampshire and Wiltshire into Dorset, between Hull and Adequate soil moisture during the first few months years. are edible and around 5 species thrive in the UK. With Lincoln; north of Oxford; south to Gloucester; east to after planting is essential to prevent desiccation. their distinctive flavour and texture, and reputation Bristol; the south coast west of Portland; West Devon However, you need to avoid boggy conditions. If you Finding Truffles as an aphrodisiac, truffles have been prized for around Brixham; west of York to Nottingham and parts can install an irrigation system, a mini-sprinkler system Often the fungus can be found just below the soil’s over, 3,200 years, especially by French and Italian of the Peak District. Although, lots of truffle plantations with variable sized tips is ideal for the first few years surface but some do grow anything up to four inches gourmands, and can fetch very high prices indeed. exists on acidic soil that has been amended opening but eventually a system capable of delivering more underground. France and Italy grow the most expensive species, up most of the UK as potential truffle growing territory. irrigation water can be considered. If you need help in locating them, it is possible to the Perigord and the Alba. Annual auctions of the You will have to be patient though – it takes 5-8 “hire” the services of specially trained truffle hunting largest specimens have been known to fetch tens of years for them to start fruiting, although our recent wet Plant Density dogs, (much easier to handle than the traditional pigs thousands of pounds. In 2007 a single white truffle summers have proved to be very favorable to Truffles The optimum planting densities for Tuber uncinatum of old!). Pigs have a habit of eating the truffles before sold for a record £165,000 to a Hong Kong casino and some of the Hazel-truffle trees can crop in as little are: they can be rescued, however, meaning they have owner. as 3 years. 1600 plants per hectare of which at least 1100 largely been phased out in favour of dogs. Commercial sites in Europe can generate upwards plants per hectare need to be infected with Tuber The breed favoured is the rare Italian Lagotto of £200,000 of income, with France being the largest Grants and Funding aestivum/uncinatum with the balance (500) being Romagnolo,an Italian water dog breed that has been Cia digging truffles. Cia is my friends Laggoto Romagnolo- producer, harvesting up to 30 tonnes a year, rising to Better still, you may well qualify for a planting grant, made up from either ash, sycamore, field maple and/ retrained from originally being a duck retriever to a she is a white bitch, an Italian as high as an estimated 50-80tonnes but figures are such as the Woodland Creation Grant from the or yew. highly successful, truffle hunter. The Lagotto is unique breed of working water dog difficult to pin down. forestry commission, and other subsidies are possible, as he is the only pure bred dog in the world recognised that was retrained to hunt It is the more common summer or Burgundy truffle covering up to 40% of the establishment costs. The Planting as a specialised truffle searcher. for truffles when the Italian game keeper ran out of work!. (Tuber aestivum/uncinatum) which can be grown here forestry commission website gives more details at You can buy plants online from the suppliers listed at In fact, any “working” dog, such as Labradors or We used to have Cias son, in the UK. Once found all over the UK, natural records www.forestry.gov.uk the end of this article. spaniels with a good nose can be trained to search Lorenzo, but he sadly died “ Commercial sites of this variety extend as far north as Darlington as well When your plants arrive: for truffles, and there is a Truffle training school in aged 4. Yes we did hunt as Lothian in Scotland. So how do you get started? Stand them up and water them (ideally rain water). Hampshire, to teach your own dogs. truffles with him too and he in Europe can came third in the UK’s first This truffle, is a caramel-coloured species with Specially treated trees, impregnated with the Truffle If you do not have time to plant immediately, place ever Truffle Hunting Speed white veins that has a nutty and sometimes gritty spores are now available from specialist suppliers them somewhere away from plants that might have What You Can Expect trials near Reading! generate upwards consistency (if the soil isn’t washed off!). Although such as Truffle UK Limited or Mycorrhizal Systems. ectomycorrhizal fungi on their roots i.e. oak, beech, Within 3-6 years you could be harvesting your summer British truffles sell for a tenth of those found in prime To become a commercially viable project, you need to hazel, hornbeam amongst others. truffles, with Sept/Oct being the peak season. of £200,000 of areas of Italy and France, they can still fetch about plant a minimum of a hectare to “impregnated” trees. It is best to place them on clean plastic sheeting A one hectare plot ( 2.4 acres) could contain around £250 to £280 a kilo, which is the average across the Typically Oaks, Hazel, silver Birch or Beech are and ensure that the bags do not dry out. You must 1,100 trees, which, once mature could be providing a income” season, Just before Christmas they typically reach impregnated and can be bought as whips or one plant within 2 weeks in order to limit the chance of yield of between 70kg and 230kg a hectare and sell for around £400/kg!. year old saplings, with soil around their roots. Costs competing fungi establishing on the roots. Plant as around €280 (£249) per kilo or higher pre- Christmas. Indeed truffles are undergoing something of a range from £18.88 for a single tree to £6 a tree for blocks of trees about That equates to a possible £57k return on your copse! renaissance in Britain, and the first UK commercial larger volume purchases and when partnering in Each tree should be protected by a poly tube For further information and help contact site was established in 2006. Mild winters and wet truffle growing co-operatives with companies such as (minimum of 60cm (it only needs to be 60cm to Paul Thomas- Mycorrhizal Systems email springs since 2004 have helped treble the output of Mycorrhizal Systems . protect against rabbits)in height and 12cm wide) and [email protected] or look at www. the pungent-flavoured fungi in parts of their heartlands staked and caned. plantationsystem.com (tel: 01433659167) in Wiltshire and Hampshire. Choice of site Or at http://www.truffle-uk.co.uk tel 01935 83819 With the help of experts such as Dr Paul Thomas, Truffle trees should be planted on a site that has Maintenance email [email protected] small holders now have a real opportunity to grow free-draining, well-aerated alkaline soil, overlying It is necessary to suppress grass and weeds, to For Dog Training- contact Marion Dean via Training@ copses of truffle trees as a cash crop limestone or chalk with a well-defined structure, on a prevent the vegetation shading the roots, which can be PlantationSystems.com here in the UK. southeast or south-facing slope. Ideally there should Most of England has be no trees nearby (minimum of 75m on level ground) a suitable climate. as these could host competing fungi on their roots. If Truffles prefer this distance is not possible to achieve, then a trench oaks, beech, should be dug (0.5m in depth) between established hazels, silver tree(s) and the prepared ground and lined with black polythene sheeting. Although, interesting the summer truffle often also thrives in clay soils. Ground Preparation Once the site is chosen it should be treated as follows: Livestock should be used to eat off any palatable standing vegetation. Cultivate to remove weed growth. It is preferable not to use weed-killer containing ‘glysophate’. Power harrowed down to a depth of no more than Wulf’s truffle find Oct 2009. Wulf 20cm. is a chap who A stock-proof fence (where agreed) should be is a keen truffle erected. Mature plantation. Preparation for planting truffle trees in the UK. hunter

26 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 27 getting rid of the plants and also a few courgettes. We also had a few runner beans on a spare plot up a wire support . One of the girls picked the rest of Gardening at St Paul’s these and got rid of the plants. The following week we all worked in the polytunnel and removed all the tomato , cucumber and pepper plants. The children picked the rest of the tomatoes Primary School, Walkden, whether they were ripe or not. They have been quite successful. Gina ,the lady who I help to run the garden club, has been watering them during the summer holidays and I have been feeding them once a week. Manchester, Part 3 We have both harvested some during this time. The cucumbers have not done quite as well but there have been some. There were only a few peppers but we Derek Brooks, Northern Branch. picked them. When all these crops had been picked we cut the plants down , put them in wheelbarrows and the children wheeled them to the recycling bins. We then began emptying the pots. Gina wants the compost putting on the herb garden but we didn’t get The first gardening class after the summer holidays time to grow. The children swapped over and two time. was on September 20th. The children were all new at a time planted these onions with me and the rest I am writing this on October 26th, the day after to gardening and when this happens, they first have tidied their own plots. There was some seakale beet these jobs were done. The school is closed next to have a health and safety lesson about the correct on this bed where I wanted the onions to go so this week for half term. When we go back on November use of tools and the danger of them if they are used was harvested first and the children took it home. We 8th there won’t be much gardening to do. We will incorrectly. then lightly forked over the ground and raked in some finish emptying the tomato pots and getting rid of the In a way it’s a nice problem to have but more growmore granular fertilizer before planting the onions. compost. The children may plant some onion sets in children want to do gardening than we can manage Each child also planted an onion in a small pot to take their own plots if the weather is suitable but it is rarely at once. It means that they have to be split up term home and grow. fit to work outside so late in the year. Getting rid of tomato plants by term. The problem is that if a child plants a certain The following week, October 11th we dug up I have not mentioned the root crop bed because we crop in his or her own plot they may not be in garden the potatoes. I had cut the haulms down in July to have not done any work on it this term. Nothing much club when it is ready for harvesting. prevent them from getting blight. Again the children has been harvested except for radishes which have I showed these new children the four main vegetable split up and some of them helped me by collecting been re-sown several times during the summer. There plots and what was growing in them and asked them the potatoes as I dug them up and the others worked have been a few turnips and beetroot but the swedes if they knew what they all were. I tried to briefly explain on their own plots. The yield of potatoes, which were and carrots are still small. the crop rotation system to them and that what was in Kestrel, I thought was quite good. There were still Another thing I want to mention is that Gina makes plot 1 will be in plot 2 the following year and so on. some leeks on this bed but not big enough to harvest. up hampers with the produce from the four vegetable The broad beans grew very well and gave a good On October 18th we cleared all the remaining crops beds and sells them to parents for school funds. The crop. The children picked all that were ready and were from the brassica bed and what I call the “others” rest is used in the school kitchen if there is enough. I allowed to take them home. The plants had grown so bed which contains broad and French beans, peas, didn’t see any of these hampers and I don’t know how tall that they were leaning over and smothering the courgettes and lettuce. The children then weeded many she managed to do. She said that she hadn’t peas and French beans that were growing alongside. these beds and forked them over except where the had as much choice as usual and I am sure this is due The yield from these two crops therefore was not as onions had been planted. As they did this I told them to the bad weather we have had this summer. Most good. Perhaps we will grow a more dwarf variety of to work backwards so as not to walk on the soil that of us on the allotments have found that some crops broad beans next year. had been dug. Two children worked on each bed. have not grown as well as usual. Anyway, I’m sure she There was no class the following week so the next The brassica bed had been covered all summer to would have had potatoes, tomatoes, broad beans, one was October 4th. The children were all given their keep off the cabbage white butterflies (see the picture radish, lettuce courgettes and onions because these own small plots but as I have explained earlier they in the October issue ) On this bed the calabrese had have grown best and possibly a few turnips, peas, were the same plots that other children had last term. grown tall but given no curds . Whether it would have beetroot and cucumbers. We planted winter onion sets today in one of the main done so if left longer, I don’t know but we decided Derek. “ The children plots. As I do on my own allotment we planted them to get rid of it. The cauliflowers didn’t grow well and This is the third and final report from Derek on in the bed that will be the root crop bed the following the cabbages were rather small. The seakale beet, his involvement with the schoolchildren at St Paul’s picked all year. This is because the other three beds will be mentioned earlier, although not a brassica, was also Primary School at Walkden, Manchester, although the dug and manured in winter and this one won’t need grown on this bed. On the other bed there were still project at the school continues, thanks Derek – Ed. Forking over cleared plots that were preparing until spring which will give the onions more a few broad beans which the children picked before ready and were allowed to take them home. ”

Children with broad beans Harvesting remaining runner beans Clearing finished crops Planting winter onions

28 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 29 a First Class Certificate by the Royal Horticultural Society in 1887. A good Herefordshire apple is the wonderful Apples Herefordshire Beefing which has always been highly regarded as an excellent cooking apple. It has been known since the late eighteenth century and was grown commercially until the early twentieth century. Around The Although a cooking apple it is not particularly large but it is renowned for its rich flavour when cooked and for drying well in the oven.. It is a very attractive apple which is mainly flushed red and is ideal for growing in British Isles - the garden. Apples are grown in Wales, particularly in the South, but can be found growing all over the country although they will struggle in some of the more exposed parts of the North. Two apples that have been associated A Brief Tour with Wales are Baker’s Delicious and Channel Beauty. Baker’s Delicious was found growing in Wales in the Gerry Edwards, early part of the twentieth century and was introduced by Baker’s of Wolverhampton in 1932. It is a high Southern Branch quality early September dessert apple that has an aromatic flavour. It is very juicy and is an ideal apple for the garden. The fruits ripen to a bright orange red Apples are without doubt the most widely grown with a yellowish background and looks very good fruit in the British Isles and the reason for this is on the tree and in the fruit bowl. It has been grown easy to discover - generally speaking there is at commercially to a small extent but it has the drawback least one variety that is suitable for nearly all parts of bruising rather easily when transported. Like other of the British Isles and on the majority of soils, and early apples it is probably best eaten directly from the there are apples, both culinary and dessert, that will tree. It is an easy variety to grow and is not particularly suit all tastes and which are available over a long Ribston Hall which is near Knaresborough in Yorkshire. susceptible to any disease. season. Coupled to this is the ease and enjoyment Space does not allow me to mention the considerable Channel Beauty was raised in the Mumbles, of growing them! Yes apples can be grown in the qualities of this apple other than to say that it is one of Swansea by a Mr. Evans from a pip of Cox’s Orange cold of the north, the dampness and humidity of the the finest tasting dessert apples and its fame spread Pippin. It is a fair quality mid-season dessert apple that west, the dryness of the east and the heat - when it all over the country and many parts of the world during is usually ready for eating in November and December. occurs - of the south! the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The quality of It is not a particularly large apple but it is fairly attractive Many varieties of apple have been raised over the this apple led the Royal Horticultural Society to award having a pale yellow skin that usually has a dull red centuries to suit a particular climate and sometimes its Award of Merit in 1962. It is believed that it was a flush, particularly so on the side of the fruit exposed to that is the only place that they will flourish whereas pip of Ribston Pippin that was sown by Richard Cox origin Cornish Aromatic is very resistant to scab and the sun. It is juicy apple that was once well known in other regional varieties such as those raised in the around 1825 which produced yet another outstanding canker and is therefore most suitable for growing in South Wales and may well be found still in a number more difficult climates such as the cold and short apple, Cox’s Orange Pippin. Ribston Pippin is a good areas of high rainfall. of gardens. seasons of Scotland or the dampness and humidity apple to grow in the garden and this was recognized Cornish Gillyflower can be a little harder to grow Travelling further west Ireland is the home of of the west, can be grown successfully elsewhere in by the Royal Horticultural Society by an Award of but well worth the effort as it develops a highly prized many fine apples which are well suited to the wetter the British Isles. A brief look at some of these is most Garden Merit in 1993. rich, aromatic flavour which was highly prized by conditions. Irish Peach is perhaps the best known interesting. Yorkshire Greening, which has many synonyms the Victorians. It is still grown in many west country Irish apple and a very fine one. This is another very Scotland, surprisingly, has produced a number of including the delightful Yorkshire Goose Sauce, gardens and in the autumn it is a very fine sight with its early dessert apple and is of the finest quality and very good apples, perhaps the most famous being is perhaps not so well known but is a good, large ripe crop hanging on. best eaten directly from the tree. It can be ready James Grieve, an early dessert apple, which was cooking apple. It is believed to have originated from Devon also provides a number of very good apples as early as the first week of August in the warmer raised in Edinburgh in the late nineteenth century. It Yorkshire and was known by this name since the and one that I find most interesting is Woolbrook Russet parts of the British Isles and has a very good flavour makes an excellent garden apple and is best eaten eighteenth century. It cooks very well and with the which is a good late keeping cooking apple which can for an early apple. It was a variety much favoured directly from the tree as it does not keep well once addition of a little sugar it has a really fine taste. The be used as a dessert apple in spring. Although it cannot by the Edwardians and Victorians and was grown picked. This apple has a wonderful acidic flavour and tree is not particularly strong growing but spurs well be regarded as a true russet it does have a tinge of that commercially during the nineteenth century. It makes if picked early and cooked it becomes a wonderful making it ideal for growing in the garden. The fruits wonderfully nutty taste so often found in russet apples a good garden apple and is fairly resistant to disease. stewed apple. Due probably to its origin its blossom are a fine sight on the tree being large with a green and is at its best in the spring; it stores very well. It is an Kerry Pippin is another fine dessert apple which is very frost hardy and grows well everywhere. James background and usually found largely brown flushed easy apple to grow and although rarely heard of today is ideal for the garden. It is not quite as early as Irish Grieve was awarded a First Class Certificate by the with red stripes. This apple is a good apple to grow in it is well worth growing in the garden. It was given an Peach being ready perhaps four to six weeks later. Royal Horticultural Society in 1906 as recognition of the north and is found in many northern gardens. Award of Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society in It is a smallish apple and has a rich, aromatic taste this fine apple. The dessert apple Duke of Devonshire was widely 1930 in recognition of its quality. that is firm and crisp. This fruit has been widely grown Stirling Castle is a very good early cooking apple known in the late nineteenth and early twentieth Somerset and Herefordshire are well known for and was much prized in the nineteenth century as it for the garden and like James Grieve its blossom is century and is still grown in many places. It was raised their cider apples but they have also produced a good traveled well although it is rarely heard of today. frost hardy. It was raised in the 1820’s near Stirling by the head gardener to the Duke of Devonshire in number of excellent dessert and culinary apples. Tom The Midlands has been the breeding ground for and is still very popular in northern gardens as well 1835 at Holker Hall in Lancashire. It is a good late Putt is a popular Somerset dessert apple which was many kinds of fruit and apples feature very highly. I as in the market gardens of Kent. In years gone by keeping apple and is at its best after Christmas when raised in the late eighteenth century by the Reverend will mention but two which I consider to be very fine Stirling Castle was rated very highly commercially as it it has developed a wonderfully rich nutty flavour. It is a Thomas Putt and it is a very attractive looking reddish examples of the region. The first of these has to be cooks very well but other varieties in recent years have hardy and very easy to grow apple and is well suited to apple and decorative for the garden. It has a good Worcester Pearmain which I consider to be one of the become more popular and have replaced it. the garden although it was grown commercially in the flavour and is still widely grown in the West Country finest early autumn dessert apples. Worcester Pearmain The north of England can grow good apples and early twentieth century. and in the early part of the twentieth century it was was raised by Mr. Hale of Swan Pool near Worcester a number of well-known The west of England has its own fascinating apple used for the production of cider. and is believed to be a seedling of Devonshire varieties have been bred history and many well-known varieties have come from Another Somerset apple is the well-known early Quarrenden. It was introduced around 1875 and there. Ribston Pippin is, here - equally there are many apples with intriguing dessert apple Beauty of Bath. This is a very early apple has remained the country’s best selling early autumn perhaps, one of the most names that are rarely heard of - such as Colloggett and in a good season can be ready from the end of commercial variety ever since. It is a highly attractive famous apples raised in the Pippin, Hoary Morning, Hocking’s Green, Onion July onwards; the fruit is best eaten directly from the apple being almost bright red all over and it looks a fine British Isles and is believed Redstreak and Polly! tree although if picked too early it has a very poor sight on the tree. It has a very good flavour and for an to have grown from a pip Perhaps two of the better known Cornish apples are taste. It is an ideal variety for the garden as it is very early apple it will keep well for a few weeks after picking. of an apple brought from Cornish Aromatic and Cornish Gillyflower which grow easy to grow; it was once a commercial variety but Its qualities were quickly recognised by the Royal Rouen in France by Sir well in the garden. Cornish Aromatic can be a very the importation of fruit from the Antipodes and warmer Horticultural Society awarding it a First Class Certificate Henry Goodricke in the good looking quality dessert apple with a wonderful parts of Europe has seen its market replaced. In in 1875 and its growing qualities in the garden were early eighteenth century at spicy flavour in a good warm season. Because of its recognition of its quality Beauty of Bath was awarded recognised by an Award of Garden Merit in 1993. “ Stirling Castle is a very good early 30 simplycookingveg appleetables for the garden and simplyvegetables 31 like James Grieve its blossom is frost hardy. ” Peat free compost trial Don Owens FNVS, Welsh Branch

As promised my trial with peat free compost, with half of bag with Lakeland Gold. In 2013 I will add a little The cooking apple Newton Wonder was found or Finally to show that the big debate still going on over the use of peat. I Q4 to the mixes to increase the size of my potatoes. I raised by Mr. Taylor of King’s Newton, Melbourne, London was once a made up my mind, 2012 season was the time to trial did not use any added Calcified Seaweed to any of my Derbyshire“ It has and the is believed advantage to be aof cross being from fairly diseaseplace resistant that fruit was new peat free composts. mixes. Dumelow’s Seedling and Blenheim Orange. It was grown widely I must note The compost that came out best for me was the Ian Simpson won at 2 shows with the same dish of introducedalthough around it 1887 will and quickly was awarded become a First a biennial bearertwo varieties, unless of quite it is a bracken and wool based compost from Dalefoot NVS Amour grown in: Class Certificate by the Royal Horticultural Society in number, that were bred Compost, Cumbria. I must say thanks to fellow grower 2 gallons of double strength compost the sameregularly year. It is thinned. an apple that ” cooks very well and there. Cellini, which is a and good friend, Gareth Cameron, for taking myself and 2 gallons of peat will store well after Christmas when it becomes a fairly bright red cooking apple, Ian Simpson along to Dalefoot stand at Harrogate Show 4 oz of Q4 good dessert apple. It has the advantage of being was developed by a in September 2011. We had a long chat to Simon Barker, No calcified seaweed fairly disease resistant although it will quickly become nurseryman in Vauxhall. the Director of the company about the making of the Gareth Cameron’s remarks were; beautiful skin a biennial bearer unless it is regularly thinned. It was It was introduced in the compost. It was very interesting and the samples on his finish but a little on the small size, Q4 needs adding. widely grown for market in earlier years although it early nineteenth century stand where out of this world, the texture was wonderful. No seaweed used. has now fallen out of favour. Although a fairly vigorous and was very popular Myself and Ian together with Gareth decided to give I also trialed a few other vegetables in Dalefoot’s grower it is well controlled by dwarfing rootstocks until the beginning of it a go. We all had good results after a season that was compost. Long beetroot, look at the difference, the and is very good in the garden where many are today the twentieth century. It not good for trialing, rain, rain, and more rain!!! The four big plants were grown in John Innes no 2 and grown. Again this was recognised by the award by cooks very well but can main three types of compost are: Lakeland Gold mixed, see photo the Royal Horticultural Society of an Award of Garden be eaten as a dessert 1 Double strength wool compost In my celery trenches I used Lakeland Gold and Merit in 1993. apple in late autumn. It 2 Wool compost soil, 1 part of soil mixed with 3 parts of Lakeland Gold. The east of England has been the birthplace of has a very interesting 3 Lakeland Gold Good result, see photos. many fine apples many of which are well suited to taste which has often My trial mixes for potatoes was as follows: I believe this compost could be the answer to the the drier conditions often found there. Two of those been described as 1 Wool compost and Lakeland Gold mix peat debate. varieties, which are perhaps less well known today, are aniseed and juicy but 2 Lakeland on its own For leaflet phone 01931 713281 or email to Lady Henniker and Norfolk Beefing. Lady Henniker is not as strong as Ellison’s The potatoes grown in bags had 100 ml depth of [email protected] a large dual purpose apple which was much favoured Orange. It is a fine apple double strength Wool compost in a trench under the Don Owens FNVS, in the nineteenth century and it was awarded a First for the garden and is bag, Bottom half of bags with wool compost and top Welsh Branch Class Certificate by the Royal Horticultural Society in very resilient to scab, “ We all had 1873. It is an apple which turns from a bright green canker and mildew. colour to a clear golden yellow usually flushed bright Fearn’s Pippin was raised in Fulham in the late good results orange red on its exposed cheeks. It looks wonderful eighteenth century and was highly prized by the in a bowl of fruit and it has a very good flavour; it is Victorians both for flavour and the fruit bowl, the latter after a season easy to grow in the garden and, in my opinion, should due to its bright red colour. It is a fine late keeping be in all fruit gardens. dessert apple which has an outstanding aromatic taste that was Norfolk Beefing has been around since at least the when ripe. It was widely grown in London and Kent late eighteenth century and is a good solid cooking during the nineteenth century but is rarely found now. not good for apple which can grow quite large. It can be kept well However, it is well worth seeking out for growing in into spring by which time it is very good for eating. It is the garden as like Cellini is trialing, rain, an excellent apple for baking as it will keep its shape rarely troubled by disease. and has a very good flavour. Like Lady Henniker it is a There are many parts of rain, and more very attractive apple becoming very crimson in colour the British Isles that I have when ripe. Although a commercial variety until the early not mentioned in this brief rain!!!” Preparing celery trenches using Lakeland Gold Potatoes growing away well in 17 Litre polypots twentieth century it has now been replaced in favour. tour and many fine apples However, many Norfolk Beefing trees are found in that I have not mentioned. Norfolk and they prosper very well in private gardens. As I noted at the beginning The south of England, like the eastern counties, there is probably no part has produced many good apple varieties as would be of the British Isles where expected but interestingly enough the Isle of Wight - a suitable apple will not Bembridge to be precise - has been the birthplace of grow - and there is probably no part“ There of the British are many parts of the British at least two well-known varieties - Howgate Wonder Isles where at least one variety of apple has not been and Sir John Thorneycroft both of which are ideally developed. Why not consider local varietiesIsles that of apples I have not mentioned in this suited to the garden and easy to grow. when you wish to plant some and why not look out for local apples when you are travelling around?brief tour and many fine apples that I Howgate Wonder, which won an Award of Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society in 1929, is This is the eleventh in a series of articleshave thatnot mentioned. ” probably the largest of all apples and the variety Gerry has agreed to write for our magazine on fruit Growing away, late summer Potatoes growing in wool compost currently holds the record for the heaviest apple grown. growing, and exhibiting, thank you. It makes a very fine baked apple, if only because of its He has written for Garden News, The Garden size (!), and has quite good dessert qualities later in the magazine (RHS monthly publication for members) season; indeed it is grown commercially in some areas and Kitchen Garden magazine, amongst others. as it stores well into early spring. An apple for the Isle Gerry is Chairman of the RHS Fruit Group of Wight to be proud of! Committee, a member of the RHS Fruit, Vegetable Sir John Thorneycroft also received an Award of and Herb Committee, and a member of the RHS Merit, on this occasion in 1911, and is a very good Fruit Trials Panel. Gerry has developed a garden looking, largish dessert apple with a fairly aromatic design and fruit related business and his website is flavour. It is highly coloured having a golden yellow skin www.gerryedwardsgardenservices.co.uk , a man of almost covered in crimson and like Lady Henniker it many talents! - ed is a perfect fruit to show off in a bowl. Unfortunately it does have some susceptibility to scab so it is best grown in drier areas of the country. Dons winning Celery at Shrewsbury Show Another red card at Shrewsbury using these products

32 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 33 Oh! And I nearly forgot Gwenda’s famous charity raffle, (Gwenda is Medwyn Williams’ Medwyn’s long suffering wife!) there are so many prizes nearly everyone comes home with a 2012 Masterclass something, all good fun! Sunday morning’s program started with a talk that I have wanted Weekend At Llanberis to hear for some time, ‘Growing Long Carrots for Exhibition’ by Ian Michael Osborn, Northern Branch. Stocks. I rather fancy a go at long carrots one day and there is This is the third year that I have attended Medwyn’s in the bar after as I do from the actual presentation. no better person than master class at Llanberis an area I used to visit This weekend is a great forum to meet up with other Ian to learn those vital often in my younger days usually to race over the growers, many who I only see once a year, and rake skills from. Again Ian is magnificent hills or climb on the crags, the memories over the high and lows of the last growing season. Some of the speakers from the Masterclass week-end, Ian Stocks, David Metcalfe, Mark Hall, Jim one of those growers come flooding back! The first talk on Saturday was by David Metcalfe Thompson, Keith Brown, Kevin Fortey, and President Medwyn. Missing is Paul Lowe whose attention to detail Medwyn always puts on a very varied and ‘Growing Vegetables Under Straw including is meticulous; he has interesting program with something for everyone and Cauliflowers’. David is probably more famously known shows that you can win red cards without a lot of tried many different techniques in his quest to achieve this years program really appealed to me personally. I for his Pendle Improved Leeks, but as I live in the next sophisticated lighting heating and other modern perfection. His talk covered every aspect of growing travelled down with David Metcalfe along with the car town to David I have seen him develop this technique growing aids. long carrots from seed production to harvesting and full of Pendle Improved Leeks which had been ordered over the years and watched in amazement his ability Medwyn always plans a two hour break for lunch showing the vegetable. I was fascinated by this talk by other people attending the weekend. The seminar to produce a set of Caulis to win the national in giving everyone time to enjoy the excellent buffet lunch and yes I will be having a go in the next couple of is held at the Victoria Hotel, a large, but quite homely 2011. David’s talk promoted a lot of questions and and an opportunity to stretch your legs. I usually take years, I am hooked! building with views across to Snowden. discussion; it had obviously hit a chord with many of a stroll down into the village to have a look at the The final session of the weekend is normally a So, after the long drive down from NE Lancashire the audience. climbing shops, old habits die hard! Gardeners Question Time where all the speakers in heavy rain I was ready for a shower and a quick Following coffee on the Saturday morning session The first session of the afternoon was ‘Growing answer those questions that you wished you had pint before dinner followed by the first lecture ‘Bring we had Mark Hall (vice chair of the Midland Branch) Vegetables for the Table at Cilgwyn Lodge Llangadog asked earlier. This year however Jim Thompson Life to your Soil’ by Paul Lowe from Symbio, of the to talk to us about ‘Growing Vegetables for the Carmarthenshire’ by Keith Brown. Keith gave us an has done a trial on seventeen new long parsnips for Environmental Bio Technology Company. It is said that Millennium Class’. As a newcomer to the world of overview of growing vegetables from the perspective Medwyn and Jim gave a full review of his progress with we know more about the stars than we do about our showing vegetables (I had always said I was quite of a non – exhibiter, however his garden is as much this mammoth task. I think it is worth keeping an eye soils and as I had recently had the pleasure of hearing happy growing for the table but the lure of the show about flowers as vegetable growing and he described on Medwyn’s catalogue in 2013/4 there may be some Mick Poultney speak on this subject at a Westmorland bench became too much!) I was really looking forward how growing vegetables fits into his garden year and very good new varieties on the market. DA meeting I was particularly looking forward to this to this talk and I was not disappointed. (Mark is going the yearly sowing and planting calendar. Keith has So another Master Class was over, all that remained talk to add to my knowledge of this important subject. to pen an article for the next issue on how he grows an amazing garden that is in the National Gardens was to enjoy the lovely Sunday lunch that the Victoria Paul gave us a very interesting talk about the his veg for this class – ed ) Scheme (NGS) for which, together with his wife, he Hotel always puts on before travelling home. As I said fascinating roles of soil microbes, how different The Millennium Class was created with a view of has raised nearly £20,000. It is always refreshing at the start of this article this was my third consecutive vegetables have a different symbiotic relationship with having a collection of five kinds of vegetables, four of to hear how other growers approach the subject of Master Class and I have enjoyed every one, one of the microbes and how you can encourage more life to your each kind, that do not require artificial lights or heat gardening which evokes so much passion in all of us. highlights for me is meeting up with what is now rather soils, he also discussed how organic growing benefits to grow them. The requirements are as follows – The talk was a very refreshing look at a magnificent like a big family, every year meeting old friends and from nature. This talk has stimulated a lot of thought in Potatoes: white or coloured; Carrots: stump rooted; garden and a good talk for the non exhibitor. making new ones. A great weekend many thanks to my mind about soil and how we care for it, I for one, Beetroot: globe; Tomatoes; Onions: each onion The second talk of the afternoon was ‘How to grow Medwyn. will be joining the increasing band of growers using must not exceed 250 grams. Mark has won this a Giant Marrow and other Vegetables’ by Kevin Fortey, Michael. compost teas to bring new life to my soil next year. class on more than one occasion and his talk clearly I must admit that this is not my favorite gardening topic I always feel that I learn as much from Q&A demonstrated just why he has been so successful. but Kevin’s enthusiasm for his hobby, (he has grown sessions and the discussions that inevitably follow He covered each cultivar in some detail and it just the world’s second largest marrow), was really very infectious. Kevin started growing giant veg at a very early age with his late father and he has had lots of It’s Group Photo time! Some of the success at national level and after listening to his talk I participants at the week-end am sure he will one day take the marrow world record. Whether you are a fan of giant vegetable growing or not you could not help being fascinated by the passion which this subject generates, a very enjoyable talk to end the afternoon on. Time for a shower and a quick pint before dinner and the final session of the day, ‘Growing Long Beetroot for the Show bench’ by Jim Thompson. I am sure many of you will know Jim, he seems to enjoy success at with what ever vegetable he chooses to grow. Listening to him talk it soon becomes clear why he has enjoyed so much success at national level. his work rate and attention to detail are phenomenal. He talked about how he has managed to cross the old Long Black Beet with Cheltenham Green Top, a cross that has proven to be very successful and how he has experimented with the various ways of growing this very difficult twenty point vegetable, I am almost tempted to have a go myself, maybe I should start with an easier cultivar first! After the days intense program of talks, Medwyn always puts on some musical entertainment or you can just relax in the bar and catch up with old friends. Ian stocks in full flow.

34 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 35 Our precious SOIL with some help from history by Charles Dowding

Considering the long history of gardening and soil life, rather than feeding plants, which happens farming, I am intrigued by the small amount of automatically once soil is correctly fed. I find that precise knowledge about how soil and roots soil becomes healthy when left undisturbed and its interrelate to grow plants. Consider this view from organisms can then multiply underneath a thin carpet a farming conference in 1948: “soil is a mechanism of organic matter which, for vegetables in damp for the conversion of chemical elements and water climates, needs to be well broken down so that Charles with 11 week old carrots from undug soil into plants, manipulable according to economic slugs do not multiply in it. In the horribly wet year of requirements.” This leads to the ‘ash mentality’ 2012 I have suffered few losses to slugs using this One final thought is of seeing plants as a collection of elements, with approach, and growth has been abundant, with sales about how nutrients no living aspect, and soil as a bank account for of vegetables again approaching £30,000 off one acre. travel through plant payments in of inorganic ions, of fertiliser, and But there is nothing new in this and I feel we have roots and are assembled transfers out by plants of the same inorganic ions, a lot to learn from the hugely successful work of early into new growth. My with no thought as to how they are accessed by horticulturalists such as J. Arthur Bower, who took on understanding, from roots and in exactly what form. a holding at Wisbech in 1934. Five years later he heard observing how plants An alternative view is to see soil and plant rooting Sir Albert Howard, the pioneer of modern composting, Sown November, harvest September, parsnips from undug clay soil grow so steadily in and growth as embodying countless, scarcely give a brief talk at a manufacturers’ exhibition, and low-nutrient composts, measurable living processes, where healthy growth after conversing with him, Bower started using 17 years, I have used no inorganic fertilisers of any echo the views of is all about mobilising microbes to improve the Howard’s method of making compost (‘Indore’). During kind on my holding. Yet my soil is higher in available Professor William relationship between plant and soil, enabling the the War he was obliged to grow exclusively vegetables, phosphate and potash than are glasshouse soils, Albrecht of Missouri “bank transfers” to happen when most needed and otherwise he grew many flowers, especially peonies, which are suffering from over-dosing with these University, who wrote in in a balanced way. Indeed in the last issue of this which were more profitable. His produce commanded nutrients. The following is a report on a sample of my 1951: “We have been magazine, Gareth Cameron explained how a toxic a 40% premium in open markets because it was better soil sent to me by the National Agricultural Advisory so schooled in plant build up of fertiliser in his soil was unlocked by the quality and kept much longer. Service, Cambridge, 1st March 1957: nutrition to consider fungi and bacteria in His success was based on a simple approach and “‘Planted with peonies and soil dressed with only inorganic ions that compost teas, enabling his in 1957 he wrote compost at 33 tons per acre every other year for the we have arrived at the Undug wet clay soil, and carrots have grown into it leeks to grow again. “The basic needs of plants are: (i) moisture, last three years, gives pH 7.4: no lime in any form is belief that therefore The living aspect of (ii) warmth, (iii) light. The question of nutrients is need for many years. The phosphate content of x 6 is plants do not use organic compounds… However soil saw birth of the Soil secondary to these; but it has been made the extremely high for soils in the open and no phosphate we are now coming to consider the evidence that Association in 1946 and dominant one, and the most intricate of all. Why? will be necessary for many years. The potash is very plant roots absorb organic compounds directly from it is a pity that it has been Though I have been in horticulture now for 40 years, high, x 2, with ample potash for the peony crop.’ ” soil for metabolic services in the plant’s synthesis of subsequently lost sight of, and I have always been considered a fairly good Sir Albert Howard was a soil and crop scientist its own organic substances”. I would add to that the during the Association’s husbandman, I don’t think I should ever again want whose understandings grew out of work on importance of soil fungi in mobilising these organic many campaigns against overuse of chemicals in to try to match my skill and experience against all the experimental stations in India, which led him to pioneer substances. farming. In most peoples’ minds the question of soil requirements of modern fertilising. Such a way of the revival of soil and crops in tropical plantations These understandings lead me to encourage soil life “ In most peoples’ mindsfertility the has question become dominated of by chemistry instead of going about things is too complicated and too risky. where small applications of well made compost by feeding it regularly, in the same amounts whether biology, such that even organic gardeners and farmers It calls for too many things to be done in a state of brought huge increases in yield, far beyond what I am growing cabbages or carrots (feeding soil rather soil fertility has becomeoften pay dominated more attention by to nutrient status of soils than ignorance about the weather ahead and the level of Howard expected from the measurable amounts of than plants), and then it is a pleasure to watch the their living qualities. available nutrients in the soil. nutrients applied in the compost. He then realised the healthy, abundant growth - with less weeds too, which chemistry instead of Howeverbiology in” my growing I concentrate on the “How much simpler it is to make compost by value of soil fungi and in 1940 he wrote in his book, is another side of the same story. latter and have, for thirty years, enjoyed abundant aerobic fermentation, and apply it to the land, leaving “An Agricultural Testament”: Charles. and healthy growth by feeding and encouraging the rest of the job to the soil and its inhabitants. For “In the mycorrhizal association Nature has given us a mechanism far more important and universal than the nodules of the clover family. It reconciles at one bound science and the age-long experience of tillers of the soil as to the supreme importance of humus. There has always been a mental reservation on the part of the best farmers as to the value of artificial manures compared with good old-fashioned muck. The effect of the two on the soil and on the crop is never quite the same. Further, there is a growing conviction that the increase in plant and animal diseases is somehow connected with the use of artificials. In the old days of mixed farming the spraying machine was unknown and the toll taken by troubles like foot-and-mouth disease was insignificant compared with what it is now. The clue to all these differences - the mycorrhizal association - has been there all the time. It was not realised because the experimental stations have blindly followed the fashion set by Liebig and Rothamsted in thinking only of soil nutrients and have forgotten to look at the way the plant and the soil come into gear. An attempt has been made to apply science to a biological problem by means of one fragment of Digging a hole in an undug bed: humus on top, clay below - but crumbly, you can see the thin layer of dark humus from 10 years of adding compost and manure, then the knowledge only.” Spreading cow manure in early Winter clay underneath and some lovely worm holes eighteen inches down

36 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 37 ROBINSON’S VEGETABLE MAIL ORDER - DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR DOOR SEEDS AND PLANTS TOP QUALITY NATURALLY Sowing the Seeds to a SPECIAL OFFERS FOR NATIONAL GROWN SEEDS VEGETABLE SOCIETY MEMBERS Tomatoes, Beans, Artichokes, AT TRADE PRICES Asparagus, Rhubarb, range of Chillies and much more. Greener Generation: 51328 Wool Compost bag AW 27/2/07 15:54 Page 1 Not to forget our famous MAMMOTH OFFER AVAILABLE UNTIL THE END OF FEBRUARY 2013 ONIONS AND LEEKS. www.dalefootcomposts.co.uk Telephone 01931 713281 Write, phone or email for your free 2013 Jamie Butterworth, Northern Branch NATURAL WATER RETENTION catalogue: W Robinson & Son (Seeds & Peat free growing for your pots, tubs and Plants) Ltd, FREEPOST NNW2347A hanging baskets with natural water retention Preston. PR3 0BR. My main two passions in life are growing my as well. This will both give them a reason to get out in Tel: 01524 791210 own vegetables, and encouraging a younger the garden, and make it much more personal to the Email: [email protected] generation into gardening. In this article, I aim to individual child. WOOL www.mammothonion.co.uk highlight both the importance of the objective, It is essential to carefully choose the correct fruit WOOL COMPOST WOOL ™ Established and family owned since 1860 and the ideas in which we can inspire a younger and vegetables, as this can be critical to ensuring COMPOST ™ generation to get into the garden, and start to grow the children maintain an interest in what they are their own. As I think we can all agree, that growing growing. It is obviously important to choose vegetables ROBINSONS.indd 1For All Your Seeds Needs 6/9/12 15:52:09 fruit and vegetables has become stereotyped as particular to what the child likes to eat, as they will only something the older generation can do. It see this as being much more rewarding. But equally, Buy online @ is generally not seen as a hobby that is socially you should try and choose relatively quick growing www.terwinseeds.co.uk acceptable for younger people. Personally, I cannot crops, this will help to stop them from losing interest think of anything better than growing my own, not and becoming bored. For this reason, these are my ‘10%’ off A BLEND OF SHEEPS WOOL AND BRACKEN only does it give you a healthier lifestyle, and help recommended top 5 crops.... Wool’s natural ability to retain water - Potash from Bracken you to relax, but it can be extremely rewarding. 1) Cherry Tomatoes – Despite the large growing 100% Natural and British code: TRMWR319 There is no taste comparable to that of a strawberry time required for tomatoes, I still believe that they 30 litres when packed picked straight from the plant, I strongly believe that are one of the best crops for children to grow, as

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38 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 39 Squeezing Vegetables The Budget Garden, into a small space Part one Martin Walker, Northern Branch. Rob Foster Northern Branch

The idea of an allotment appeals to me, the fresh is an unusual shape because it has to fit in the space Gardening is for everyone but everyone does not spread over the surface, cost 50p a bag. This will also air, gentle physical exercise and the bonus of tasty I’ve allocated, a small narrow strip of garden that runs necessarily have a garden, well at least a large one. If encourage worm activity another ingredient to the no fruit and vegetables ahhh, the simple’s things in from my greenhouse to my back gate, 3 metres (9ft 9 you wish you can apply to your local authority for an dig method. life. Well so I thought, have you ever tried to get an inches) long and 0.5 metres (18 inches) wide. allotment even if you are less able. Some plots have The bed was then covered with sheet of polythene allotment, everywhere I look there are huge waiting The timber frame has four sides and is lined with to have wheel chair access. However, if you lead a to warm up the ground in readiness for an early start lists. So do I sit here in frustration or get on and do heavy duty polythene to extend the life of the timber. busy life and would still like to produce your very on sowing and planting and to allow the worms to do something about it? I only want to dabble in a little Plenty of fork holes in the bottom and a layer of river own delicious fruit and veg all is not lost as you do their valuable work. This cover also has the advantage food gardening, so why not look for a solution rather sand about 50mm, is enough along with all the stones not necessarily need a large plot to grow your own. I of hastening the growth of any weeds so these can than waste my energy on dead ends. and broken bricks I have unearthed whilst digging my am setting out a budget garden; this is a small plot of be removed before sowing begins. However, it was The challenge is how to squeeze some more garden, a neat way of tidying up. I have two compost ground that measures twelve feet by six feet to see another expense at £1.75. excitement out of my bins that I use to compost vegetable and garden if it is worthwhile both productively and financially. own garden, after all it waste, with contributions from my neighbour I can Records will be kept on how much is spent on seeds What I will be Sowing would be a trail to an produce some very nice compost, this is fine for the or miscellaneous items and any crops harvested will To get the most out of a budget garden it is better to allotment site, and I like raised bed, and goes in as the next layer. To avoid be costed at the current market price. The results will grow crops that will be ready within weeks as opposed to nip into the garden too much weeding I top up the bed with a mixture be published at the end of the year. I believe a small to months. It is also a good idea to choose vegetables while the kettle boils so of john Innes compost number three and suitable budget garden can really be cost effective and to that are expensive to buy in the shops, taste better why not seek a home peat free compost mixed at the rate of 50/50. It is a achieve maximum productivity I will be growing some when fresh and are quick to grow. Many legumes fall solution it can be just as little expensive but worth the effort to have great soil plants in modules so they can immediately replace under these categories, Runner beans, broad beans, satisfying. structure. To achieve this with garden soil would take space vacated by harvested crops and so brought to French beans and peas. Many salad leaves, such as The first problem at least five years. maturity quickly. The garden will use, intercropping, rocket, are expensive and taste of very little after they is space, my garden Turning my attention to the patio I had in mind a catch cropping and vertical cropping methods to have been packed and then left on a supermarket is only 10m x 12m similar approach but using raised beds, there are “ I believe a small maximise output. In the small space that I have shelf. The leaves are easy to grow and take up very (11yards x 13 yards) and plenty on the market but I wanted something that was available in the budget garden growing potatoes little space. They can even be grown amongst other it is crammed with my easy to manage and could be moved if necessary. budget garden would not be viable. These will be sown in buckets. plants, known as intercropping, to maximise soil space. favourite plants so it will I eventually decided upon a timber planter that has be tricky finding space to basket inserts. The planter is 1.14metres (45 inches) can really be cost Preparing the Plot Sowing broad grow some grub? I have long and 0.83metres (33 inches) wide, with six 0.3m First I have measured out my piece of ground then I beans. a little space on my patio (12 inches) mesh baskets lined with a felt similar to effective and to turned it over. This will be the one and only time that My first sowings will be in and a narrow bed next hanging basket liners. Two of these fit neatly on the it is dug as I will be employing the ‘no dig method’ as February with some broad to a path. edge of my patio with a little space between for me to achieve maximum advocated by Charles Dowding. No chemicals will be beans, hardy beetroot, I set about building include a small seat, working bench (see photo). I filled used on the plot this will also help to keep costs down. radish and round carrots a raised bed from the planting pods with a good quality compost, 50/50 productivity…” the stump rooted type timber decking, nothing John Innes no3 and peat free. I’m almost ready to start The new bed dug ‘Atlas’. These should be spectacular, just my vegetable adventure but first I need to brush up and weeded. ready quickly and will something that would on my knowledge, I had recently purchased a book Notice that I have earthed the not need any heat but provide an area where I on ‘square foot’ gardening and read the article on the sides up, this is not essential once they are sown the could start to grow mini NVS website on growing mini vegetables, which gave but by doing it this way you can, polythene will be replaced vegetables, salads and me a good idea of what to expect. Clearly I wouldn’t room permitting, have a series if the weather is poor, but root crops. The planter be challenging the national exhibitors but there was of these as raised beds a good only for a few days as I no reason not to expect good quality tasty vegetables. way of taming a wild allotment. don’t want the plants to The trick is to plan carefully and draw up a sowing/ One of the main advantages of germinate too quickly. planting plan to provide continuous crops throughout using the bed system is it avoids Lettuce seeds will be kept Sowing broad beans the year. Even more important is to decide what to walking on the soil compacting in the fridge overnight, grow and it seems obvious but especially where space it which will lend itself nicely to before sowing, this is known as stratification, and will is limited grow what you like with due consideration the no dig method although help to kick start the seeds into germinating. I have to the space requirements. For example most of the The new bed dug and weeded ideally it should only be four foot bought a pack of three modular trays cost £1.00 and cabbage family require 0.5metre (18 inch) spacing, so wide. The first job was to test a bag of compost £3.00. The lettuce seeds will be the planting baskets will only grow one plant. However the soils pH to find out if the soil sown one per module but inevitably two or three will with a little imagination you can adapt your growing is acid or alkaline doing this now drop into the compost but these can be thinned out techniques to give you good crops by growing them will allow time for any remedial later. The bag of compost will be kept just for modular closer together and harvesting when young as leafy action, if necessary, before the planting in the budget garden. Once the lettuce plants veg. growing season gets under have germinated thin them out, if necessary, to one Martin Walker 2012 way. Testing the soil is essential, per module. When they are large enough, I will plant Information regarding basket planter available at in my opinion, if the pH is not them singularly in the garden and cover with a large www.instaplanta.co.uk contact Malcolm Simpson within boundaries then the plastic sweet jar that has had the bottom cut off and 01482 384 496 plants will not be able to absorb the lid discarded. The jar will have to be sunk an inch Martin will be penning a follow up article later in the any nutrients and money spent or so in the ground to keep it in place. Once secured year to tell about his success using this system-ed. on fertilisers will be a waste. The it will stay in place until the lettuce is ready for cutting. test results were neutral so no Watering and feeding can be done from the top. Once remedial action was necessary. you have grown lettuce this way you will never grow Because I want a nice moisture them any other way they are so tasty, crisp and clean. retentive soil I invested in a The Lazy Gardener bag of horse manure which I www.thelazygardener.org The bed was then covered

40 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 41 The road to showing vegetables. Part one. By Padraig Montague, webmaster for the Irish DA, NVS Ireland Are we doing all

I first began growing vegetables in 2006.I grew all February types of veg from potatoes to turnips until I started This month I would sow my tomato seed (Cedrico we can to recruit growing for showing in 2009. I then decided to this year which I came 2nd with at a show but will try specialise in a few types of vegetables because Zenith next year)I believe they need an early start so you can’t concentrate on six types of vegetables as that they can ripen earlier and so the plant establishes well as you could two!!! I then joined the National earlier so that the plant will be stronger and therefore new members? Vegetable Society of Ireland in 2010 which was a produce better fruit. great source of information and the online forum which I believe is even better than a library. The March Michael Osborn, Northern Branch. kindness of the members on the forum is just This is the month I tend to sow my long carrots and incredible and the world of information which they stump carrots. I would also prepare my potato mixture supply is just fantastic. so that it will be ready when needed. I also sow my We have read recently in ‘Simply Veg’ several are as much an organisation aimed at growing quality parsley seed as I feel they need a long growing season articles about the national exec’s good work to vegetables, whether it be for the table or for showing. November to properly bulk out. raise the profile of our Society using a professional I have a three panel display board which I got on The growing year starts for me in November. This is agency, which will we hope result in expanding the EBay quite cheaply so I designed the road show the time of the year in which I sow my large exhibition May, June and July. membership. to fit on this. On the centre panel I have a series of onions and plant on my Blanch leeks (which were very I would water all plants when needed and feed weekly. This has got me thinking, being a relatively new slides giving details of the NVS and on the other two good this year by the way!!!)This job can be enjoyed in member, (eight years), I have always thought that the panels I have put some basic growing education the warmth of my heated greenhouse, cause believe August society is a bit too biased towards the show bench, based on some of the questions which I have been me Ireland can be a cold place in November!!! Show time is here!!! This year I won 2 firsts, 3 seconds, though I have to say at this point, that, even I have asked around our allotment site. One panel gives 3 thirds and 1 fourth. So I am pretty happy with the succumbed and started showing in the last twelve information on soil basics and the effects of Ph on the December overall result and hope to improve next year. months. I know it is a long running debate but if we uptake of nutrients and trace elements. The other side This month I plant my large exhibition onions into 40 continue to give the impression to the outside world explains all about NPK values and the relative values cells per tray. This I believe helps the onion plants to that we are an organisation for showing I think we will of manures and composts. As a few freebies always root better. I also replant my leeks into 5” pots and eventually cease to exist. seem to go down well I contacted one of the big keep them growing on in the heated greenhouse as I How then do we currently recruit new members? I manufacturers of garden products who supplied me also do with my large exhibition onions. I also would personally came to the society through word of mouth with a huge boxful of charts on pests, weeds etc as advise anyone heating a greenhouse to put bubble as others will also have done. I suspect though that well as some sheets on treatments. wrap on the sides and the roof of the greenhouse as the majority of new members are recruited at the many David Metcalf and I have been to several local this will help keep in the heat. stands we put on at the big shows during the summer. shows and an allotment prize presentation with the These stands are very impressive and quite rightly road show just to get a feel of how things would January attract a great deal of attention from the thousands go for next year and it has gone very well, we have This month is by far the coldest of the year. I would of people who stand there and gaze in amazement at picked up two or three new members each time we advise you to check all your heaters and make sure that the quality vegetables we display. Is this really working have been out. I have also had a request from Radio they are working because if they were to stop working for or against us? If the only contact that the public Lancashire to take part in a couple of their Sunday during the night then this could check the plants and have with us each year is at the big shows then they morning shows which goes out to visit allotment sites cause them to bolt prematurely later in the year. As we will quite rightly associate us only with showing. I must in the Lancashire area. We have also got a booking all know that most of the leeks grown this year bolted say at this point I fully support the stands we display to take the road show to another allotment AGM and and this could well be due to the fact that our weather at these shows and I am a member of the team who prize presentation, so we are slowly getting the word was very bad earlier on the growing season. I would have put on a very successful display at the last two around, as we had hoped. As soon as we get into keep all the large onions and blanch leeks growing at a Southport flower shows. the new growing year we will be starting our visits to steady pace and to pot on when necessary. So having now stated my case what can we do to allotment sites in the Lancashire DA area and hopefully improve our recruitment of new members? First to pick up more members. answer the question I pose at the top of this article, Two very useful results have come out of this project I don’t think we are doing all we can. The majority so far, the first is that there are a lot of people who did of amateur vegetable growers in the UK are based not know that the NVS existed, they are now aware of on allotments and I think this is where we should be the organisation. The second one particularly for our targeting our efforts to recruit new members. Lancashire DA is that our talks are open to everyone. I looked at our allotment, we have about thirty At one allotment prize presentation we attended they people of whom roughly thirty percent are new to thought that you could only join the NVS and come to vegetable growing in the last couple of years and meetings by special invitation! We soon scotched that therefore I tend to get many questions about vegetable one but it just shows what misunderstandings people growing and associated problems. It occurred to me have of us. Elitist possibly? that we could turn this to our advantage and use it as If this effort was extended across the country I am a recruitment tool. My idea was to create a road show sure we could do much to promote the NVS and swell which we could take around the various allotment our ranks considerably. Anyone who feels like pursuing sites in the Lancashire area and set it up for a couple this is welcome to copies of my Road Show just give of hours on a Sunday morning once a month. This me a call I will send you digital copies. would give us the opportunity to answer people’s Michael Osborn (Lancashire DA) queries, introduce the NVS and demonstrate that we

Two second prizes, sherine potatoes and globe beet My 1st prize Longest carrot class at Virginia show

42 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 43 “The Scots Abroad” Fiona Shenfield. Scottish Branch

As the 2012 veg season drew to a close with another The National Championships in Malvern, was a great “Fruit cakes, small fruited tomatoes and vegetable successful, informative and entertaining Scottish weekend, but was the first National Championships for animals”. No red tickets there either but some Seminar, we once again reflected on the successes several years where there was no red ticket taken back fabulous creativity with great entries, including Ian of the Scottish growers over the border. North of the Border . Stock’s flock of sheep & Frank Taylor’s spider. I had The first venture South was the Welsh Branch Following on from his 1st place success at the the joy of judging the fruit cakes - an unforgettable Championships at Bridgend in August where Ian Scottish in Kelso earlier in the year with Parsnips, experience! great effort by all ! Simpson did well getting a 2nd in the British Tap root Ian Stocks continued his winning streak taking 1st With friendship, camaraderie & banter in abundance, Championships, a 3rd in the stump carrots and a 4th place with his Parsnips in Malvern’s local show, and it’s great to see the veg community growing. Forum in the legume collection (Broad beans, runner beans, narrowly missing out on a “Pinnacle” hat trick, when member numbers are rapidly increasing with French beans and peas). he was placed 2nd in Parsnip Class at the National this modern form of communication, spreading The Welsh Branch are renowned for their variety of Championships. knowledge, sharing and solving growing issues and classes, some of which are both unique, like the Legume Even in the Pea class where the Scots are normally sharing plants and seeds whilst growing the network class as well as progressive Classes for new growers very strong, we were unable to take top spot this of contacts which is great news for the Society. with Novice and junior classes. Encouraged by the year, but did manage worthy 2nd, 3rd & 5th place Looking back over the season, the growers from Welsh Branch success with new Growers and feedback tickets by Jim Gradie, Ian Stocks & Jim Pearson. Our the Scottish Branch gave a very good account of within our own Branch, I am happy to announce that congratulations go to Mark Roberts who took 1st prize themselves and once again represented the Scottish there will be a new Novice class added to the Scottish with a fine set of peas. Branch admirably, in growing, showing, judging, Championships at Dundee in 2013 to encourage newer All in all, the contingency from the Scottish Branch official duties & helping others and giving talks to share growers to compete in our Branch Championships. totalled 14 tickets at the National Championships. knowledge. September started with a journey to The South Jim Peas Hopefully next season, we will all have better Causey Inn, where Jim Pearson was delighted to have 2 weather and a few more of us can make the journey won the collection of 5 Ian Stocks Parsnips South and improve on this season’s results as well vegetables for the 2nd Jim Williams Potatoes - White as the most important thing of all meeting up with year running and Ian Ian Stocks Stump Carrots friends, old & new, and sharing ideas, tips, seeds & all Simpson achieved a 3rd those big plans for the following season. with a good set of stump 3 Ian Stocks Peas Well done to our all our exhibiting members. Smithy veg dressed as a carrots. Jim Pearson Shallots Fiona Shenfield sweet pea - “sorry, wrong On the same Ian Simpson Stump Carrots Scottish Branch Secretary Ian Stock’s winning Parsnips at the Malvern show competition Simon! “ weekend, Harrogate Inter-branch Display hosted the Northern Branch Championships 4 Ian Stocks 3 Veg Collection where Ian Simpson Niall Currie Onions 1Kg to 1.5Kg entered the National 5 Jim Pearson Peas Carrot Championships and attained a 3rd place. Jim Pearson Potatoes - Coloured Ian also entered the Eric Blanch Leeks Northern Branch Stump Niall Currie Long Beetroot Carrot Class and was over the moon to have The extended Scottish Branch team who also not only won the class, provided veg, staging, props and ideas for the Inter- Jim Pearson; South Causey ; 5 veg millenium ( two in a row) but was awarded “Best branch Display are whole heartedly thanked for their in Show”. This was a assistance and enthusiasm for the Jubilee theme great achievement with which received a lot of positive interest from the having grown all of his public……the more people who become interested in root crops outside all growing vegetables, the better. Veg animals: 1st Cat - Maureen & Jim, 2nd flock of sheep ( Ian Stocks), 3rd Spider - Frank Taylor year after losing the In addition to the National Championships at polytunnel skin earlier in Malvern, some members also entered an additional fun the year. competition which stemmed from the forum, namely

Ian Simpson; Northern Branch ; stumps (best in show) Interbranch Jubilee theme. Display stagers from left to right ; Fiona Shenfield, Frank Taylor, Linda Some of the “exhibitors” and entries at the fun competition at Malvern. Stocks, Jean Thomson. I suppose it’s better than watching the telly-just – ed.

44 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 45 Competition Time! Spot the Mistakes – Fruit The following passage has been compiled by Derek Brooks and formed part of an inter DA quiz and contains 27 deliberate mistakes, how many can you spot? Answers to Crest who will administer the competition and contact the winners. Corrected passage in April edition.

“My fruit garden is the envy of all my neighbours. Situated on an sawfly, and I spray the pears with a good insecticide to control stony Win 2 15Kg bags of Groworganic ideal North facing slope, I grow everything from apples, pears, pit. plums, cherries and kumquats to soft fruit like strawberries, My careless, leveller and Lincolnshire lad gooseberries always do raspberries, blackcurrants and rhubarb, also drupes such as well and rarely suffer from Asian gooseberry mildew. I prune them in Organic Fertiliser – gooseberries. the same way I prune my blackcurrants. (10 pairs to give away) The apples are all on the dwarfing rootstock M11. As well as My favourite strawberry is Oxford favourite. I also grow a new desert types I grow culinary varieties like Bramley seedling and variety especially bred for the queen’s diamond jubilee called Royal Every day more allotment holders and gardeners are turning to the Q: What is the brand name that Cox’s orange pippin. Some of my other favourites are Gloucester Sovereign. I am fortunate that my blackcurrants don’t suffer from natural way of growing organically. The most successful organic represents Pelleted and Fibrous permain , James Grieve and granny Jones. the virus disease “big bud” fertiliser is Groworganic Fibrous Fertiliser together with 6x Pelleted Concerning pears, because it is the Queen’s diamond jubilee year I am also a fan of hybrid berries such as loganberries, tayberries Fertiliser both produced in Somerset for over 30 years. Fertiliser? I have just bought and planted a tree of the queen’s favourite pear and Canterberries. I have never grown blueberries before but I am Groworganic / 6x is clean, dry and safe, as well as easy to handle, Send your answer along with your name, address and contact bearing in mind the line in the National anthem “Send her Victorias”. trying them this year so I have given the soil a good dressing of lime it’s not just a concentrated number to: Other pears I grow are confidence and Laxton’s superb. before I planted them. fertiliser feed but a compost GrowOrganic Competition – I always make sure I prune my plums in winter to avoid silver I also have a fig tree. They are not easy to grow but my tree which accelerator as well. ALG 1.13, Crest Publications scale disease. Cropping can be disappointing sometimes because is called green turkey does well most years. Groworganic / 6x. Ltd, 20 Moulton Park Office they flower early and are at risk of frost. The ones I find most reliable I have a greenhouse where I grow grapes and melons and get a conditions the soil, breaks Village, Scirocco Close, are Marjorie’s seedling and Oxford guage. good crop from both. I can’t remember the name of my grape vine down clay and takes the Northampton, NN3 6AP There are both sweet and acid cherries and I grow both types. but it is “black something” and named after a town in Germany. backache out of gardening, or email: The best sweet cherries are Stella and Morello and both do well in Some types of melons can be grown in a cold frame but cantaloupe it’s safe with lime haters and [email protected] my orchard. melons are only for greenhouses so those are the ones I grow. The no matter what condition your (Subject line: GrowOrganic My tree fruit rarely suffers from pests and diseases. I put grease varieties are sweetheart and Blenheim yellow.” soil , hard sticky clay, sand or comp/ALG1.13) bands on my apple trees to protect them from codling moth and even dust Groworganic / 6x will Closing date 28/2/13 produce healthy bumper crops Competition T&C apply of fruit, vegetables, flowers and Best of luck, Derek plants year in and year out. To win answer the following simple question: Win 450g Carton of SEER Rockdust (20 Cartons to give away)

Like the fingers on our hand, soil is made of 5 Every year since then each crop has taken a tiny basic components: proportion of the wide range of naturally occurring 1. AIR minerals from the soil. As we don’t put them back 2. WATER (and most plant food only puts a tiny proportion 3. DECAYING ORGANIC MATERIAL back) this is one of the principle reasons that our soils 4. MICROFAUNA (from Bacterial to Worms) are getting less productive. What is more, modern 5. MINERALS and TRACE ELEMENTS fertilisers damage the microfauna of the soil so they Crossword SOLUTIONS Just as with ourselves, Minerals and Trace are less able to break down what minerals there are Caption competition Elements are the key to good health and vigour. left. So “bring on SEER Rockdust” and let us start in October issue This, over one growing season, is what our getting our health back! 450g Cartons contain 10 organically approved SEER Rockdust provides. tablespoons of SEER Rockdust. 1 tablespoon is 1 2 10 3 Across N A R R O W R O W S SEER Rockdust is freshly crushed, finely ground, sufficient as a top dressing for a 2 litre pot. Visit our 1 and 3 carrots can be planted in 4 carefully selected website (and video!): www.binnsoilnutrients.com to long______(6,4) E H N C volcanic rock that find out where to buy 20kg and 1 tonne bags – and 5 member of the brassica family (11) 5 6 contains over two thirds even bulk loads! 7 sugar rich liquid produced by C A U L I F L O W E R of all the elements plants (6) K B O O A known to man. They To win answer the following simple question: 8 type of meat (4) would not normally be 7 Q: What is the key to good 11 raised_____(3) A N E C T A R back on earth until after 13 tv hospital drama (1,1) 8 9 the next ice age ie after health in our soil and in 15 the best exhibit _____ 1st prize (3) P O R K H T glaciers had crushed ourselves? 11 12 13 14 17 Irish variety of potato with good O B E D E R H and spread it around blight resistance (4) the planet. By adding Send your answer along with your name, address 15 16 17 18 onion bulb planted in spring (3) D W O N O R L A SEER Rockdust we and contact number to: 19 man (4) 18 19 are speeding up this SEER Rockdust Competition – ALG 1.13, Crest S E T G E N T Y geological process and Publications Ltd, 20 Moulton Park Office Village, Down adding “Nature’s Fertility Scirocco Close, Northampton, NN3 6AP or 1 and 14 disease affecting onions Big Bloke and a fat onion (or is it the other way Treatment”. email: [email protected] (4,3) round?) It is 10,000 years (Subject line: Rockdust comp/ALG1.13) 2 Fruit classed as a vegetable (7) As we’re just into a new year, for a bit of fun, since the last ice age. Closing date 28/2/13 Competition T&C apply 4 cover placed over vegetables to aid growth (6) can you suggest a suitable caption for the 6 terrestrial , worldly (7) picture above. Suitable prizes for the 5 best Simp veg 4.12 Competition winners Sussex. Mr A Guy, Hampshire. Jan O’Neill, Mid Glamorgan. month (five to give away) 8 peas come in these(4) published in April! P13 Gardening Tools P27 Maxicrop – Win Mr Micheal Byatt, Newcastle. Lynn Gregory, Essex. Robert P G Baker, Plymouth 9 location of a botanic garden(3) Direct – Win a Chapin Pro Maxicrop Seaweed Extract Angela Cooper, Suffolk. Carole HN Carter, Cheshire. Bleddyn Miss Hemsley, Gloucester 10 Ailsa Craig is one variety of this vegetable(5) Here’s one suggestion to get you started; series 64800 Diaphragm Fertiliser (15 to give away) Cowling, Plumstead. George Williams, Caerffili Mrs Barrett, Cheltenham 12 The animated character Gromit is one(3) I remember when my belly was only this Knapsack Sprayer (one to give Mr A C Bueeins, Oxon. Mark Baker, Gloucester. Zoe Penny, p45 NVS Crossword – Mr Pocock, Lancashire 14 see clue for one down(3) small. Honest!” Simon Smith away) Thomas, Carmarthenshire. Stockport. Fred Birkin, Stoke Win a copy of John Harrison’s Mr Taylor, Lancashire 16 post code for the US state of Nebraska (2) Mr Ridehalgh, Lancashire Mrs Margaret Janman, West on Trent. J Haydon, London. ‘Vegetable Growing month by

46 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 47 PRIZE People Profile CLASS NUMBER NAME TOWN ORDER BEST EXHIBIT IN SHOW THE COCKNEY E Craik Penpont GOBLET CLASSES (3-19) 1 N Currie Rothesay Vegetable Cup 1 THE SCADE MEMORIAL 2 A Gray Brechin Chairman’s Thoughts TROPHY 3 E Craik Penpont 4 H Macleod Oban Last weekend (3rd November), was the final show 1 J Williams Pathhead 2 E Craik Penpoint of the season at the late Kelso show. Once again 2 MINI COLLECTION winner for 40 years 3 A Gray Brechin it was amazing how many entries appeared on the Lifetime vegetable grower Cecil Hinton has just won bench, considering the time of year and also the 4 H Mackenzie Oban for the 40th consecutive year the Vegetable Cup worst growing season in living memory. 1 A Manning Stenton 2 J Kirkness Oxton at the Autumn Show of the Surrey based Shalford, Jim Pearson was the major winner, taking first 3 LEEKS POT Chilworth and Peasmarsh Garden Club. prize in the collection of three kinds, and his parsnips 3 H Mackenzie Oban Vegetable growing has been Cecil’s passion since took the Thomson trophy for best in show excluding 4 G Cameron Cumbria his early war-time years when it was “Dig For Victory” leeks and onions. Ted Low also had a very good day, 1 H Vincent Salisbury 2 A Low Kinghorn time and as an eight year old he helped his mother cut winning the border onion championships with six 4 CAULIFLOWER an allotment on the edge a golf club at Moseley Golf excellent kelsae, measuring 22” in circumference. To 3 J Mercer Fountainhall Club, Birmingham. show six top quality onions at this time of year takes 4 J Kirkness Oxton Heavy bombing in late 1940 lead him to be some doing, and Ted’s onions would undoubtedly 1 N Currie Rothesay 2 E Craik Penpont evacuated to Wilmcote, Shakespeare’s mother’s village have been in the tickets at any national show. 5 PEAS near Stratford on Avon. He stayed at the home of He also won the long carrot class with three very 3 A Gray Brechin 4 I Tait Kirkmuirhill Fred Giles the Head Gardener at one of the Ansell’s large quality carrots, of Graeme Watson strain. 1 J Proudlock Gatehouse family homes at Upper Billesley Manor. Cecil would At our last committee meeting on 6th October, 2 I Simpson Kinghorn go with Fred to the Manor on Saturday mornings and Cecil at age 14 - not sure if we conducted a very good judges exam, with five 6 CARROTS STUMP 3 E Craik Penpont well remembers seeing in the greenhouse winning several years together with other vegetable prizes, until he is prouder of his new cadet Scottishcandidates taking part. I am very Branch grateful to members uniform or his runner beans! 4 I Stocks Duniepace prize cards that Fred had won at the local Show - his wife Susan challenged him in 1972 to prove himself for supplying top class vegetables for the practical 1 I Archibald Duns which is where the seeds of showing were sown! by winning the Vegetable Cup. Cecil took up the part, always quite difficult to organise at this time of 7 BEETROOT GLOBE 2 J Mercer Fountainhall Vegetable growing was the way of life in those challenge and won it for the first time in 1973 – and year. 3 E Craik Penpont hard war-time years with virtually no vegetables being has won it every year since! The meeting in the afternoon was well attended, and 1 G Duncan South Queens ferry imported. Cecil’s interest in vegetables continued Cecil’s success with his runner beans encouraged a full agenda was undertaken, with lots of debate and 2 G Young Ormiston 8 TOMATOES through his school days at Warwick School until 1949 him to enter them at the RHS’s Autumn Show at discussion ! 3 N Easton Whitecraigs when he left at 16 to train as an accountant. As a Vincent Square, London and he won first prizes for Perhaps the most contentious issue, was 4 T Ford Musselburgh young teenager he used to sell his favourite vegetable, three or four years. This persuaded him to put in more the appointment of judges for our own Branch 1 A Gray Brechin runner beans, to many of his neighbours! Cecil says entries and resulted in winning the RHS Vegetable Championships, and also the nationals. 9 ONIONS LARGE 2 J Proudlock Gatehouse at the time he could never understand that there were Challenge Cup for the most points in vegetables for We have many excellent judges in Scottish Branch, EXHIBITION 3 N Currie Rothesay other things to grow besides vegetables! four consecutive years 1989/1992. Yes, a lifetime but not surprisingly they would rather take part in these 4 J Williams Pathhead Growing things – even a few flowers - continued but growing vegetables and he is still going strong at 80! prestigious events. 1 G Young Ormiston with renewed enthusiasm when he married and had Cecil tells me he has just given up the Chairmanship I was recently criticized for not setting a better 2 J Gradie Whitburn 10 ONION SETS his own garden in the early 1960’s. Showing started only last week, of Shalford Chilworth and Peasmarsh example in this respect ( I have only judged one 3 H Macleod Oban with his beloved runner beans at his local Shalford Garden Club after 25 years, a club with over 400 Branch and one National show), and I guess I will have 4 I Archibald Duns garden club (near Guildford, Surrey) which he won for members and affiliated to the NVS of course!! – ed. to take my turn once again ! 1 R Jackson Cumbria The four judges who accepted the task for next year 2 J Proudlock Gatehouse 11 ONIONS UDER 250 GMS are George Cumming, Fred Stewart, Les Craib and 3 J Gradie Whitburn George Harrison. 4 G Young Ormiston Ideas on and for District Associations (DAs) Len Jamieson was appointed to judge the nationals 1 G Cameron Cumbria at Harrogate. 2 N Currie Rothesay 12 SHALLOTS to increase membership of the NVS Regarding our Branch championships next year, I 3 J Pearson Whitburn am delighted to report that Peter Guthrie and I had 4 H Mackenzie Oban Presumably we all agree on the need for giving added value for clubs that we are not in competition with them, do not intend to an excellent meeting with Garry Robertson and Peter 1 J Mercer Fountainhall members and potential members of the NVS. This can be best hold a DA show and our primary aim is to forward the knowledge Sandwell from Dundee Council, and we quickly agreed 13 POTATOES WHITE 2 J Williams Pathhead WILLIAM SANDS delivered by forming new DAs and helping old DAs increase the of vegetable growing for their interested members by way of that our show will be at Camperdown Park in 2013. MEMORIAL 3 H Mackenzie Oban interest in their activities locally. four talks a year. This information should be copied to all NVS Well the greenhouse has been cleaned, and 4 A Gray Brechin The first question for new DAs is where. members in the area so that any misunderstandings between the hopefully at our seminar next week , I should be able 1 I Simpson Kinghorn A new DA is easier to form in an area rich in small to medium NVS and allotment clubs will be avoided. to scrounge some onion seed which I intend to start in 2 J Proudlock Gatehouse 14 POTATOES COLOURED sized villages and towns in fact anywhere where a village or town 4. It is important that on the first evening everyone is made welcome the first week in December. 3 J Williams Pathhead show is being held. In an area of approximately 25 miles diameter and every effort made by way of a quiz or something similar to get May I wish you all a merry Christmas and all the best 4 I Stocks Dunipace there are hopefully 20 plus village shows being held and this would people who are strangers communicating with each other. for growing next year. 1 E Graik Penpont be considered ideal. 5. It is necessary for starting a DA that at least one NVS branch 15 LEEKS BLANCH THE 2 R Jackson Cumbria The next question is how. officer is present. A good supply of Simply Veg magazines to be IVOR MACE TROPHY 3 J Williams Pathhead 1. Contact existing NVS members within this target area and use given away free is available along with membership application 4 H Vincent Salisbury their local knowledge to find a venue for an inaugural meeting forms. 1 H Vincent Salisbury 2 N Currie Rothesay and subsequent ones. This seems to be the biggest single 6. Keep your fingers crossed that you get sufficient people at the 16 CELERY problem as the venue is important. Ideally it should have good meeting so that the evening is a success. Tea and coffee and 3 J Kirkness Oxton parking, coffee and tea facilities or bar or both. The venue needs light refreshments could be served free as it is yet again a way of 4 E Craik Penpont to be considered the centre of the catchment area. getting people together. 1 N Currie Rothesay 2. With a venue date booked at least three months in advance so The Midland Branch is using this formula in an endeavour to start 17 BEETROOT LONG 2 J Williams Pathhead that there is time to advertise the event in Simply Vegetables, new DAs. The meeting on February 28th in Worcestershire is the 3 G Cumming Dunecht the website and by way of e-mails and if necessary letters to next venture and a venue has already been booked. 1 I Stocks Duniepace 2 A Gray Brechin all existing NVS members with an emphasis on getting them to We would be delighted if any more Midlands Branch members 18 PARSNIPS bring a friend. would like to contact the committee with a view to starting a DA in 3 E Craik Penpont 3. Using local NVS members acquire a list of gardening and Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire 4 N Currie Rothesay allotment clubs in this area and send an e-mail or letter telling and Leicestershire as prime target areas, interest from other areas 1 J Proudlock Garehouse of Fleet 2 I Stocks Dunipace them that the NVS is starting a DA in their area. It is important would also be very welcome. 19 CARROTS LONG at this stage to tell the secretaries and chairmen of the existing John Branham, Chairman, Midlands Branch 3 N Muirhead Glenrothes 4 E Craik Penpont

48 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 49 Branch Championship Results Kelso 2012

This was our first venture into the Scottish borders, and it was also our first time at a “one day show” on a Sunday. We are very grateful to Robin Hogg (President of Kelso Horticultural Society) and his Northern Branch Newsletter- all D.A.s and members not attending a D.A. can read all about it in hard working committee for hosting our show, and January 2013 this newsletter. providing the super facilities. Editor – Tony Featherstone The venue at the Tait Hall was excellent, and we The month of January is the start of the New Year. It’s a time when obviously attracted a large attendance, with a full hall we look back and reminisce and wonder “What might have been”, DON’T MISS IT! most of the afternoon. I did hear it mention that we and look forward to think “What may happen” Another venture being launched by Michael Osborn and David had gone from a two day show to a three hour show, Northern Branch saw changes in 2012. Malcolm Evans, chairman Metcalf of Lancashire D.A. is a travelling Road Show, designed to but overall it suited the exhibitors, and I do not think of the Branch for so long, stood down, and was replaced by Keith attract more members to our Society. Nothing new there some may we would have attracted Northern and Southern Abel of East Yorkshire D.A. Bob Herbert the deputy chairman, say, we’ve done that! But as Michael says “If all D.A.s compiled a branch exhibitors if they had to stay overnight. also relinquished his post, to be replaced by David Allison of West Road Show, and went to visit local allotments, it would spread the Very pleased indeed to see Gareth Cameron from Yorkshire D.A. word about our existence!” Cumbria and especially Helen Vincent who travelled The District Associations all the way up from Salisbury. It was definitely worth appear to carry on much Annual General Meeting the effort, as Gareth won the shallot class, and he also as previously i.e. with few The annual general meeting of The Northern Branch will take staged the winning exhibit for Ron Jackson with the changes of officers. Don’t place on Saturday, 2nd March 2013 at Horbury Working Men’s Club, onions under 250gms. think so? Unless an office Hallcroft, Cluntergate, Horbury, Wakefield, WF4 5DB The biggest smile of the day however went to Helen holder has succumbed to The meeting will commence at 1.00 p.m. All Northern branch who had two firsts with celery and cauliflower. age or illness, its carry on members are welcome. Remember it’s your chance to have a say on It was also an excellent day for “the postie from as before. Consequently how your Branch is run. Rothesey”, Niall Currie. there are not many new Niall won the large collection for the first time, and Northernfaces at Branch meetings! Branch Chairman’s notes he also had firsts with peas and long beet. It is very easy to get into HAPPY NEW YEAR to all members and I hope you have a Alistair Gray from Brechin always turns up with top a rut and carry on doing Keith Abel and Malcolm Evans prosperous growing season in 2013. drawer exhibits, but this year(just for a change) he had the same thing season What a year 2012 was, the wettest for 100 years, probably the excellent onions, winning the class, and he told me after season. Same programmes, same people in office. In my dullest and yet we still managed to produce quality products for the that he had over fifty onions ripening on the garage opinion you go either forwards or backwards, nothing stands still. table and the show bench. Wherever I went throughout the year floor. New officers should bring new ideas. New ideas should bring new everyone had managed to support their local events , congratulations Wonderful to see George Duncan at Kelso (thanks faces into the D.A.’s. New ideas will not please everyone, but at to you all! For those who suffered the loss of an event due to the to his kind chauffeur Ian Edgler), and even more least it will arouse some interest! Some tasks such as treasurer and weather, this is the year to put it back on the calendar. wonderful, George managed to win the tomatoes. secretary call for stability, but other posts – particularly chair/man/ Enough of the past, time to look forward to the events of 2013. This Ian Simpson won the best dish of potatoes woman - who have the best chance to implement change – should year will be a busy time for Northern Branch committee members as in the show with “amour”, and I believe he was do so. Three years is probably long enough in office. Do I practise we celebrate 50 years in the National Vegetable Society. As some experimenting with his potato mix, incorporating sheep what I preach? Well in my teaching career spanning 33years, I of you already know the Branch are holding a Seminar at Horbury wool compost. ( see article by Don Owens – ed) was head of four schools and a Teacher’s Centre – shortest time Working Mens Club on the 9th March. To members the event is free We were delighted to have George Anderson from four years, longest eight years. Whilst being a member of the East so please come along and have a good day out. There is more about the Beechgrove Garden at the show, and thanks Yorkshire D.A. I have been vice chairman- one year, chairman the event below so please take note what we have arranged for you, also to Ian Stocks, the television programme from his – three years, and events secretary three years. My time as there should be something to suit most gardeners needs. garden (lifting long roots) provided excellent advertising newsletter editor in the Branch is into its third year so….! In August the Northern Branch Show will be held at Southport for the N.V.S. On the theme of “Looking back” what a successful season it in conjunction with the Southport Show, a little earlier than the As usual we are indebted to our show manager has been for Associations in The Northern Branch. In spite of the Autumn Show at Harrogate so please make some adjustments to Peter Guthrie and show secretary Grant Cathro, who weather causing cancellations at some major shows, the D.A.’s have your sowing dates to accommodate the 15 classes you are able to organise and set up the show in their usual efficient once again put on superb displays. Looking back at the Harrogate enter. Hopefully, in order to celebrate our 50th anniversary, District manner. Many thanks gentlemen. Jim. Show, held in September, and home of the Northern Branch Associations will be encouraged to put on a display of vegetables Championships, saw some excellent exhibits. These tend to be so please support them in supplying vegetables for the event. We overshadowed by the giant vegetable classes – particularly when a want the general public to see the expertise that our members have world record is set. in growing a cross section of produce which is not only eye catching There are always excellent exhibits on view. The public whilst but quality of the very highest order. Niall Currie’s winning collection admiring the quality of individual classes do spend more time Last year the produce at the Northern Branch Show was quite looking at the class for vegetables, plants and flowers, also the exceptional in most departments which I believed would take a trugs containing a variety of fruit and vegetables. bit of beating. However, on journeying to Malvern for the National However that’s enough looking back, so what does the future Championships I was amazed to see the step up in quality for many hold? Well the of the classes. Someone told me the weather had been abysmal Northern Branch all summer, you wouldn’t have guessed it for one moment with the celebrates its fiftieth produce on display. Congratulations to all those who took part, the anniversary this show was a credit to everyone involved, not forgetting the show year. Plans are organisers who did some tremendous work throughout. afoot to mark the This year it is our turn to host the National Championship at occasion at no cost the Autumn Flower Show, Harrogate in September. Many of the to members! Surely arrangements have already been made so again this is another date Ian Simpson’s winning Potatoes. a first! Details will to note in your diaries Malvern set the standard in the worst year of have been given to weather on record so we have a lot to live up to and I know we are all up for the challenge. Good luck to you all in the coming year whether you grow for the table or the show bench, quality is the thing that counts! Keith ABEL FNVS News From The District Associations As usual the news from District Associations is interesting and varied. The programmes, whilst predominately about vegetables, also cater for other gardening interests. It also shows how members of the NVS Joe Proudlock’s winning carrots Ian Stock’s winning parsnips. Helen Vincent’s winning Cauliflowers. Eric Craik’s best in show blanch Leeks. West Yorkshires gold medal display Fabulous trugs of veg at Harrogate are willing to travel long distances to share their expertise.

50 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 51 present “road shows” at gardening clubs throughout the area.

CATCH THEM YOUNG! As well as recruiting allotmenteers, what about the younger generation? From The Sub-Editor I know from reading reports in other prize, such was the standard of each entry. Those of us who do not gardening magazines, that many of A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL! 2012 proved to be a exhibit could not help but look in amazement at the beauty on the our members are involved with school very busy year for the Branch, with the usual Shows up and down tables. projects – so why doesn’t someone the country being staged, most in appalling weather conditions, and, Last year was not a good year for gardeners in general, so let’s write in Simply Vegetables about their of course, the Branch Championships being held at Shrewsbury, as hope that 2013 will be an improvement. I expect many of you are we were staging the National Championships at the Malvern Autumn already well into the preparations for the season and I wish you all Publicising the D.A. Prize winning exhibits experiences? I appreciate the problems re photographing children, but if Show. What a Show that turned out to be! The exhibits were well. Cheshire DA. All meetings held 3rd Monday of each month it’s appeared in another magazine, exquisite, the standard of the vegetables being exceptionally high Please let me have any articles you may have by 10th February for at Grappenhall. Details from the Chairman Kevin Knowles on permission must have been given by and the number of entries exceeding way above our expectations. the next issue. 0161 902 0561. school and parent. Congratulations to all the winners, commiserations to the losers, June Davies FNVS Jan; AGM. However Coral Bebbington of Crewe though in my mind there were no losers, as everyone deserved a Feb; John Bebbington, “ From the back bedroom to the allotment” and Nantwich D.A. has sent details of March; Graham Iddon, “Cottage garden Plants.” her grandson’s involvement in growing April; Adrian Read “ Pot Leeks”. vegetables, and permission from his Chairman’s Report East Yorkshire: Held a very successful Show in late September, parents to publish them! My wish for two new District Associations is still live with with good entry in 33 classes. With having various classes open to He certainly looks as though he’s enjoying himself. Well done The final act of the NVS show season came to an end at Malvern volunteers coming forward at Malvern expressing an interest and we non NVS members, are attracting more entries – and more people Grandma and Granddad. A future member no doubt. Autumn Show with the National Championships which were hosted all hope that it will happen this year! becoming aware of the associations existence. by the Midlands Branch. My thanks go to the committee of the The next AGM of the Midland Branch is Saturday, 2nd March The programme for 2013 is in the capable hands of Mike Abel. Midlands who worked tirelessly to make the show a resounding 2013 when a bit of a merry-go-round will happen with the Secretary Monthly meetings are held at The Hill Top Club, Willerby, on the last National Vegetable Society, success. The entries were up and credit must go to all the Sandra Hall, John Branham, Chairman and Bill Thornton Show Monday of the month. January kicks off with the Annual General Northern Branch Midlandsexhibitors for the dedication and Branch skill during this most difficult Manager moving on. Midlands Branch members who feel that Meeting. growing season. they can contribute to the committee as officers or just committee West Yorkshire: Hold their meetings at Leeds Paxton Horticultural 50th Year Celebratory Seminar The Midlands team were delighted to win the Inter-branch members are more than welcome. So, if you think that you would Halls, on the second Tuesday of each month, commencing at 8.00 Saturday 9th March 2013 Championship for the first time ever and Derek Aldred, John like to help and drive the future of the Midlands Branch forward, p.m. 2012 saw them take a gold medal at Harrogate for their display. Branham, Bob Oliver, Marcus Powell and Mark Roberts all got red please contact any committee member. They also held a most successful D.A. Show in September. Venue; Horbury Working Mens Club, Cluntergate, Horbury, cards, a super achievement. John Branham FNVS Chairman, Midlands Branch As usual they have an interesting and varied programme for 2013. Near Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF4 5DB. Tel 01924 272358 8th January Keith Abel FNVS -Chairman Northern Branch “Growing and Showing Chrysanthemums our way” Programme North Midlands D A Report 12th February David Thornton FNVS- NVS National Secretary 9.45am Introduction and welcome from Keith Abel, Chairman, “Fertilizers for all your vegetable needs” NVS Northern Branch. The DA committee has worked well this year, attending most of the 12th March Dr. Arnie Rainbow BSc, PhD - Development manager Tea and Coffee will be served. events throughout the year; the one exception was Market Bosworth, Vital Earth 10.00am Dr. Peter Dawson, Plant Breeder with Tozers Seeds. which was cancelled due to the bad weather. “Growing without peat” “Breeding New Vegetables.” June 20th. The NVS Road Show was at Stone Chrysanthemum & Lancashire D.A.: Meetings are held at the 11.30am Martin Fish, Broadcaster, Author and show Director Dahlia Society, the panel consisting of Bernard Brown, Colin Higgs & Ribchester Sports and Social Club, on the of The Harrogate Flower Shows. Terry Hale. This was an enjoyable evening spent with the members of second Thursday of the month, commencing “Twenty years as a Garden News writer- creating and this society. The questions came thick and fast and we did our best at 7.30p.m.At the Leyland Gardening Society’s maintaining trial fruit and vegetable gardens “ . to answer them all. Show, the Lancashire D.A. prize for 2012 1.00pm Lunch. A free buffet lunch will be available to all July 28th. Leek Show. The DA put up a larger stand than usual, was won by Edmund Allison with an entry of members. A paying bar will also be open. which helped to fill the marquee as this year’s entries in the vegetable sweetcorn in the “Any other vegetable –not 2.00pm Medwyn Williams, MBE, AHRHS, FNVS, President of classes were down on previous years and for once the weather was listed- class” The National Vegetable Society. much kinder. Meetings / Talks North East Derbyshire D.A.: held their 34th Author, Judge, Lecturer and owner of Medwyn’s have not been as well attended Open Vegetable Show at Glapwell Centre in early of Anglesey specialist seed and plant suppliers. this year so we have looked at Midlands September. It was an excellent show, with 17 “Growing for Gold – 10 years at Chelsea Flower Show”. the reasons for lack of interest Branch AGM Edmund Allison exhibitors staging 166 entries. The trophies saw 3.30pm Julian Davies, Agronomist and Commercial Director, and found that we have not Saturday 2nd March 2013, many familiar names amongst the winners, but Stockbridge Technology Centre. been reaching everyone in the At 2.00 pm in the Friesian Hall, Jeff Parsons took five trophies including the NVS silver medal, and the “Can you grow quality plants in peat free compost”. DA area. Sandra Hall has Three Counties Showground, Class 6 2 celery. Harry Godden, Terry Ruddick, Alan Terry Shrewsbury trophy for the most points in the show. Julian will bring along examples from their trials. provided us with a Midlands Malvern, Worcs. Class 7 4 coloured potatoes. (Winner awarded NVS plaque) Ian The D.A. along with Nottingham D.A. made the journey to the RHS All the above are experts in their fields and will be delivering their Branch members’ list, and we We look forward to seeing Chant, Terry Ruddick, Alan Terry show in London in October, and returned with many prizes. lectures by power point presentations. will be contacting members you there. Class 8 4 white potatoes. Darren Blick, Terry Ruddick, Mark Hall Again in spite of a difficult growing season members still produce 5 .00pm Closing remarks, Keith Abel, Chairman NVS within a 20 mile radius of Class 9 3 large onions. Derek Aldred, Dave Tucker, Harry Godden top quality vegetables Northern Branch. Brereton Sports & Social Club Class 10 6 pods peas. Alan Terry, Terry Ruddick, Ken Pearce The usual monthly meetings, are held at the Miners Welfare Centre, There is a maximum of 200 places available, on a first come, first (where we hold our meetings) Class 11 2 cauliflower. Mark Hall, Terry Ruddick, Ray Scriven Staveley, on the third Wednesday of each month, at 7.30p.m. served basis, and is by ticket only, which is free to members, ( but with a copy of our programme of events for 2013. (Not everyone has Class 12 2 green cabbage. Harry Godden, Graeme Bowyer, Ray 16th January Annual General Meeting a donation would be welcome!!) non-members are welcome at a a computer.) We are also making our programme of events available Scriven 20th February David Metcalfe FNVS “Growing Vegetables on Straw” cost of £5, which will be refunded if joining the Society on the day. through the Midlands Branch page in Simply Veg . Class 13 8 large shallots. Mark Hall, Ken Pearce, Dave Tucker 20th March Ian Simpson “Growing Carrots and Peas for For ticket availability and reservations, please contact September 8/9th. North Midlands DA Show at the County Ground Class 14 9 pickling shallots. Mark Hall, Ian Chant, Alan Terry Exhibition” Chairman, Keith Abel on 01964 552307. Stafford. Entries were up this year; the standard of entries was very Class 15 3 stump carrots. Mark Hall, Alan Terry, Ian Chant Nottingham D.A. held their D.A. Show at Barton Village Hall in good, despite the weather conditions. New members entered for the Class 16 3 onions 250 gms or under. Peter Devonald, Mark Hall, August. This was well supported and the NVS silver medal went to The National Championships of the NVS will be held as part of the first time and enjoyed the experience, I’m sure they will be entering Alan Terry Jeff Parsons for his entry of three leeks. Harrogate Autumn Show on Fri to Sun, 13th to 15th September. All again next year Class 17 6 runner beans. Mark Hall, Vincent Cook, Peter Devonald An interesting meeting held in November, took the form of members will receive a schedule with the April issue of SV, but for Terry Hale, FNVS Class 18 3 globe beetroot. Mark Hall, Vincent Cook, Ray Scriven “An Apple Fayre” The evening comprised of apple tasting, apple more info contact John Croot on 01773 834213. Class 19 2 cucumbers. Ian Chant, Derek Aldred, Ray Scriven identification, and general questions on fruit. As a result of the above the Northern Branch Championships will be South West DA Show Results Class 20 5 tomatoes. Derek Aldred, Mark Hall, Dave Tucker January no meeting held as part of Southport Flower show from Thurs to Sun, 15th to Class 1 Collection 4 veg. 1st Ian Chant (64 points), 2nd Mark Hall Class 21 2 table marrows. Maureen Cundict, Dave Tucker, Ray February Annual General Meeting 18th August 2013, again details from John Croot. A new class to (57 points), 3rd Terry Ruddick (56 1/2 points) Scriven March David Thornton FNVS celebrate the Northern Branch’s 50th Anniversary will be a display of Class 2 Mini Collection 3 veg. Ian Chant, Alan Terry, Terry Ruddick Class 22 9 French beans. Maureen Cundict, Ray Scriven, Mark Hall North Yorks & South Durham: The monthly meetings are held at veg, open to each DA in the Branch. Each DA display staged plus Class 3 3 pointed carrots. Darren Blick, Ray Scriven, Ian Chant Yarm and continue to be well supported. Adrian and his dedicated all first prize winners in all the other classes will receive an engraved Class 4 3 parsnips. Terry Ruddick, Dave Tucker, Ian Chant Best dish in show - NVS silver medal: Darren Blick for Class 3 - Dish band of helpers continue to mount displays at major shows and plaque, again to celebrate our 50th year. Class 5 3 blanch leeks. Derek Aldred, Ken Pearce, Ray Scriven of 3 long pointed carrots

52 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 53 Bucks DA Report – Pests & Diseases BUCKS COUNTY SHOW - A challenge or opportunity It was a miserable misty and damp evening National Championships in central Buckinghamshire on Tuesday 23rd October. But the mood in Pitstone’s Memorial Hall was very different. The hall was packed with – Inter-Branch Stand members and guests to listen to a talk on ‘Pests & Diseases’ by Roger Umpelby (‘The When I volunteered to do the Inter-Branch stand for the Midlands Saturday and could not help noticing the judging of the stands taking Ashton Bugman’). Branch, I wondered afterwards what I had let myself in for. I knew place. We felt very nervous because the standard of the other Roger began by outlining his life as that the standard was always very high in this competition and the exhibits was so high, the First prize really could have gone to any one a vegetable gardener, his interest in Midlands Branch had never won it before. However, I had offered of them. entomology and how nature became so had to put on my thinking cap to try and do something a bit Eventually, stewarding over, we went to look at the results. To our a passion, which to this day gives him different. I enlisted the help of my wife, June, Bob Oliver and his surprise ….. and extreme delight …. we had the Red Card. We were enormous pleasure. He sees providing vegetables all the year round wife, Val, and Martyn Strange, all very staunch members of the so proud that we had done it for the Midlands Branch, even though for the kitchen, sometimes a challenge, but an essential part of his Midlands Branch. one of the green tomatoes refused to stay in place on the green family’s healthy eating. We got together about 3 months before and came up with the Olympic ring!! He proceeded to give the options open to us gardeners, explaining theme – England 2012 – the Jubilee, the Olympics and the Titanic, I would like to thank most sincerely all the members of the in detail that currently the choice of spraying of chemicals is very and it grew from there. Midlands Branch, too numerous to mention, who supplied the limited, but can be effective if used sparingly. He himself prefers We continue to support our local County Show, which boasts 20,000 We set about erecting the stand at about 7.00 pm on the Friday vegetables, making it a very colourful display. John Branham went prevention using barrier methods, such as fleece, insect mesh, bird visitors. Our sponsorship entitles us to space in which we are able to evening and eventually finished at 2.00 am on the Saturday morning, to extreme lengths to obtain so many unusual varieties, and Roy and butterfly netting, which all work extremely well for several seasons erect a display of vegetables close to the exhibits. exhausted but pleased with our efforts. We then helped Bob stage Price also brought us some unusual items, all very much appreciated. before replacement is needed. The display, erected in the early hours by Brian and John, was his exhibits before retiring to the ‘Peugeot Hotel’ for a couple of However, one person I must mention is Nick Anderson, who is totally Companion planting can also play a part, as can pheromone traps manned throughout the day by members of the committee who hours’ shut-eye, before starting stewarding at 6.30 am convinced that his wonderful cabbages were what caught the judges’ and use of nematodes. The signed up two new members. We felt the Onion Crown looked good, The Olympic Torch amazing, eyes and sealed the First Prize. Thank you, Nick! talk concluded with a long Bucks DA members took most of the Red cards. A tiring day, but the Olympic Rings impressive (thank you Trevor Last for your input) I must extend my appreciation to Bob, Val, Martyn and June question session. well worth the effort. and the Titanic, sitting on an Iceberg lettuce, amusing. All this for their patience and understanding and putting up with my over- Roger’s slides are of picture framed by Derek Aldred’s leeks, gave the stand a whole enthusiasm the last few months. It was all worth it in the end! John exceptional quality and, when FORTHCOMING EVENTS: new look. It only remained then for the judges’ decision later that Branham is still beaming from ear to ear, and his wife, Jill, made a matched with his fantastic March 5th 2013 at Pitstone Memorial Hall at 7.30 p.m. (Bar open at morning. One of our members said he thought it would either come ‘Congratulations to the Midlands Branch’ cake which was enjoyed by knowledge that can be 7.00 p.m.) First … or last, depending on the judges’ tastes. the committee at their meeting the following week. Thank you, Jill! applied by us gardeners, it This is our first talk of the 2013 season and will include our short June and I were stewarding the Malvern Open classes on the Mike Davies, FNVS. all seems so easy. We look AGM. The talk will guide us on growing vegetables through the forward to welcoming him seasons. again to the Bucks DA.

NOTICE FOR 200 Club Winners October AFFILIATED SOCIETIES 1st 5 Mr M J Davies 2nd 187 Mr M Strange Mike and June Davies on the left and – SPONSOR PLAQUE Judges’ Bob and Val Oliver on the right. 3rd 191 Mr R Ingram 4th 71 Mary Wicker November Did you know you 1st 82 Mr M Strange Exam 2nd 92 Mr A Harris 3rd 157 Mr J Branham This year the can apply for a ‘NVS 4th 112 Mr S Losbey Judges’ Exam will be December held on Saturday 5th 1st 81 Mr T Hale October 2013. Sponsor Plaque’? 2nd 183 Mr K Blay 3rd 12 Mr W Coghlam If you are interested in It is to be designated to ‘A Dish to Comprise of One 4th 7 Mr P Devonald entering, please contact Variety’ in a Show and won by an NVS member or our Secretary, for further a member of an affiliated society. PLEASE NOTE information: It is with regret that we have to advise you that The Midlands Branch Committee decides which the Midlands Branch 200 Club will not be active Mrs Sandra Hall, Societies the Plaques are awarded to. from 1st January 2013 until further notice. Due to FNVS, falling numbers of supporters and rising costs of 7 Crudgington, For further information and an Application Form, administration, particularly postages, the fund raising Wellington, Telford, please contact Branch Secretary, Sandra Hall. benefits are outweighed by the costs and it was felt that Salop, TF6 6JG FNVS, 7 Crudgington, Wellington, Telford, Salop, the option of reducing prize money was not acceptable. Tel: 01952 541396 TF6 6JG. Tel: 01952 541396 Will members please accept our grateful thanks for their continuous support over the years. Best wishes Photo to you all. shows Mike Davies with his winning Sponsorship CAN YOU HELP? Plaque from Newent Onion Show, for his Are you a Midlands Branch member and recently retired - or dish of Red perhaps still working in a marketing or sales training role? .... Onions. then the Secretary of the Bucks District Association (David Elkins) would welcome contact with you. You can call him on 01296 630659 or e-mail [email protected].

54 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 55 National Vegetable Society, Welsh Branch Championships will be held at the Rhondda Sports Centre, Colley Gate Gardening Club 7th & 8th September 2013. Schedules available from, show secretary, Mary Thomas. Our club started off as Cradley Royal British Legion Horticultural Society in 1980. I joined the following year, exhibited in the veg Our Welsh Branch Show was held at Bryngarw Country Park first The committee has negotiated accommodation at Rhondda novice section with beetroot and the judge, who I believe was Roy weekend in September. Despite the bad summer, the standard was Heritage Park Hotel, Coedcae Rd, Trehafod, Pontypridd, CF37 2NP Binfield, said if they were out in the main show they would have excellent although just slightly down on the number of entries. Tel 01443 687057 come first. That was it, I had the bug, went straight onto the It was good to welcome back some of the “old faithfuls”, amongst Rates:- £35 per person per night. Double and Twin rooms are committee and 2 months later I was Chairman and have been ever them, John Branham, but this time to judge. It was even better to available, there is a £15 supplement charged for single rooms. since. welcome some new faces that we hope are here to stay for some These prices include breakfast. The Legion went bump about 10 years ago so we had to move years to come. Rooms can be booked at these prices on 6th, 7th, 8th September 2013 our venue to an ex Conservative Club & changed our name to Owain Roberts, new last Cradley Gardening Club. Unfortunately, as a gardening club, the year, returned and once again Bookings should be directly with the hotel before 31st March arrangement did not work so last year we, as a committee, made scored high with his potatoes, 2013 to get these prices. State that you are part of the National the decision to move to a new venue. Luckily just down the road in a close contest with Sherie Vegetable Society, Welsh Branch Party. If there is a problem ring was Cradley Labour Club which had a nice big room with a stage (as Plumb. Ivor Mace on 01443 775531. we used to have in the Legion), and a large bar area for our general His commitment meant All rooms are Ensuite. The Rhondda Heritage Park Hotel is 5.1 meetings, so was ideal. leaving his wife, new baby and miles from the Rhondda Sports Centre. We moved, changed our club name to Colley Gate Gardening young family at home. We look Club, as we are now in Colley Gate. forward to see him and his Our first show at the new venue was this year and the turn out of family for many years to come. produce was exceptional as we only just got it all in. The hire of the Another first timer was Sue room for a Saturday night was £100 McCall who went straight Owain Roberts Our club has 2 trading sheds which bring in £600 a year so that Some more winners, Gary Cook, Scot Smith, Julie Slater and Ian Dawes in to clinch the Trophy for goes towards paying for the room, our speakers throughout the year Welsh“best exhibit in the non- Branch root and the show. We can keep membership down to £3 a year, which classes”. gives free entry plus free food to our general meetings and free entry a class for 1 flower, a class for 1 fruit and a new one for this year, 6 After an unfortunate to our show. You also get free entry to our presentation night plus small cakes. accident, Sue managed to a meal, this year a fish & chip supper. Membership also gives you The committee plus helpers start at 8 am. We have our own table stage her excellent Leeks (with use of our sheds. The one thing we do at our show is everything tops and trestles and once these are out staging can start; that a bit of help from some friends) that is exhibited stays in, there are no reserves. This year we had 47 finishes at 2.25 pm judging at 2.30 pm, doors open to public at 6.30 and hobbled around on her exhibitors. We have 113 classes in our schedule, covering veg, fruit, pm, or as soon as we are ready. Blooms and produce are auctioned crutches. dahlias, chrysanthemums, home made produce, pot plants, floral art, off at 8 pm. We finished this year just before midnight which shows The “best in show” went to artistic classes, home made wine (this is a good money earner!) and, you how much we had to get rid of! We took £591 on the auction David Thomas of Pontyclun, most importantly, a children’s section. They have a class for 1 veg, and £102 on the raffle. We also have the open West Midlands who returned after about 20 Heaviest Onion Competition which goes down well. We have always years break from exhibiting. had National judges; this year for the veg we had Bob Carr (a good This was taken for an John G Jones with his winning Celery Sherie Plumb with her winning Runner looker!). excellent set of Parsnips, with Beans. (Been on the vino sherie? – ed) We always have our presentation night on our November general Sherie Plumb runner up with meeting night. We have £666 going out in prize money, £150 in her under 250g onions. The throughout the show. Mel Saunders and Ralph Hall were the drink prizes, £80 in shed vouchers, plus £105 on engraving. This year Banksian Medal was won by Sue McCall’s excellent leeks local delegates and did all the arrangement necessary regarding we had 7 new exhibitors, 11 children exhibiting and I even got the Andrew Jones. accommodation, evening presentation amongst a lot of other things. walking disabled from Abbey Road allotments to exhibit! Don Owens took the Trophy for the onion classes and Glyn Jones We wish to thank you both for your commitments. After a bad growing year this year, the gods looked after us! In of Trefforest had the best exhibit in the Novice Classes. Our own Jim The Trophies were presented by Barry King, Medwyn Williams, 2 years time I believe we will have the best gardening club show in Thompson took the prize for the main Collection and many others. National President and our Branch President, Bob Ball. By the time the Midlands ….. I like a challenge! Being a worker John Branham This year we had 5 entries for the Collection of Onions, of which 3 this is published, Bob will have celebrated his 90th birthday. Hope (another good looking bloke!) asked me if I would start off a new DA. were staged. The Legume class also attracted more interest with 5 you had a very enjoyable day, Bob, and many more to come. I do what I can for the NVS but our Gardening Club comes first. If I entries staged. Both were threatened to be axed last year. As we go to press, our Chairman, Colin Lewis has under gone knew our club could get on without me I would jump at the chance. We wish to thank Barry King and his family business for their hospital treatment and we wish him a speedy recovery. At the moment for our Club, I am chairman, secretary, speaker generous sponsorship and his staff for their continuous help If you have not already renewed your membership, secretary and run the trading shed. Two local gardening clubs regretfully this will be your last Magazine until your renewal is have folded in the last 3 years …. we have to keep them going . At received – don’t miss out the moment there are around 40 people who come to our general Mary Thomas, Sub-editor. meetings but about 120 shed members. I keep my shed prices under Wilko’s and it works! I have had a good life and am now giving GWENT DA back. The DA show was enjoyable, with entries slightly down on previous Some of the winning Children, Joshua Parteridge, Kian Lowe, Alice Simmonds, and The Next Annual Show of the Colley Gate Gardening Club seasons due primarily to wet late summer, with root crops maturing late. Jared Davies will be on Saturday 14th Spetember 2013 . For more info or Surprisingly, some members entered their mushrooms into the schedules contact Mick Poultney on 07815 630811. show, to keep our learned judge , Charles Maisey, on his toes. Mick Poultney, Midlands Branch , The renown exhibitor and grower, Jim Thompson, received the oh arr .. nearly forgot .. FNVS Brian Davies Memorial Trophy, for the ‘Best entry on the show’. The SIMPLY John Evans award for three potatoes was awarded to our new young Don Owens exhibitor, Lewis Thomas of Aberdare. In a class for three tomatoes, VEGETABLES with many entries, the Peter Blanchard trophy was won by Bill Morgan of Crumlin. BINDER Midland Branch News Flash Report by John Evans Store your magazines away National Vegetable Society, Welsh Branch Championships

Each binder holds 12 magazines A meeting will be held on Thursday, 28th February, 2013 at Fairfield AGM Saturday March 2nd at (3 years worth) Village Hall, Fairfield, Worcestershire 7.00 p.m. for 8.00 p.m. Brynafon Country House Hotel, £5.00 start. There will be a talk on growing vegetables by John Branham with a view to starting a DA in South West Midlands. All NVS Rhayader at 1.30pm. (LD6 5BL) To purchase contact; Midlands Branch members and interested growers are welcome, free admission and This is open to all members and your attendance would be Sandra Hall FNVS on 01952-541396 refreshments. David Thomas – best in show Jim Thompson appreciated. Any issues to be raised under the AOB to be in the hands of the secretary, Mrs Mary Thomas, by the 16th of February.

56 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 57 Congratulations to all members who More from Tullamore Top of The Crops Coyle, who used to grow potatoes for Tayto thirty years ago, now Every weekend football owns the brand. received awards at the AGM. fans anxiously await the At the same time as the 2007 election Tayto ran an advertising football results. After hearing campaign with Mr Tayto as a fake election candidate. Some the results everyone then voters spoiled their votes by writing Mr Tayto on the ballot. In one wants to see the league constituency the number of votes involved was more than the lowest table. There is also a book independent candidate got! dedicated to ‘the Top Ten of Everything’. I decided End of season look-back. to present the results of One class in Virginia was for a Collection of Vegetables from an Tullamore Show 2012 in Allotment, with a photo of the allotment, was won by John Warren. table form. It was compiled This photograph is reproduced below. by looking up the results Michael Gordon Secretary online. Points were given NVSI and Sinead Cronin, Clerical to the prize-winners on the Assistant. Produced by the following basis; 1st prize = National Vegetable Society, of 4pts, 2nd = 3pts, 3rd= 2pts Ireland for members only and not & 4th = 1pt. for sale. Ralph Hall – Fellowship Jim Thompson – Silver Medal Don Owens – Silver medal The sections used were Now that the show season the Fruit (which includes Michael Walton winner All-Ireland Collection is over here’s a brief review Tomatoes and Rhubarb), of Vegetables Tullamore Show 2012 of the rural shows after Vegetables and Potatoes classes – but left out the Farm Produce Tullamore, applying the same classes (because it only has one relevant class for our purposes) NVS prize-winner’s points system members names are in bold print. gave the following results: Competitor Pts Limerick featured 31 classes for fruit & veg (including 3 classes for novices). Jane Bradley, Kerry received the best overall total of 1 J J Mollen 62 45 points and won a cup and the NVS medal. The second most 2 John Warren 31 successful competitor here was another one of our members, John 3 Stephen Ryan 30 Crowe of Cappamore. 4 Peter Casey 22 Virginia show had 37 classes and the highest aggregate points 5 David Curran 22 were achieved by Michael Walton, Sligo with a total of 94. 6 Marty Bonner 21 Local exhibitor Peter Brady was second on 64 points. John Warren 7 Michael McGoldrick 19 next with 56 and Padraig Montague came 3rd and 4th respectively. The new NVS website has been launched. www.nvsuk.org.uk 8 Harold Lawlor 18 JBA potatoes may send over a bulk order of seed potatoes, if 9 Dan Bonner 17 there are sufficient NVS members in Ireland interested. For more 10 Colin Lawlor 16 information on the potatoes or the website contact Padraig Montague at [email protected] Mary Thomas – Gold Medal Charles Maisey – Gold Medal Just outside the top ten were the Winners of the All Ireland If you have any material for consideration for publishing in either Collection of Vegetables, Michael Walton, and Raymond Higgins, this Newsletter or in the Simply Vegetables magazine. Please can you the All Ireland Champion in Potatoes. This may be evidence that the post them to; Brassicas standard in these competitions is rising and a clear focus on them is Michael Gordon, necessary for success. c/o The City & Guilds Office, St. Muredach’s College, Brassicas, is a group name given to the Cabbage family of The table shows local man John Joe Mollen streets ahead of Ballina, Co.Mayo plants. They all developed from a single species of plant, the everyone else. I also went back over the 2011 and 2010 results and [email protected] wild cabbage. Over thousands of years it has evolved into such John Joe also came out top last year but with a much lower points diverse plants as cauliflowers, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and total. New names on the list are Marty and Dan Bonner from North others. Donegal, about a 360 mile round trip from Tullamore. An Unwelcome Guest Over the years what seems to have happened, however, is that I also intend to do up tables for shows in Ulster – Viriginia, Growing to about 3 metres tall in many kinds appear to have lost hardiness. This is shown by the Connacht – Bonniconlon and also Munster - Limerick. Maybe next dense clumps, this species has devastation of many crops during severe winters like 2010/11. year we could pick a few shows and give them a list of the same shield shaped leaves, red speckled Working, perhaps, from the observed resistance of wild selected classes and compile a table at the end of the year. stems and tiny cream coloured cabbages on the sea coast to severe weather, gardeners decided flowers in late summer. Japanese that salt spray gave resistance to frost and treated their brassicas Potatoes knotweed was first introduced to with a cube of salt in autumn. The salt, one cubic inch per plant, The commercial sector in gardens as a ground cover plant. was measured using a potato with a cubic inch cut out. What Ireland is now focused on It is now widely established in the appears to cause the breakdown by frost of modern brassica growing 6 main varieties- countryside where it spreads from leaves is alternate freezing and thawing. I have found that by giving Home Guard, British Queen, fragments of rhizomes (roots), or individual plants a teaspoon of salt, a resistance to this freezing is Rooster, Kerrs Pink, Record & as a result of moving contaminated developed -just like topping up the car’s radiator with anti freeze! Golden Wonder . soil. The plant is particularlypart easily of Welsh Branch Brassicas require space so that air can circulate through the Rooster was developed by spread along rivers and road leaves. They are not fussy about soil, provided that it is well Teagasc in the late 1970’s. and railway lines. The amount of drained, moisture retentive, alkaline (limey) rather than acid.(peat/ It was named in 1990 and infrastructure and building work in boggy) available commercially in 1991. Ireland in recent years has increased Sprouts require a longer season of growth than other members It became the most widely its spread along roadsides, and of the group. They can be started early by sowing the seeds grown variety in 2000, and now also unfinished building sites. It can thinly in boxes, frames or under cloches. The worst form of plant, accounts for 56% of all potatoes NVSsurvive temperatures Ireland of minus 35 but the ones most likely to be bought, are those that have been grown in Ireland. Kerr Pinks and degrees Centigrade, so it replaced Japanese Knotweed Fallopia japonica sown thickly in rows in a nursery bed and just yanked up to be Records, which were previously many other weed species killed off in the two harsh winters. It can tied in bunches and offered for sale. Far better to raise your own most popular, made up only Raymond Higgins 2012 All Ireland come through tarmac and even in cracks in concrete, so it would plants as the worst enemy of brassicas, club root, can easily be 10% and 2% of the crop in Potato winning entry of Roosters be a major disaster if it gets into your garden. The most effective imported. Adapted from an Article by Bob Herbert on the main 2011.Saturna and Lady Rosetta are popular for Crisps. method of control is by herbicide application close to the flowering NVS website Meath is the biggest potato growing county with 33% of the total stage in late summer or Autumn. crop. The Tayto crisp factory is located in Co.Meath. Raymond Michael Walton with his winning cauliflowers

58 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 59 The Irish Show Scene The Irish Shows Association (ISA) regulates most Irish shows. In January local show Secretaries contact the ISA to request certain qualifying For me, this edition is tinged with a bit of sadness as it is my final cropping and hope to make my results known through this excellent events at their show. These qualifiers could act as sub editor for Southern Branch. I have increasingly found magazine if the editor lets me. (he will-ed ) be for a variety of competitions for Livestock, that my duties as a carer are taking up more time and I also now In the meantime I hand you over to the care of my successor Peter Handcrafts etc … and of course Vegetables. especially cannot find the time required to attend either the Branch Cranfield and wish him well in the future. Those submitting news The two main classes that interest growers meetings or any of the important shows. I do feel that to do this job and reports can help him greatly by realising that he has to try to are The All-Ireland Bridge House collection of properly you do need to both attend things so that you know what get some form of corporate identity from your various submissions Vegetables and the Bord Bia All Ireland Potato is going on and also to meet people and to be accessible to them. and it does take quite a lot of time and effort to change font type, Championship. Both these finals are staged Living where we do in deepest Dorset it is an all day affair to attend size and colours before onward submission to the National Editor. at Tullamore Show in August. This particular the Branch meetings, but I will miss everything greatly and I do urge Can I venture to suggest that you can help by using Times New Show attracts over 60,000 visitors on the day. everyone to attend meetings and shows, etc, and getting involved Roman, size 12 and of course being prompt and regular with your To qualify you must win your place at a qualifier where they can do as it is all greatly enjoyable and informative. submissions. By e-mail if possible to save having to type everything show listed in the ISA booklet. There are two I still intend to keep up with events locally in and around Dorset and up, but don’t let that put you off contacting if you don’t use the qualifying places at each show, which go on to am certainly intending to carry on with Vegetable experiments in both computer. Photos are always required and these should not be compete at the final in Tullamore. The collection growing and cropping. Those of you who know me know that it is embedded, but sent as attachments, and please include captions. of Vegetables is 5 kinds, 3 of each. The Bord Bia perhaps the unique properties and potential of growing for the table Submissions for the April editions should please be with Peter by 5th Potato Championships is based on the same rather than the showing that really interests and motivates me, but February, so when you get this edition in the post, this is your signal guidelines. The Potato Championships entries who amongst us does not really enjoy seeing Vegetables grown by to get moving on the next issue straight away. Best wishes Peter. consist of a dish of 6 potatoes. The criteria for experts and shown to best possible effect and finding out how to do David Wall, FNVS judging this dish of potatoes is…. this? Your new Southern Branch Sub-editor is: 1. CLOTH. This should be moist opaque cloth SouthernAt the moment I am coming to termsBranch with a much smaller home Peter Cranfield, FNVS large enough to exclude all light from the tubers. garden and in needing to produce as much, if not more for the table Tel: 01279 850511 mobile: 07900 073 401 5 marks than I did before on my smallholding of some 7 acres, although most E-mail: [email protected] 2. CONTAINER. This should be an aid to of this was pasture. I am particularly researching various aspects Address: Four Winds, Old Mead Lane, Henham, Herts, CM22 6JJ presentation and should allow the tubers to be of intensive and more perennial types of growing and especially seen as fully as possible. 5 marks 3. NAME. A neatly printed correctly spelt name Mick with his winning collection at Belfast Show. Chairman’s Report on a well placed appropriately sized card is the National Vegetable Society the objective here. 5 marks but this does not deter a I hope everyone had a very happy Christmas and you are all ready for the 4. PRESENTATION. The overall exhibit should look well and be large band of competitors coming year. Southern Branch pleasant on the eye. Decorations are allowed eg Herbs; potato leaves who make the effort. The Branch took part in the Inter-branch class at the national and at least we and flowers etc…. Rose end out. 5 marks If a competitor did make the numbers up, but there were five very good exhibits in the class, the AGM & Seminar 5. VARIETY. Traditional floury, high dry matter Irish varieties will be submitted for example National show was very impressive with a exceptional amount of exhibits. favoured. 10 marks a dish of Maxine saying It was good to see so many Southern Branch members exhibiting and so many 16th March 2013 6. UNIFORMITY & SHAPE. The tubers should be true to type. 10 they were Rooster, when doing well in the classes that they had entered. marks one potato is cut in half The branch had a number of members awarded National awards in recognition 7. EYES. Shallow eyes are advantages. 10 marks from the dish Maxine for their services to the NVS. Congratulations to all of them. RHS Wisley Gardens in the 8. WEIGHT. Each tuber should weigh approximately 170 grams (6 has white flesh, whereas This year the Branch are reducing the number of meetings from four to three Hillside Events Centre oz) 10 marks Rooster has a yellow flesh and the first one is on the 16th March, this being the AGM and it will also include 9. CONDITION. Fresh healthy tubers with an absence of any skin and of course a higher a Seminar after the AGM; hopefully we will see a number of members at this Committee Meeting 10.30am to 12pm diseases. 20 marks dry matter than Maxine. meeting, this is being held at RHS Wisley Gardens in the Hilltop Events Centre and 10.INTERNAL CONDITION. High dry matter is a definite advantage. Tom Maher a is booked for the whole day. Avoid internal disorders such as Spraing ,Boast ( Hollow heart), renowned potato judge We have two speakers for the Seminar, one to talk on the Modern Kitchen AGM 12pm to 12.30pm internal rust spot etc…………remember the judge is very likely to cut (and NVS member) in Garden and the other talk will be on Container gardening. one of your tubers in half. 20 marks Ireland would consider The Seminar is also open to the public, and hopefully we can attract some new These finals can attract up to 30 finalists and the total prize fund is Maxine as `` a bar of members. Refreshments €600 for each competition (the 1st prize being €250) soap’’ compared to the The other two Committee meetings are on the 11th June in the Pavilion at RHS Medwyn Williams judges the Bridge House collection of floury taste of Rooster. To Wisley Garden starting at 1pm and the other meeting is on the 22nd October in 1pm Talk by Peter Morris FNVS, Essex DA Vegetables and also other veg. classes. The standard has greatly try and hoodwink a judge London at the RHS Halls Westminster, starting at 3pm. Chairman. increased since he gave his first talk at our inaugural meeting of especially with potatoes The Branch held the judges exam on the 6th October at Hatfield Peverall, five “Container Gardening’’ the NVSI in 2005. The Bord Bia Potato Championship and The Veg comes up now and again. members took the exam and all being well they should have heard how they have collection does not suit everyone because of the qualifying shows, White potatoes would be the more obvious ‘’ Chance’’. Tom has told done by now. me that he would have no hesitation even at a local show to cut a I would like to thank Peter Morris/Cyril Smith and members from the Essex DA 2.15pm Talk by Barry Newman potato if he thought it was not true to type. for organising the exam. FNVS National Chairman. At many shows there is also a class for a dish of cooked If you would like to take the exam this year then get in touch with the Secretary potatoes, but if you are serious about this class you should cook a or myself for details and an application form. ‘’The Modern Kitchen Garden’’ Volcanic mineralsminer & trace elements few spares as they can be very fragile until you get them on the show The NVS now have a new web site, so if you have anything to put onto the web NOW AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE! bench. There are also classes for heritage varieties, kept going by site then get in touch with John Trim, his details are in the NVS directory. Outers of 40 x 450g Cartons Tickets will be available for NVS member that and Pallets of 50 x 20kg bags potato enthusiasts. In the past few issues of S/V we have been asking for a volunteer take over as available at up to are not members of the RHS, for entry into the 50% discount. There are many shows in Ireland that have been over a hundred the Branch Sub-editor as David Wall wishes to stand down. I tonne bags and bulk loads years in existence. Sponsorship is the life saver for these shows Peter Cranfield, Branch Vice Chairman and a member of the Essex DA has gardens from the main entrance on the day also available. because without it they would have folded long ago. A lot of shows kindly stepped into this position and will be taking over as of the April Issue of S/V.

name the sponsor over a particular class. We the NVS in Ireland So in the future can you please send your S/V reports to Peter. Peters’ contact from 10.00am to 10.30am. • Flowers love it! information is detailed above and is also included in NVS directory. • Veggies love it! sponsor the Junior All Ireland Vegetable Competition which is a direct • Tomatoes love it! entry competition held at Tullamore aimed at young growers up to David has done a excellent job of this, not only as the Branch Sub-editor but

• Compost loves it! • Worms love it! the age of 18. Help and guidance is very essential at this early stage. also as the Branch news letter Editor in the past and on behalf of the Branch We would like to see as many of you as • Life in our soil needs it! You can always spot a keen potential show enthusiast as they are not Committee I would like to thank him for all the time that he has put into this possible at this event. If you can come along, [email protected] put out asking questions to more experienced show people. position. can you please let the Chairman know so that M: 07715 707009 By Mick Walton Good luck to you all with your growing in the coming year and let us hope that we can make arrangements for refreshments To find your local stockist visit: the weather is a little kinder than last year. and entry into the gardens if necessary? Gordon Francis, FNVS Mick with his winning collection at Belfast Show.

60 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 61 conjunction with the Southern Branch AGM. It has been decided that Brown FNVS and Chris Hewlett (Broughton). 30 th July – 1st Aug: the seminar with talks by Peter Morris and Barry Newman will be held New Forest Show DA Stand. 10th Sept: Hants DA Mini Show. 8th News from the District Associations at RHS Wisley on 16th March 2013, the AGM commences at 11am, October: Gladioli – Jill Hazell. 12th November: Agronomist – Terry Devon District Association followed by the Seminars commencing at 1pm. All NVS members are Bratcher. 10th December: Annual General Meeting. All meetings will welcome, and entry to the gardens will be free on that day. be held at West Wellow Hall 7:30pm. Refreshments & Raffle : Prize Chairman: Ron Doidge, Treasurer: Alan Terry, Secretary: Dan We ended the afternoon with tea, sandwiches and homemade donations welcome Harvey, FNVS cakes. Thanks to Claire, Pat, Janet, and Sherie for providing these. For any further information about DA events and activities please A meeting of the Devon DA was held on October 30th with 15 General discussions about the last year’s growing season and plans contact Tony Stevens as above. Tony Stevens members and 1 guest present. The meeting was followed by a DVD for 2013 were discussed by all. by Graham Watson on growing carrots for exhibition. Emily Plumb Jersey District Association Another year is almost gone with a summer that most Devon Chairman, Graeme Le Maquand Tel: 07797 727216 or growers will want to forget. Potatoes have been a disaster, some Hampshire District Association email [email protected] have rotted in the ground, some crops are not worth harvesting and Chairman : Ted Perren, FNVS 01264 772814, Secretary: Tony For further information on the Jersey DA please contact Nora some still not lifted because the land is so wet. Other crops too have Stevens 01202 520688, E Mail : [email protected] Treanor on Email: [email protected] or Graeme Le Marquand suffered because of the extreme rainfall. The weather has been bad Since my last report we have had our mini show which was not on 07797 727216 or email [email protected] Nora Treanor enough, but pests and disease have been very active too. Slugs as well attended this year as in the past, although the members who have decimated many crops. Gardens are having problems with entered put in some quality vegetables and our Chairman Ted Perren Kent District Association rabbits, pigeons, badgers and the latest is deer eating runner beans. did the Judging, explaining what he was looking for in the exhibits so Chairman, Roger Simmons, Secretary, Gordon Francis, FNVS, Vice On disease: This year I did a trial with 4 varieties of onions: global, that our members gained some additional knowledge of what was Chair, Geoff Prior, Treasurer, Jean Francis Kelsae, a new exhibition variety and Santo seeds and sets. Downy required. An enjoyable evening was had by all who attended. A few We have had a very good year with a very good programme and mildew wiped out all but the Santo by the end of June. Needless to of our members entered Vegetables in the National Championships at two very good stands. The DA show at Bridge was very good with say I will only be growing Santo in future. Let us hope that we can Essex DA display at RHS Hyde Hall Taste of Autumn weekend Malvern and congratulations are due to Bob Brown and Chris Hewlett a increased number of exhibitors and exhibits and considering the have a much better year in 2013. who both got first places. They also had other vegetables in the weather the vegetables were of a very good quality. Diary Dates: Our next meeting is also the AGM and will be held cards as did Darren Blick on his first attempt. This was followed by a The stand at Edenbridge on the August Bank Holiday was at the Community Hall, Kingkerswell, on January 30th at 7.30pm. members evening where we all had a chance to question each other awarded a Gold award and best exhibit in the Marquee. For further information on Devon District Association matters and on growing methods and overcoming many problems. This coming year we have cancelled the February meeting and our activities, please call the DA secretary Dan Harvey on 01803 813056. Generally the DA has had a good year and we continue to have a first meeting is on the 13th March, this being the AGM. There is a Dan Harvey, FNVS good turn-out at our meetings where we try to have an interesting very good programme for the year which includes the Medway Plant programme of events for our members. Festival and the two stands, one at the Kent County Show and the Dorset District Association Next year we have a full calendar of events and we are particularly Edenbridge and Oxted show. Chairman: Dennis Hewitson, Secretary: David Miles FNVS, looking forward to our second Seminar where we have Medwyn Our programme is on the NVS web site and further details can be Treasurer: Sue Billington. Williams and John Branham as our speakers on 17th March. obtained from the secretary Gordon Francis Tel: 01622 710486 or Our last two meetings were: The Bee friendly garden on We are all looking forward to a new gardening year and hope that email [email protected] Gordon Francis, FNVS Wednesday October 17th when a presentation was given by the weather is a little kinder to us this season although as I write this Neil Lovesey of Picket Lane Nursery, Somerset. He explained the we have just had a freak snow storm. Surrey District Association current problems facing domesticated and wild bees and producers, We always look forward to meeting NVS members at these events Autumn 2012 saw the Surrey DA put up stands at the RHS London but his love of wild Bees was very evident and their variety and and you would always be made welcome. Autumn Shows and at the RHS Wisley Taste of Autumn Event. Many differences was especially interesting. This was followed by our I wish everyone a happy new year and success in your gardening thanks to our DA members who kindly gave their time at both these AGM and the incumbent committee were all re-elected for a further in the coming season. Diary Dates: 26th/27th Jan: Whitchurch Events and an especially warm thank you to our friends from other year. Additional committee members are myself and John Tinsley, Sherie Plumb, Peter Morris and Anthony Walters. Potato W/end DA Stand RG28 7GF (Entry Payable). 12th February: NVS DA’s who travelled from around the South to give their time and FNVS. Congratulations were given to both John and Margaret Anne Soft Fruits Talk by Peter Barwick. 17th March: Vegetable Seminar support. These events could not take place without all of your help. It Moores on their being granted fellowship of the NVS. Then on 14 weekend – but there were still over 1600 visitors through the gate on (Sunday) Doors Open at -13:00Hrs Medwyn Williams, MBE, is deeply appreciated. November we had a presentation by Ian Willis on the secret garden Saturday and over 1000 on Sunday! The event housed many different AHRHS, FNVS, John Branham, FNVS. 9th April: Collections Talk Diary Dates: 9th March AGM – East Horsley Village Hall, 11:00am at Serles House, Wimborne. Ian’s garden is very small, but again activities from farmer’s market stalls to apple tasting, wood carving, by Jim Thompson FNVS followed by a lunch at a local Pub (at members expense). Talks at his love of his particular subject was evident. Ian particularly likes and a small selection of farm animals for children (and adults) to pet. 11th May: Plant Sale (10:00am to 1:00pm) West Wellow. East Horsley: March 14th. “Vegetable Growing” Paul Templeton. May to rescue anything of historical value and turn it into a work of Art As a younger member myself, I noticed that there were more young 11th June: Talk from Tuckers seeds. 14th July: Garden Visit to Bob 9th. “What is Organic Vegetable Growing” Dusty Miller. September and his passion is in bringing the Art out of everything. Diary Dates: people, and especially young families interested in the display this 19th. “Stress-free allotments: avoiding gluts and pests” Victoria Our next meeting is in February at Milborne St. Andrew, Village Hall. year which was encouraging – and we managed to hand out quite a Ennion. November 14th. “Allotments in Japan” Dr Richard Wiltshire. All welcome. For further information on Dorset DA matters, please few membership leaflets – hopefully these will bear fruit! It was also East Horsley talks are held at East Horsley Village Hall, Kingston contact Dave Miles on 01258 454689. David Wall, FNVS nice to hear that so many people are growing vegetables be it on an Avenue, East Horsley, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT24 6QT. (About 10 allotment, in their own garden, or even in tubs and containers on a minutes’ drive from the A3/ RHS Wisley roundabout.) Talks at Redhill: Essex District Association patio. April 18th . “Growing Better Veg in 2013” David Thornton. This talk Chairman Peter Morris, Secretary Pat Eves, Treasurer Mike Jervis The Essex DA AGM was held at 2pm on 25th November at our will be held at Redhill Methodist Church, Gloucester Road, Redhill, We were asked once again by RHS Hyde Hall to put on a vegetable usual meeting place of Hatfield Peverel Village Hall and was quite well Surrey, RH1 1BP For further details of Surrey DA talks or Events display at their Taste of Autumn weekend. This year, our display was attended with 17 members present – probably the best attendance for please contact the Secretary, Sally Coleman on 0208 399 8809. moved from the e-barn with the farmer’s market stalls to the visitors’ an AGM to date. Apologies were received from Jan and Andy Gaskin. Sally Coleman lounge where we shared the space with King’s seeds and Lucy Halsall The Chairman’s report, Secretary’s report, and Treasurer’s report were the editor of Grow your own magazine who manned an advice desk. heard and agreed, and then we came to the election of the committee. Sussex District Association Fred and Sherie went up on the Friday afternoon to set up the The chairman, Peter Morris and Secretary, Pat Eves were willing to Our Mini Show was held in September but with a difference. NVS staging for the display with boxes, crates and green hessian provided stand again so they were quickly re-appointed. Our Treasurer, Mike Judge Richard Hilson ‘openly’ judged the 10 classes. He discussed by the RHS, and accompanied by Emily and Amy, met Peter Morris Jervis, after 11 years wished to stand down. We thanked Mike for his each class with the audience by pointing out what he was looking for, there early on Saturday morning. Peter’s contribution consisted of many years of service, and new Treasurer, Emily Plumb was voted in. faults, presentation and his eventual decision. He gave useful tips on some more unusual types of vegetables, such as kohl rabi – and It was discussed at last year’s AGM that perhaps there should be Hampshire District Association how to present each class for the best effect and what not to do. has anyone ever heard of the winter radish, Hilds blauer Herbst und a Vice-Chairman to act on Peter’s behalf should he be absent for any Annual Seminar 2013 There were some lively discussions and a huge amount of ‘Show’ Winter – it looks a bit like a ‘short’ long beetroot! Gordon and Pat Eves reason, but this didn’t go any further. This point was raised again this technique was learnt by everyone. It was Richard’s request that he soon followed with their vegetables - their tomatoes already nicely year and Sherie Plumb volunteered to take the position. Committee Sunday 17th March judged the Show like this and the evening was so successful we shall presented in baskets ready to go straight on the display. Then, Clare members remained the same: Sherie Plumb, Shirley Sawkins, and Venue: Wellow Village Hall, Button Lane, West Wellow, Romsey, repeat again next year. On October 6/7th a promotional stand was and Anthony Walters arrived with their contribution, and Anthony Peter Cranfield. Hampshire SO51 6BR put up at the South of England Autumn Show. A ‘guess the Potato trimmed the leaves of his cauliflowers and tied the necks of his onions The next item on the agenda was the programme for 2013. After Doors open at 1300 hours variety’ competition was run and provided some entertainment. whilst Clare helped Sherie in staging the baskets of potatoes. Fred some ideas from the floor, it was decided that our programme would 1st speaker: Medwyn Williams MBE AHRHS FNVS Many members also entered the competition classes where a record and Peter helped Emily and Amy stage the cauliflowers and cabbages, remain much the same as last year with 2 speakers, our 2 displays at 2nd Speaker: John Branham FNVS 106 entries were received. Overall winner was Roy Spooner from as well as leeks which acted as a centre piece of the display. During RHS Hyde Hall, our mini show, and our AGM at the end of the year. Entrance Fee £6 Sussex DA. The last meeting was in November with Neil Helyer the weekend, lots of people were amazed by the leeks – many even Dates of these events will be published in the programme to be sent Tickets available from: Mrs Ann Brown, 2 Cricketers View, from Fargro. His talk on Chemicals, Bugs and Things was as always stroked them because they thought they weren’t real. We all helped out early in 2013 as well as the mini show schedule. We are also Salisbury Road, Broughton, Stockbridge, Hants SO20 8BU interesting and keeps members up to date with modern trends. man the stand on Saturday, with Shirley Sawkins, Harry Sellars and hoping to post the dates on the ‘Events’ page on the NVS website. Diary Dates: January 9th is our AGM and Chairman Brian Jeffries Telephone: 01794 301444 Mike Jervis joining us on Sunday. One of the items of any other business was raised by Peter Cranfield will be talking on 50 years in Horticulture. Brian Jeffries Unfortunately, the weather was not too kind to us over the who mentioned that Gordon Francis proposed holding a seminar in email: [email protected]

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