Vegetables A-M

There is no attempt in what follows to provide a “how to grow a crop” guide although, in general, there tends to be more information on crops that are not widely grown.  This is simply an attempt to distil the experiences of different plot holders in the hope that you will find the occasional observation on varieties or approaches to cultivation that is new and (hopefully) useful. Clicking on the heading for the majority of crops will bring up a background article on it from elsewhere on the Web in a new window); the majority have been garnered from Wikipedia, the free online encyclopaedia that anybody can contribute towards. The quality of these articles varies: as with most topics on Wikipedia, some are very comprehensive, while others are not so thorough. Other links are periodically scattered through the text. Any recommendations on links to better background articles or additional links to items of note will be gratefully received. 

Asparagus plants are perennial and can last for 20+ years. One plot holder with 10 plants considers that this produces too small a crop. Another with 24 plants is happier with the volume of produce. Whatever the size, the bed needs to be well prepared, incorporating lots of organic matter.

Although they can be grown from seed, it is generally encouraged that one-year old or the more expensive two-year old crowns are purchased. Asparagus should not be picked until the beginning of the third season in the case of one-year old crowns, i.e. when the plants are two years old, to allow them to build up sufficient strength. Even then they should only be harvested sparingly, say for 3 weeks. In subsequent years it will be possible to crop fully, typically for six weeks. Two-year old crowns should not be picked at all until they are three years old.

The major nuisance when the plants are left to build up their strength for the following season is the black and red asparagus beetle, which usually appears in late May or early June. It is very good at hiding. It is the small caterpillars that hatch from eggs laid by the beetle that do the actual damage, eating the fronds. Apart from spraying with a contact insecticide such as Derris, try laying newspaper on the ground before the beetle is in full egg production mode, and shaking the plants vigorously so that the beetles fall onto the newspaper, from where they can be disposed of. On mature plants, in seasons when the infestation is not widespread it can be possible to get away without doing anything, as the plants will tend to recover.

The foliage is cut down to ground level when it has died off, usually around the end of November. Periodic mulching (say every couple of years) with well-rotted organic material will be beneficial, as will an annual feed of (calcified) seaweed. 

F1 Cito, a French variety, has been grown successfully from one year old crowns. This is an early variety that produces spears from early April onwards. The main disadvantage of early asparagus is that spears are more likely to be damaged by frost. The outer skin of the bottom inch of the spear is bit fibrous and it pays to peel this section. F1 Franklim and Earliana have also been grown successfully.

Steaming in bundles of up to 10-12 spears in around one inch of water is the easiest way to cook asparagus, ideally in an asparagus steamer (a useful addition to the kitchen if you have 20 or more plants). It typically takes 6-8 minutes, depending on the size of spears and whether you like it “al dente” or not. Other recipes can be found on the British Asparagus web site.

Aubergines can be grown outdoors on the plot although the rate of success often varies from year to year. Intuitively, 2006 should have been a very good year rather than the merely satisfactory one that it turned out to be. In fact a consistently warm summer is required to produce a good crop and August 2006 was arguably not warm enough. They need quite a long growing season and plot holders tend to sow in mid to late March indoors, planting out in the open in late May or early June. Some plot holders provide further protection by putting the plants in a cloche or cold frame at this time where they remain until the plants are bursting to get out, usually around the end of June.

Many varieties have been tried in attempts to find a consistent performer for Sunningdale conditions, but nobody seems to go out of their way to recommend one particular variety. Current varieties that are grown include: Moneymaker, Black Beauty and Purple Prince.

Aubergine does not freeze very well, although a reasonable number of people make ratatouille (which includes aubergines) and freeze that.

Broad Beans are a very popular crop, not least because they are one of the earliest summer crops. Blackfly is the major problem and for this reason the majority of plot holders sow in the autumn, as the winter-hardened plants are less appealing to the aphids than spring-sown ones. The other age-old tip is to pinch out the growing points before blackfly can get established. One companion planting idea that I have read about (but cannot verify) is to plant aubergines next to the beans. Rust can be a problem in damp seasons such as 2007.

Aquadulce is the standard variety for autumn sowing, although one plot holder is trying Masterpiece Green Longpod this coming season. The most popular spring-sown variety is The Sutton although varieties such as Imperial Green Longpod, Bunyard's Exhibition and Scorpio are also grown.

Broad Beans are frozen by most plot holders.

Bean, Climbing

Bean trenches filled with green waste or rotted material are a popular means of preparing the ground for these crops. Techniques vary but can include some or all of the following: several layers of newspaper placed in the bottom of the trench (to help retain moisture); green waste that will eventually rot, including slow rotting  items such as brassica stalks; manure or other well-rotted organic material.

There is no clear favourite Runner Bean. Varieties in use include: Scarlet Emperor, White Lady, Painted Lady, White Achievement, Best of All, Prizewinner, Enorma, Sunset, Armstrong, Red Rum and Desiree.

Climbing French Bean varieties include: Cobra which is the most popular, Blue Lake (an old favourite) and Borlotti from saved seed - Borlotti Bean Lingua di Fuoco 3 is an equivalent variety.

Blackfly is a common problem on both crops, particularly on Runner Beans. Chemical spraying, spraying with diluted washing up liquid or companion planting (marigolds and /or sweet peas) is used to combat them. Rust can be a problem, particularly on late-sown plants in damp seasons.

2006 verified the old adage that Runner Beans prefer cool conditions, as they struggled to cope with the July heat, notwithstanding the fact that the contents of the bean trenches may have kept the plants growing. There was a significant amount of correspondence in the national press at the time on this problem; some had ideas that they will not grow above certain daytime or night-time temperatures. Two observations from Sunningdale are: where double rows are planted the row which faced east seemed to do slightly better, as it was shaded from the afternoon and evening sun; and beans that are shaded by the trees around the periphery of the site also benefited, relatively speaking. The bottom line is that the flowers find it difficult to set in dry conditions. Spraying the flowers with water in the relative cool of the late evening is the age old approach to this problem. Successional sowing helped one plot holder to limit the losses: he has an early sowing under glass; a normal mid-May sowing out of doors; and a final sowing in early-mid June. It was amazing that most people’s plants recovered quickly once the rains arrived in August.

Climbing French Beans cope better than Runners with the dry conditions, managing to set beans, although even they do not particularly appreciate temperatures that are consistently in the mid 90s (34C-36C).

Ying Yang (sometimes called Orca or Calypso) is an alternative climbing bean, which can be grown for the pod or the seed although the pods tend to be small (3 inches).

Most plot holders freeze Runners but not French, as the latter lose their texture.

Many plot holders save both Runner and Climbing French seed from one year to the next.

Dwarf French Beans appear to cope well with dry conditions. Varieties in use include: Safari (very popular), Prince and Twiggy.

They can also be cultivated for the seed rather than for the pods. Borlotto Firetongue pods are attractive to look at, and the beans are excellent in soups and stews.

Some advice on growing both climbing and dwarf French beans can be found here

Beetroot is a relatively troublefree crop. Bolting is usually the only problem, particularly with early sowings. This tends to drive the choice of variety. Boltardy (the most popular) and Moneta are both resistant to bolting. Red Ace is also grown.

Some plot holders sow beetroot successionally from April to July, while others limit themselves to a single sowing, using thinnings for early use, particularly in salads.

The popular method of storing is by pickling. Larger quantities can be frozen whole (after cooking) although they lose some of their texture.

Members of the brassica family can suffer from more than their fair share of problems:

• Flea beetle can be a problem on brassicas that are sown directly into soil. The signs are tiny puncture holes in the leaves. In the worst case they can distort and even kill off plants that have not produced a solid set of true leaves (not the cotyledons). Covering the seedlings with fleece or Enviromesh will keep them at bay. Alternatively, dust with derris or ant powder. Once the plants are established the flea beetle should not be a problem
• pigeons will strip the plants bare given the least opportunity – netting the plants is a prerequisite at Sunningdale
• club root appears in a small number of places on the site (see Rhubarb-based solutions in Garden Recipes)
• grey aphid. It mostly affects Brussels sprouts. Good hygiene practice will help, e.g. do not leave old brassica plants lying around, as they will simply play host to the aphid during the late winter and early spring
• cabbage (or brassica) whitefly. Usually does not cause too much danmage to crops, except for occasional sooty mould on sprout buttons. Once again, good hygiene practice will help, e.g. do not leave old brassica plants lying around, as they will simply play host to the aphid during the late winter and early spring
• cabbage root fly – the standard solution is to place brassica felt collars (which you can purchase from a garden centre) around the base of each plant to provide a physical barrier and prevent the fly laying its eggs at the base of the plant. Small square pieces of old carpet will do equally well
• caterpillars - nets will mostly prevent the cabbage butterfly from laying its eggs on the plants.

There are two types:

• Summer (often called Calabrese). This type crops in the same season, i.e. July-September. Popular varieties include Autumn Spear and Express Corona while Summer Purple and Bordeaux have also been grown
• Winter/Spring. This type does not crop until late winter or early spring. Purple Sprouting is a popular variety while Claret and Red Arrow have also been grown.

See Brassica Problems.

Sprouts generally seem to be out of favour, as not many plot holders grow them. It is essential that they are grown in firm soil; otherwise there is a tendency for the sprouts to “blow” rather than to form nice tight buttons. Varieties include: Hamlet (not currently available), Nelson (touted as a replacement for the once popular Peer Gynt), Breeze and Rood Nerf-Seven Hills (poor report in 2006). Mid season varieties are more likely to provide a crop throughout the winter (October to March).

See Brassica Problems.

Cabbage

Need to talk to somebody who grows it?

See Brassica Problems.

I am not aware that anybody grows summer cauliflower? It requires much looking-after, and any moisture deficiency will lead to loose (as opposed to tight) curds. All The Year Round is a longstanding favourite.

One plot holder has tried F1 Trevi, a lemony-green cauliflower that crops in the autumn, but without too much success – possibly due to the dry period in the summer of 2006.

See Brassica Problems.

This is one of the less well-known vegetables that were once popular among epicures. It makes a large plant, 2 metres high by 1 metre across, and resembles a globe artichoke. Although it can be used as a substitute for globe artichoke (buds are picked just before they flower) it is more often grown for the blanched stems which can be eaten cooked or raw. Beware that unblanched stems are bitter.  It can be grown purely as an ornamental plant, as one plot holder does. Also, it has the advantage that bees are very much attracted to it.

Varieties in the seed catalogues fall into three main types:

• Early. Nelson (F1), Amsterdam Forcing, Early Nantes and Rocket
• Intermediate. Chantenay Red Cored and Maestro (claimed to have some resistance to carrot fly)
• Late. Autumn King is popular

Some growers grow one of each type while others limit themselves to an intermediate or late variety, using thinnings as early carrots for use in salads.

The major problem is the carrot fly. It is said to be attracted by smell and therefore it is recommended that they are thinly sown to minimise the amount of subsequent thinning that is necessary. One successful method of control is to grow the carrots in a square or rectangular area, surrounded by sheets of corrugated plastic (or similar). As the fly moves just above ground level - there are varying thoughts on precisely how high it flies (30cm is the highest figure that I have seen quoted), the carrots are protected. Enviromesh fleece is an alternative. Another approach that has been tried successfully by one plot holder is to sprinkle flowers of sulphur around the plants to offset the smell of the carrot. A suggested companion planting approach is to grow carrots and onions together to help disguise the smell.

In some recent seasons badgers have taken a liking to carrots, usually in dry periods. Unfortunately, they can make quite a mess of the bed while they are foraging. Belatedly, the corrugated plastic idea has acquired a second purpose: the badger could obviously destroy the barrier if he put his mind to it but it has not happened so far. Perhaps he is content with finding easier pickings on those plots that do not put obstacles in his way?

Late carrots can be left in the ground until the first severe cold snap, typically at least until the end of November in this area, or until the ground becomes sodden in a wet autumn.

Celeriac can be difficult to grow, as it has a tendency to go woody if the soil dries out and it is not watered adequately. One plot holder grows it regularly (to my knowledge); he grows the variety Monarch while another plot holder has tried Snow White for a couple of years. It will keep for 3-4 months if stored in a cool place. It is often eaten raw, grated in salads.

Celery is seldom grown at Sunningdale, as it also needs plenty of moisture - celery and celeriac are both descended from bog plants. Blanching the stems can also be a messy business, which arguably adds to its relative unpopularity. This latter criticism can be addressed by growing self-blanching varieties, e.g. Golden Self-Blanching 3, although they are not hardy and will succumb to the first frost.

The main problems with celery are slug damage, occasional spots of rust, and hollow / fibrous stems when there has been insufficient moisture.

As well as eating it raw, self-blanched celery can be chopped up into pieces and frozen (raw) for subsequent use in soups and stews.

There are several forms of chicory but this discussion is limited to the classic bullet-shaped Whitloof or Belgian chicory which is so expensive to buy. It is sown in late spring, dug up after a few frosts, and then the roots are forced in pots (in the dark) to provide crunchy and tasty leaves through the winter. It is seldom grown at the allotments, as it is considered too messy.

Courgettes are invariably prolific; they do not seem to be greatly affected by dry conditions, particularly where the ground has been well-manured or composted; and they are generally troublefree except for mildew late in the season during cool wet periods. F1 Green Bush is the most popular variety. Tristar (dark green, light green and yellow fruits) and F1 Defender (resistance to Cucumber Mosaic Virus which can very occasionally be a problem) are also grown.

Some alternative thoughts on cooking: cut into thin 1-2 inch long (julienne) strips and stir fry; or cut in half lengthways, put some chopped garlic on them, drizzle with oil, sprinkle some herbs on top, and bake in the oven at 180C for around 40 minutes.  I am certain that there are lots of other good recipes out there, e.g. Courgette fritters with Parmesan.

Garlic is a relatively troublefree crop. Although it is a member of the allium (onion) family it does not appear to suffer from most onion problems. Rust can affect some varieties, particularly autumn-planted in wet winters.

The majority of plot holders prefer autumn rather than spring planting. A number of people have successfully planted cloves from ordinary garlic bulbs that have been purchased in the supermarket. One plot holder used to save seed – note that some garlic produce aerial bulbils (not actually seed) while others do produce seed. Very few plot holders can tell you which variety they grow. Cristo seems to be generally popular in the UK although it can be difficult to get hold of.  The Isle of Wight has become a popular place for raising garlic stock in recent years.

This is a very useful garlic-specific site.

This is a troublefree though seldom grown crop. It grows from knobbly-shaped tubers that are planted underground, similar to potatoes, in February or March. 4-6 plants are probably sufficient for most people. Growth is tall (8-10 feet) and erect. The foliage can be cut down to 18 inches or so when it starts to die off, usually in late October or November. They will happily remain in the soil over the winter and can be dug up when required. Selected tubers can be retained for planting next season.

As regards cooking, they are mild and slightly nutty and can be treated much like a potato – roasted, boiled or mashed. There are also various soup recipes. One disadvantage is that they can give you wind!

Kale has become a popular winter crop in recent years. It will withstand the most adverse weather conditions.

Dwarf Green Curled is a popular variety.

It can suffer from the usual brassica problems.

One simple method of cooking is to shred it and steam for 4 minutes.

Leek

Leeks are a staple and reliable winter crop. They can be harvested from October through to the end of February; they have a tendency to start going “woody” in March. Musselburgh, a hardy variety, is by far the most popular. Other varieties include Lyon - Prizetaker, Toledo and Autumn 2 Argenta.

Rust and Leek Moth (maggots burrow down leaves towards the base of the plant) are the main problems although neither should affect the crop greatly if early action is taken. The standard treatment in both cases is to remove diseased leaves, or parts thereof. In the case of the leek moth, the maggot / caterpillar’s progress in tunnelling down the leaves can easily be spotted. Removing any dying outer leaves or reducing the length of healthy leaves is an old recommendation to encourage the plant to produce more leaves and hence thicken the stem; so removing the odd diseased leaf should not do any damage. The caterpillars can also be dealt with by squeezing them between the fingers. An alternative solution is to use horticultural fleece such as Enviromesh to provide a physical barrier. Spraying with copper fungicide (to provide a physical barrier) can help to minimise rust if it is particularly bad.

Many simply grow courgettes and let the occasional fruit grow larger. This can happen inadvertently when a “hidden” courgette is missed or you are away on holiday).

A number of plot holders have grown marrow vegetable spaghetti (when cooked the inside resembles strands of spaghetti). F1 Tivoli is a popular variety of this type of marrow.