Page 9 - Simply Vegetables Spring 2023

Firstly, my apologies to any members who had a late delivery of the January edition of the magazine which I think was owing to the postal strikes. If this edition is also late, please let your branch secretary know so that we can investigate the matter.
Many members may not know but the magazine is proofread by Fiona Shenfield and Neil Hope and Neil has recently retired from this after many years doing it, in fact before I took over as editor. I would like to thank Neil for his time and effort in proofreading especially as he often spotted things I did not. Whilst on the topic of proofreading if you have the skills to do this and would like to volunteer, please contact me, my details are at the bottom of page 3.
Kelvin’s Comments
KELVIN MASON FNVS, NATIONAL MAGAZINE EDITOR
As I type this in early February, I finished my digging and mulching in late January so hopefully the remaining winter will produce a good tilth for sowing and planting. The wet and then cold weather delayed starting my digging, but it finished off the green manure which made it easier to dig in. I
still need to wash the greenhouses and various containers to be ready to start sowing and will start that once this edition of the magazine is complete. A delay may not be a bad thing as it
should help to reduce
the length of time I am
heating the propagator so
helping to keep my electric
consumption down. I hope
to start sowing in the
middle of the month but
will see how the weather
goes; I am becoming
convinced that we will have
two growing seasons in
the future, an early spring
sowing period to harvest by June and a late summer period to sow in mid to late August for autumn harvesting. We will have to wait and see how the next few years pan out. Have a read of Adrian Read’s comments in the Northern Branch reports (even if you are not a Northern member) and note his comments on the weather.
Also in this magazine is an article on the Judges exams by the Chairman Jim Williams setting out the changes that have been implemented following a report presented to the Trustees by Raymond Higgins. If you have ever thought about becoming a judge now could be the time to give it a go, read the article and then
contact your branch secretary or DA and arrange to shadow an existing judge(s) a few times before taking the exam. There is a shortage of judges in most parts of the U.K and if local flower shows are to continue, we need more judges, and you never know you could be judging the Nationals one day!
In this edition there are articles by regular contributors and new ones
done on the sowing and planting times in the UK. There is also an article on the Law of Limiting Factors, don’t be put off by the title as I am sure you will find it interesting and hopefully useful.
Fiona Shenfield has been busy again producing the What’s On guide and her round up of events in the NVS. Also, Raymond Higgins has typed the Trustees News and the articles on the recent survey, changes to the National Championships and recent NVS zoom talks. I am very pleased we have a new contributor, Graham Roberts penning an article on Growing in Containers which is a method of growing anyone can use regardless
of how large or small an area they have available. Another new contributor is
Lucy Hill who has submitted an article on Country Markets which offer you a chance to sell any surplus produce you have grown. In the current economic climate this could be a way for some members to supplement their income especially if on a small pension.
Finally I should not forget Derek Brooks article on seasonal work in the garden
and allotment and the April to June period is the peak sowing and planting time so hopefully you are busy in the garden or on the allotment, aim to make full use of any ground / space you have and try to be self- sufficient in vegetables at least and fruit if possible.
Happy and Productive Growing.
Kelvin
If you have ever thought about becoming a judge now could be the time to give it a go
so hopefully something to interest everyone, Marion Neden has some recipes to help use your home grown produce and feed you
and I have recycled one
of Mary Thomas’s recipes from 2008. Gerry Edwards covers pollination which hopefully has gone well or is going well at this time of the year, to ensure a good
crop of fruit pollination is critical. Emily Plumb updates us on growing Red Rover onions and Graeme Le Marquand keeps us up to date on his growing in Jersey.
Ron Nuttall gives guidance on growing gladioli which may surprise some members as gladioli are not vegetables; but if you are an exhibitor and wish to enter a Master Gardener class or similar you will need some flowers and possible fruit. Gladioli along with dahlias or chrysanthemums are the most common flowers used although
I have seen others like the annual aster (Callistephus), cosmos, zinnias and similar flowers. Ron has a second article on frost damage and protection echoes one I have
Simply Vegetables 9