Page 8 - Simply Vegetables Autumn 2021

As I write these comments and
look out of the window there is yet more rain falling and more forecast for the weekend. It is the first year I can remember that my water butts are as full in August as they were
in April. They have been regularly topped up by the frequent showers that started back in late spring; some of the showers have been very heavy. Anyone who is still denying climate change must be living on another planet. I am at present doing a short course on climate change which is very interesting but does ram home the effects it is having on the planet and the increasingly detrimental effects in the future. It is to be hoped that the politicians can
come to an agreement
at COP 26 in Glasgow
in November. But more
importantly they actually
do something – action
seems to be lacking
at present. I accept it
is not all down to the
politicians and is up to
all of us to do our bit,
having said that some leadership from the government would help galvanise the population.
This week I had a card from the water company through the door
with an interesting statement which read “Next time you make a cuppa, remember to only boil what you need. As well as saving water, it can cut the
8 Simply Vegetables
energy cost of heating your kettle by
a third. In fact, if everyone did it, the UK could save more than £1 million
a week. That sounds like everybody’s cup of tea.” Well worth thinking
about next time you heat any water whether in a kettle or saucepan. On the front of the card, it said “Saving water saves you money, cuts carbon and protects the environment. It all makes a difference”. We can all make a difference, and it is a great shame that more people do not do more; reducing waste, recycling, saving energy do not require much effort and will make a difference. If we are not careful, we will be the generation that leaves the
can be harvested overwinter, most will be ready in the spring some for the hungry gap period when vegetables can be in short supply. Aim to use seasonal foods for your meals, not vegetables that have been flown halfway around the world therefore having massive food miles.
I read in magazines and on the internet and hear on the radio that
the number of people gardening
has increased greatly since the first lockdown. This is excellent and is good for both their mental and physical health, hopefully some are growing their own vegetables and fruit. If you know of anyone who is new to vegetable growing, please encourage them and of course recommend the NVS.
Now is the time of year to plant bareroot trees and bushes – well from November it is. Try to encourage any new gardeners to plant a tree, there are a wide range of fruits, types of tree and cultivars available now. Bareroot trees are a reasonable price especially if purchased from a nursery, before buying just think what the eventual size of the tree will be; get the right tree for the right place. Most fruit trees and some ornamental trees are grafted onto a rootstock which controls the eventual size of the tree, speed of growth and how early it starts fruiting. Unless you have a large garden make sure you get a tree on a dwarfing or semi-dwarfing rootstock. If you or
Kelvin’s Comments
I hope you are all avoiding COVID-19 especially those of you in the worse affected areas, at least in the garden or on the allotment is a safe place. Hopefully things will improve in 2022 and we will return to normality. There are still very few shows taking place, so far, I have judged at three (its early August) and have four more in late August and early September. I was also one of the judges at the Southern Branch Virtual Championships,
this was an interesting experience although it is not very easy if the competition is close as you cannot pick up and examine the exhibits; but at least it is better than no show at all.
Next time you make a cuppa, remember to only boil what you need
planet in a bigger mess than we took over and a massive debt for future generations to sort out. I am not sure what they will think of us!
So please do your bit, save water, save energy, recycle, reduce your car mileage and grow your own food, which I am
sure many of you do. As a target aim to be self-sufficient in vegetables for the year, get the maximum productivity from your garden and allotment regardless of how small it is. To help you along those lines I have penned an article on autumn sowing and planting so that you can continue to grow over winter. Some of the crops
KELVIN MASON, NATIONAL MAGAZINE EDITOR