Page 34 - Simply Vegetables Winter 2022/23

Pea ‘Meteor’ June 5th
are suitable for good growth (especially weeds!). This will allow the growing of crops to later in the autumn and even early winter. Many of the salad leaves, oriental brassicas, beetroot, carrots will keep growing, at present (late October)
I have both carrots and fennel making good growth and I hope to harvest in
late November up to Christmas. In future years it may be worth starting crops in late August / early September when ground often becomes available with the aim to harvest in November and December. If started in modules in late August, the plants would be a good
Shallots ‘Vigarmor’
commercial crop. Also, I heard on the radio today that there has been a 200% increase in growing grapes in the U.K over recent years and that we are producing sparkling wines as good as champagne from France.
Crops we currently grow that will tolerate the hotter weather include tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, squash, pumpkins, sweet corn, and French beans. These will all need watering to get them established and the tomatoes will need watering for most of the summer unless it is a wet summer. Add plenty of organic matter when planting and deeply mulch if you
recommended to be grown in polytunnels or greenhouses will be worth a try outdoors if the warmer summers continue.
Growing more perennial vegetables may help to overcome some of the problems with changing climates as the plants
are ready established with good roots systems and seem to grow if not thrive
in the hot summers. Both my asparagus and Jerusalem artichoke have grown well in 2022, my rhubarb was O.K but went
to seed early which it seems a bit prone
to doing possible because I grew it from seed. As well as the three crops mentioned above other perennial vegetables worth
a try include Nine Star perennial Broccoli, other perennial brassica, Welsh onions, chives, sweet potato, oca, lablab bean. Also fruits like Kiwi fruit, passion fruit, kumquats and pineapple, figs, loquat and peanuts.
Those members who are fastidious enough it will pay to keep records of
the weather, temperatures, sowing and planting times, harvesting dates and yields and other useful details. This will help
to build a picture of the likely weather / climate in your area and your growing methods can be adjusted to adapt. I know this is a bit of a faff for a hobby, but it will be useful for future growing – I have to admit this is a case of do as I say not as I do!!
Over time the breeders will produce crops that are more adaptable to the dry conditions and likely climate and also bring in some crops that grow in warmer areas like the Mediterranean, California and parts of Australia.
In summary collect and store as much water as you can over the winter period, sow and grow crops overwinter, and improve your soil with organic matter. Try both early and late sowings to move the crops away from the hottest and driest weather. It may also be worth erecting some type of shade structure using shade netting to keep the temperature lower for the vegetables.
size by mid-September and ready to harvest
in November in years like 2022. It will work with lettuce especially the leaf types, chard, spinach, oriental brassicas, kale and similar crops. They will keep growing until the frosts stop them and some will overwinter to harvest in the spring.
Crops we currently grow that will tolerate the hotter weather include tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, squash, pumpkins, sweet corn, and French beans
have sufficient organic matter or artificial mulch like woven polythene or plastic.
Future crops we
can consider growing are many of the
pulses which are
being promoted by some magazines and growers. Pulses are
a good substitute for meat which we need to reduce, store well and some are legumes so do not need nitrogen fertiliser. Sweet potato has become popular in
if you have any spare
seed left over from the
summer it is well worth
trying. Leaf crops that
grow overwinter thus avoiding the droughts include Claytonia or winter purslane, corn salad, rocket, winter cress, some of the mustards and wasabino. These can be harvested lightly overwinter (during mild periods) and will produce good crops in the spring and up until they go to seed.
recent years and the warmer weather is likely to suit them if grown outdoors. It will also be worth trying melons and some of the newer cultivars are reputed to produce crops outdoors in the U.K, well at least the southern half; watermelons could be worth a try.
Malabar spinach is a crop that you see in some gardens like Wisley and Hyde Hall, it is a climbing plant that you eat the leaves and will produce a good crop over the summer period. Although a perennial it is not hardy in the U.K. Edamame beans are in some seed catalogues and are likely to be happy in warmer temperatures. Also, the yard-long bean which it is normally
So, what should we grow at the height of the summer when temperatures are at the highest and there is likely to be a drought or at least very dry conditions. We need
to look at crops that originate from the warmer climates of the world. Although not vegetables and not suitable for gardeners to grow there are commercial growers
in the U.K growing tea and olives as a
Shallots
34 Simply Vegetables