Page 35 - Simply Vegetables Winter 2022/23

Letters
I would be pleased to receive letters on any vegetable or fruit related topic, they can be as long or short as you like and do not take as much time as writing an article.
Some suggested topics could
be feedback on the magazine or NVS, are we giving you want you want? Have you any growing or recycling tips, recipes, or advise for members. Should we be putting pressure on politicians to encourage more vegetable growing both
home grown and commercially? Are we doing enough to reduce our effects on climate change – I would be particularly interested in any younger members opinions on this issue? How do we encourage more of the younger generation to join the NVS?
Many societies and some
of our DA’s have trouble filling officer positions and even getting committee members, how could this problem be resolved? I know of a number of gardening clubs that have folded owing to lack of committee members.
There are a number of topics above but please feel free send letters on any relevant topics. I look forward to hearing from some of you.
Dear Editor,
I have noted your comments in Simply Vegetables on growing green manures which may be used to improve soil fertility as an alternative to using bulky forms of organic matter like animal manures. Green manure comprises of plants which are sown, grown and dug in or composted, some of which add nitrogen from the air to the soil. They also prevent the leaching of nitrogen from the soil that would need replacing by adding fertilisers. Green manure has dense foliage which is
a good weed suppressant and gives the soil protection from the winter rains to stop soil panning. Care must be taken to choose which green manure to use as it must be appropriate to the following crop, for example do not use a brassica green manure if the next crop is to be a brassica.
There are various forms of green manure including grasses like Italian ryegrass, legumes like vetches, field beans, clover and alfalfa. The packets or catalogues give details of the soil preparation and sowing method and depth along with the sowing rate.
On a separate point can any member advise as which seeds require no light and which require light for germination and whether to cover with newspaper or not.
Dear Editor,
I have been doing some research into plum trees recently as my neighbour’s fruit tree produced no fruit, my research showed that the yellowing leaves showed a lack of nitrogen or magnesium, and a weak feed of Epsom Salts would cure the problem which it did.
A more difficult case was how to lower the soil pH which had become too high owing to constant applications of mushroom compost which contains lime. The remedy was to apply chelated iron to the plants or soil. I found sulphate of iron in the garden centre and the packet instruction said to apply in spring. This does not work as well as chelated iron as some of the iron gets locked in the soil by the high pH. An RHS analysis advised no lime for 3 to 5 years and that the soil was suitable for growing brassicas, peas, broad beans, and lettuce.
Yours sincerely,
Roger Clements, Bristol
Morning Kelvin,
It’s been over 10 years since the we voted on the idea of reducing the quantities
in some of the classes at our National Championships, and it was categorically rejected at the time (Malvern 2012). That’s democracy and I certainly accepted it but with reservations about the future of the hobby at the highest level. I’m still left open- mouthedwhenIrecallonestrongobjector say it would lead to too many entries! However, in the intervening years some
of the classes in question (blanch leeks and long beet in particular) have barely had enough entries to warrant all 5 tickets being awarded at our premier event, and with quite a few of our regular exhibitors sadly passing away or have stopped growing to show altogether I believe it’s time to put the subject to a vote again.
I recently put a poll on the NVS Facebook page to gauge views on the subject. A constant counter argument that I hear is that The National should be special and therefore numbers should be more to make it harder and more prestigious to win. If that were the case then the quantities for 250g onions, potatoes and pot leeks should
be more, but instead they are the same
as at every branch show. Silence usually ensues when you mention this. Therefore, my worry is that the growers of those crops that are the hardest to lift and prepare are being unfairly treated, and I was amused by votes against a reduction from growers who don’t show them.
Poll results were:
• Thatblanchleeksbereducedfrom
5to3–39infavourto3against
(93% in favour)
• That celery be reduced from
3to2–24infavourto10against
(70% in favour)
• That parsnips be reduced from
5to3–31infavourto8against
(79% in favour)
• That long carrots be reduced from
5to3–29infavourto10against
(74% in favour)
• That long beetroot be reduced from
5to3–33infavourto4against
(89% in favour)
Quite overwhelming results in favour
therefore don’t you think? I could have gone further and asked the same questions about exhibition onions and 1.5kg onions,
(only 5 entries in each at Malvern), stump rooted carrots, tomatoes, beans, and peas but decided to only investigate the large/ long crops for now i.e., those that take the most effort (by far!) in lifting/preparation and transportation. I said in 2012 that
there would come a time when we simply could not ignore this issue, and I believe that time has now come to some extent. I votedagainstareductionmyself(fornow!) in celery, parsnips, and long carrots, but
I certainly believe the time has come to reduce blanch leeks and long beet.
I was interested to see several votes
in favour of reducing blanch leeks from exhibitors who have been in the tickets
at the National Championships, or else have benched at branch level and who specialise in them. That to me is very telling and thus a no-brainer. Blanch
leeks must be the most difficult veg to
get to the show because of the size some of the top boys are achieving, I have nothing but admiration for those that do so, especially if they are also doing the collection of 6 and the 3x2 when potentially they’ll be travelling with 10 specimens to
a National. And having shown long beet
Simply Vegetables 35