Page 18 - Simply Vegetables Autumn 2024

Jersey Growing
GRAEME LE MARQUAND FNVS
2024 has been a very difficult year, not only in Jersey, but throughout the world, especially with climate change.
Growing fruit and vegetables this year, has become a bigger challenge than ever before.
For instance at the time of writing this article, Monday, the 22nd of July, I still have sweet peppers In my poly tunnel, that need to ripen even my Marmande tomatoes are struggling to colour up .
The nectarines, that I grow in my poly tunnel were only harvested on the 21st of July, with a much smaller crop than last year. But saying that, they were well worth waiting for.
What was interesting was the cherry tomatoes in their vibrant colours although late in ripening, I can honestly say that most of them were ready for picking, at the beginning of July.
One of my favourites, was the Golden Orange coloured cherry variety, of the honeycomb tomato, which apparently can produce bumper crops of 150-200 fruits per plant. So, I took it upon myself to grow one of these plants in a 25 Litre pot of compost, which has been watered twice a day, and given a twice weekly liquid feed. These tomatoes have a superb, sweet flavour, especially when they’re ripe, and are definitely worth giving a go.
As regards to the outdoor vegetables, I must say that the only vegetables that
were top of the pops, were, the Horizon climbing peas, that were sown in a recycled loft water tank with a 5-foot (1.5m) climbing frame attached to it, taking into account that the water tank was 2 foot off the ground, it needed a long arm to reach
the top of the frame. This is my second
year to grow these peas and the crop is outstanding! At the time of writing this article, there were still plenty more of these peas to be harvested.
Other than that, the carrots that have been grown outdoors are still struggling, and the celeriac, that was planted on the 19th of April will not be fully mature, until mid-August.
Also, I have just finished planting my winter squash Harrier which have been planted in, a recycled Hellman’s bottomless pots, which I do every year. And as I have mentioned before, the watering flows down, directly to the roots of the squash,
Pea crop
through the sides of the pot, instead of evaporating on top of the soil, especially out here in Jersey, where I live, where my soil is very light. Also, the same principle applies when giving the squash a liquid feed.
I wonder what 2025 holds for us all?
Celariac
Squash plants
Harvesting apricots
Tomato crop
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