Page 15 - Simply Vegetables Spring 2024

Gareth Griffin with his__ World-Record onion
Pest Management: An infestation of thrips caused severe foliar damage in late July. Gareth plans to utilise biological control methods next year.
Global Acclaim and the Record-Breaking Onion: In September 2023, Gareth’s efforts culminated in a record-breaking 19lb 12oz onion! The achievement gained international attention, showcasing the potential of organic methods and high- quality soil.
Advice for Aspiring Growers
Gareth’s success is a beacon of inspiration for all of us! His tips include:
• Startwithvigorous,healthyplanting
material – success begins with quality
seed and cuttings.
• Optimizemoisture,light,temperature,
and nutrition from propagation through final planting. Meticulous environment control is key.
• Monitorplanthealthroutinelyandbe prepared to tweak inputs. Catch issues early.
• Incorporateorganic-approvedfertilizers and pest control methods as needed to maximize plant performance.
• Forolderbeds,rejuvenatesoillifeand nutrition with amendments like Life- Cycle.
Gareth’s record is not just a personal victory but a testament to the power
of organic cultivation. His methods demonstrate the remarkable potential achievable in the hands of a dedicated gardener. With careful attention to inputs and environment, we can all inch closer to the upper limits of vegetable production.
To see more detail on this topic, why
not have a look at Gareth’s blog on the subject; https://blog.ecothrive.co.uk/2023/09/30/ how-organic-growing-techniques- produced-a-record-breaking-onion/
Update Asian Hornets: plea to stay vigilant
By way of an end of year update there were 72 Asian hornet nests found in 56 locations in 2023. The locations were mainly in the South (Devon, Dorset, East Sussex, Surrey, Essex, London, Hampshire) but North and East Yorkshire and the Northeast also featured. Following enhanced monitoring in Kent the NBU located
a nest in Rye week commencing 17 November 2023. This was the last nest detected and destroyed in 2023. Following that destruction in Rye
in mid November 2023 the National Bee Unit’s (NBU) active surveillance closed but the NBU has carried on responding to credible sightings of individual Asian Hornets and nests.
As we are fast approaching Spring 2024 let’s remember how 2023 started. The first sighting in 2023 was on 5 April when the NBU received
a credible triaged report of an Asian Hornet discovered inside a cauliflower within a weekly vegetable delivery in Northumberland approximately 20 miles north of Newcastle upon Tyne - the cauliflower was produced in France and whilst this was a single hornet incursion it does highlight the need for vigilance and the need to raise risk awareness.
At the date of writing (January 2024) we await the NBU’s DNA analysis of the
72 nests destroyed which will indicate the extent of the problem we face. If nests were missed in 2023 (or indeed 2022) then over wintered mated queens have the capacity to produce up to 300 new queens in subsequent years and with these numbers, it is easy to see how important it is to catch every nest, if possible, to eradicate all incursions. By the time I deliver the Zoom talk on 20 March 2024 hopefully the DNA analysis will be published so that we have a clearer picture.
As we are out and about in our gardens and allotments can we stay alert to the over wintered hibernating queens coming out of hibernation in early February and March usually to be seen feeding on camellia or other early flowering plants.
People who suspect they have seen an Asian hornet should report it immediately using the phone app ‘Asian Hornet Watch’ or the online reporting form:
https://risc.brc.ac.uk/alert. php?species=asian_hornet
Also see NBU Asian hornet rolling news page for latest status
https://www.nationalbeeunit.com/ about-us/beekeeping-news/2023-asian- hornet-rolling-updates/
Vanessa Jones
Master Beekeeper
The hornet found in the cauliflower from France shows why we should import as little fresh food as possible as they can carry both pests and diseases. It is important that we all keep
our eyes open and report any sightings of Asian Hornet; remember that much of our fruit and some vegetables need to be pollinated to produce a crop and for that we need bees as well as other pollinating insects. - Ed
Simply Vegetables 15