Page 54 - Simply Vegetables Autumn 2023

NVS Lancashire DA
Weather report – extremes all year so far. Cold, then hard frost for a week, a
lot of rain, heat wave for 6 weeks – 55 degrees in the glasshouse - so hot it scrambled the thermometer screen. I put it in the fridge, which seemed to revive it. If only we could’ve taken turns to join it in the fridge!!! Then torrential rain, days of it, turning into weeks. I’m sure most folk around the country have suffered equally, if not worse.
Despite best efforts
again, growing wise
it’s been disastrous
with some crops - no
thanks to the weather.
The Aubergines are
smothered in aphids – I
have sprayed them, made
various concoctions,
washed them, nothing so
far has got rid of them.
Turn your back and they’re smothered. We’ve had plenty of hover flies around to eat them, just not fast enough.
Caterpillars have devastated the Chinese cabbage I was growing for Chorley Flower Show, shredded my variegated horseradish and had a go at the kale. Whilst the whitefly may have gone this year, with less red lily beetle, we’ve had a continued infestation
of scale insect. They’re sneaky, very sneaky – they blend into the colour of the stem, so they’re quite un-noticeable for a while. After some research, it seems they’re difficult
to eradicate due to having a “hard” shell. Mass murder between fingers has been quite quick and effective but you do have to thoroughly examine the plant and regularly.
Early in the year, I won a selection of seed from Burpee Europe Seed. The corn – Fiesta – has done very well. The colour of the husk on the cob is outstanding. It’s grown so tall too, too tall for Chorley. The aubergines are good strong healthy plants, despite aphid attack. These are too large for display, so I did some in smaller, more manageable pots.
For the third year running I’ve been asked by DA Member, Andrew Clark, Deputy Head at Chorley St James’ CofE Primary School; to judge their inter-schools flower show. This year it was inside, due to likelihood of rain and it was a bit windy too.
I was met by the Gardening Club, who got stuck into stewarding and writing prize cards, whilst Mr Clark totted up the scores along the way. They asked lots of questions,
listened to what I was looking for, better ways
of presenting, paying attention to the detail in the schedule, with little jubilant fists if one of their entries won. The school hall was full of exhibits, ranging from fruit, veg, herbs, paintings, crafts, school gardening ledgers, scarecrows. There was
There was a fantastic dish of garlic which for me was best
School hall
During “dinner time” Mr Clark and I developed an idea he had come up with to encourage more schools to take part, help them grow and display their produce better. Hopefully later in the year, we can put on an event to support the schools, our future growers, and horticulturalists.
In a few days’ time, the DA will be setting up for Chorley Flower Show at Astley Park. It’s a great little show which has grown over the years it’s been running. There were so many entries in last year’s Amateur Marquee – veg, fruit, flowers, plants. I think BBC Radio Lancashire’s Stephen Lowe is visiting again.
DA Members will be coming together to bring whatever is ready – potluck with some stuff – to put on the Chorley display. I’m taking some plants again. If they don’t make it on the display, they can stay as
in show
a fantastic dish of garlic which for me was best in show.
I had a great, tasty “school dinner” of jacket potato with beans and coleslaw, fruit, and a massive biscuit – I didn’t eat it all. Didn’t have this when I was at school!! Then I went for a look round the school garden and polytunnel. This year they’ve got beehives in an enclosure.
Later in the afternoon, some of the other schools who’d taken part, came back to see the show benches and prizes. This year for the first time, Chorley St James, won the best school garden and most points in show. I don’t know who was more excited, Mr Clark or the children! (Mr Clark, Gardening Club, Dave the Scarecrow who was talk of the school)
Garlic
Aubergine
Mr Clarke and the Gardening Club
54 Simply Vegetables