Page 45 - Simply Veg Issue 4 2018

Trials with layering tomato plants in order to improve fruit yields
In the meantime, we can all help bee populations to thrive by ensuring that they have plenty of forage flowers to feed on. Dandelions, whilst for many an unsightly menace in lawns, are actually very high in nectar content compared to other flowers. Borage nectar is very high in fructose which means that the honey produced from this flower stays runny in the jar rather than crystallising out. Beekeepers use smoke when working with bees and hives. The smoke pacifies the bees by inducing a feeding response which cancels out their otherwise normal defensive behaviour. During the afternoon of Monday 25th June, a party of 20 stalwarts braved the intense
heat of our typical British summer at the Stockbridge Technology Centre, Cawood, Selby. Julian Davies gave our party a guided tour of the premises which involves trials with various growing techniques adapted
for individual companies who pay for
the research services available from this independent company. Current trials focus on hydroponics, LED lighting using lights of different colour/wavelengths, trials with blight resistant potatoes and the testing of various growing mediums and feeding regimes.
Our mini exhibition display stand
There were also methods shown of how to layer tomato plants in order to achieve up
to 25 trusses per plant, in the expectation
of achieving a return of 500 tonnes of fruit per hectare. All in all, it proved to be a
very interesting afternoon and members of our party were even able to pick their own strawberries. It’s amazing what this hot weather can achieve in a very short time. Temperatures rose to 29 degrees during our visit but it was certainly much hotter than this inside the greenhouses!
At Driffield Agricultural Show on Wednesday18th July 2018. Keith Abel and Colin Maughan manned a promotional stand inside the main horticultural marquee. This Show is said to be the largest one-day event of its kind in the country. As part of a series of talks to visitors planned by Driffield Show Committee on various topics throughout
the day, Keith also gave a presentation on growing vegetables to a seated audience in the adjacent marquee.
Some 20 people attended Pocklington Allotments on the evening of Monday
30th July. Despite the heavy rain showers which appeared just after we got there, everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and
tea in the Cricket Pavilion afterwards. This
is a large site which originally comprised
100 allotments but, as time has gone on, population growth and allotment demand have combined to reduce the individual plot size available to new tenants. New plots are now only one quarter of their original area and only three or four long-term tenants now retain full plots. Hosepipes are not allowed but each plot holder is provided with a 1000L water butt and encouraged to store and recycle rainwater from their greenhouse and/ or shed rooves. As shown in the supporting photograph, the soil is very stony but seems to be very light and supports lots of different crops. Pigeons are a particular problem
and all brassicas have to be grown under protective covers in order to survive. All in all, a most interesting visit and we thank them for their hospitality.
During the remainder of the year we look forward to a talk on Pinks and Carnations, our annual Show, a talk by David Peel
on Potatoes and an evening of floral art. Reports on all these events will feature in the next edition of Simply Vegetables and our full 2018 programme can be seen on our website http://nvseyda.btck.co.uk
Wendy from the Beverley Beekeepers’ Association has been keeping bees for over 40 years
Protect your brassicas or they will perish!
Keith Abel’s vegetable growing talk
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