Page 21 - ALG Issue 3 2022

under my newly constructed walk-
in cage. This is made from plastic electrical conduit, canes and cable ties and covered by lengths of 3m wide scaffold netting. I wish I had found
this product years ago; it is reasonably priced on the internet and the mesh is nice and small to stop the majority of bugs and hopefully stop the cabbage white butterflies from feeding on my plants. The netting is strong and should last for a number of years and it is easy to maintain my plants underneath with the need to remove the covers.
I have made other smaller cages from the scaffold net for my peas, and this year for my large exhibition onions and exhibition leeks, hopefully keeping the Allium Leaf miner and Leek Moth at bay. The exhibition onions and leeks were planted out at the end of April and the biggest of the leeks have already had a pipe added to help blanch the stems.
Two rows of early potatoes were planted at the end of March followed by my second earlies and main crop varieties in April. All are growing well
and the Early Maris Bard potatoes are already producing flower buds, so won’t be long before I can harvest. These were covered with fleece a few very cold nights in April but have come through untouched by frost so far.
You may remember in my last article
I said I had planted some shallots in October direct into the plot; these look great and hopefully will produce some really good bulbs to harvest later in the year. The carrots sown in a large pot and placed in the polytunnel are also looking good and hopefully be ready to pull with those early potatoes.
Despite the dry weather, my Fulton’s Strawberry surprise rhubarb is growing well and will soon have been added to a tasty crumble.
The Chrysanthemums have been planted out in a new raised bed, for some autumn cut flowers to go with the Statice and Asters already planted.
The polytunnel has been planted with tomatoes, peppers and a couple
The tomato hanging baskets, carrots and French beans in troughs will be moved outside as soon as we get to early June
of cucumbers. My later sowing of cucumbers has just been made, for a later crop. The tomato hanging baskets, carrots and French beans in troughs will be moved outside as soon as we get to early June.
Still plenty to do later this month and in early June, planting runner and French beans, sweetcorn, courgettes and squashes followed by outdoor tomatoes and a few dahlias, plus make further sowings of lettuce and radish and a late sowing of carrot Eskimo in June for winter harvesting. Hopefully there will also be a little time to relax and enjoy the fruits of my labour, maybe when we hopefully get a decent shower of rain.
Wishing you all a successful season and don’t forget if any NAS member has
a seed problem and needs some free advice, the team at Kings Seeds are always at the end of a phone to help.
Happy Gardening!
Andrew Tokely, Horticultural Director for Kings Seeds
Allotment and Leisure Gardener 21