Page 26 - ALG Issue 4 2018

General
On the Kings Plot...
June to early September 2018
Well to say this summer has been challenging is probably an understatement. It has certainly not been the easiest of years for growing any of the crops on my allotment. The early sown and planted crops once they got their roots down fared well despite the extreme temperatures. The crops that struggled were the later sown crops that required regular watering to keep them going. Having said this, despite the weather the majority of my crops have grown well, as have mine and the wife’s arms through carrying hundreds of cans of water.
and Second early potatoes have struggled in the heat; these are a crop I cannot water easily so the yield per tuber is vastly reduced. But the main crop varieties Rooster and a new variety Setanta that I am growing with blight resistance still had green foliage in early September and on test digging have cropped much better, so I am looking forward to a better crop to lift and store later in the year.
The majority of my Brassicas have grown well especially the earlier planted Brussels sprouts, Cabbage Brigadier and Calabrese
Runner beans didn’t like the extremely
hot days and nights for many weeks as this
caused them stress and when this happens
the flowers drop rather than set beans, or
those beans that do set go old very quickly.
Keeping the plants cool in the evening with
plenty of water is the answer but not easy
on an allotment where you can only use a
watering can and the temperatures are 30°C in
the day and not below 20°C at night. My best
runner beans did not appear until late August from the flowers at the top of the sticks because the days and nights had cooled down, so benefiting this crop. So, I am hoping for an Indian summer and a bumper harvest through September.
Root crops like carrots, beetroot and parsnips have all grown well, including my later June sowing of Carrot Eskimo, which are bulking up nicely and will be ready for harvesting at Christmas. Early
Stemia. Calabrese Stemia has been superb and I have had several pickings from these plants throughout the summer and look like continuing into autumn. The later planted Savoy’s, Sprouting Broccoli and Winter Cauliflowers struggled to get going as these were planted when the temperatures were at their highest. But with plenty of water each evening they did get away and now we have had a few heavy showers of rain and cooler days they are looking as good as ever.
Lettuces suffered in the extreme temperatures and although I sow seeds every two weeks and grow on in modules to plant out, these tended to bolt and run straight to seed, due to them struggling with the temperatures and getting established quickly enough despite plenty of watering. The batches I sowed late July onwards and planted out, have performed much better and will provide plenty
of fresh salad into the autumn. These will go nicely with some late
Root crops like carrots, beetroot and parsnips have all grown well, including my later June sowing of Carrot Eskimo
Newly planted lettuce, spring onions, radish
Cabbage Brigadier
Chilli Cayenne Chocolate
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