Page 48 - Simply Veg Issue 3 2019

Northern Branch
Valley, famous for supplying fresh veg to Covent Garden in times past, one of many in the area, and now to the main supermarkets. The business only grows Aubergines and Cucumbers. With regards to Aubergines they buy in 30,000 grafted plants of a commercial variety called Kylie (apparently,
a number of new varieties are named after famous female pop stars) delivered on 10th January, and commenced cropping after 7 weeks, so on our visit were in full production. They are cropped twice a week in Spring, i.e. when we were there, building up to every day in summer. The plants are stopped, and two or three shoots are trained up wires,
and will keep cropping until November. I
have never seen such healthy plants grown hydroponically in rockwool, with heat when required, but no artificial light whatsoever.
Turning to the cucumber crop, the
variety grown is Proloog, the most popular commercial variety by a mile and now available to the amateur market. At the time of our visit, the first crop was coming to an end, and about to be replaced with new plants. The plants are replaced 4 times in a season, again grown in rockwool. I felt very privileged to see such quality plants and systems as the photo’s below will confirm. David Allison,
NVS Northern Branch Newsletter Editor
Westmorland & North
Lancashire DA
As I write this report our winter
season of talks has come to an
end. We have enjoyed excellent
speakers on a wide range of
topics and are currently in the
process of putting together a
programme for next season
which starts on the 8th October.
A big thank you to all our
speakers and our Members for
their support. However, we still
have our Coffee Morning and
Plant Sale to look forward to in
May and a Road Show in conjunction with Lancashire DA at the Country Fest at Crooklands in early June.
For details of our activities please ‘phone Jim on 015395 61053 jamo.glenholme@gmail.com Our talks take place at the Club Inn, Endmoor, LA8 0EU on the second Tuesday of the month October to April
Jim Robinson
Cucumbers and Aubergines, on 4th April, in Essex, ready for harvest, incredible!
Mansfield and District DA
The Mansfield and District Association have a full programme for 2019.
The remaining events for the year are:
7th July visit to Wellow open gardens.
31st July — Fracking. Presenter Jill Pullman
28th August —- our annual show
25th September —- Not just apples and pears. History, medical
and culinary uses. Presenter Tracy Akenhurest
16th October —- Quiz night at Pleasley with North East
Derbyshire Association.
30th October —- The ten best herbs to grow and
why. Presenter Liz Versy
27th November—- AGM, Make your own Christmas card with
Carol.
Our venue at the Black Bull is being developed as a sports
bar. If this is no longer suitable for our presentations we will need to relocate. Please check the current venue by phone 07501256176 or by email ‘kdunnicliff@talktalk.net’
Kevan Dunnicliff
DA Secretary
48 simplyvegetables
Gardeners Delight tomato plants being grown on for our plant sale in May