Growing Vegetables

Broad Beans

Can be sown outdoors in October in more southerly areas and they will remain as small plants until the following spring. Usually, sow in pots or modules in February and plant out in March or April in rows 45 cm apart with 15 cm between the plants. At the same time some more seed can be sown direct for a later crop. As they can fix their own nitrogen they do not need much feeding, infact too much nitrogen will reduce the flowering as will a lack of water while the plants are in flower. They are susceptible to Chocolate Spot and Black Bean Aphids, if the latter are found, nip out the growing tips taking the Aphids away - the plants will probably have reached their final height and the flowers are lower down on the stem. Also growing Borage as a companion plant acts as a deterrent. Shorter varieties may not need to be supported, but taller ones will need to be encircled with twine or netting to prevent them from being blown over.

Beetroot

Usually sown direct between February and July for a succession of crops. The seed are easily placed at their correct spacing as they are relatively large. Infact there are several seed in each of the little balls which fall out of the packet. After they have germinated the weaker ones can be removed, or if smaller beet are preferred they can be left to develop in a clump. Rows 15 cm apart with 10 cm between seeds. Lots of feeding. Sow some later to provide a succession of crops. Pests and diseases are not usually a problem, but Slugs and Snails will have a go, especially at the seedling stage.

Cabbage (Brassica)

There are a number of varieties of cabbage, they mature at different times in the year, and have subtle differences in flavour. They are usually sown thinly in a row then transplanted to their final position when they are about 15cm tall - space about 50cm apart, all around. The young plants must be firmed in well to prevent them from falling over later as they develop - this results in smaller, looser heads. Summer cabbage are the earliest to be sown from March to May, and are ready to harvest from July to November.
Winter and Savoy Cabbage are sown in April and May, transplanted in July and are ready from November to January.
Spring Cabbage are sown in July and August, transplanted in September or October to grow through the winter for cropping the following spring. They are planted closer than the other varieties (about 15cm apart) as they are usually harvested before they develop a hard head. Harvest alternately to allow remaining plants to develop.
They require plenty of water, one or two nitrogenous feeds during the growing season, and benefit from the addition of about 50g/m² of lime before planting.
Pests: Cabbage Root Flies lay eggs at the base of the stems and the larvae devour the roots. 15cm discs of thick card or matting fitted snugly around the stem at soil level, prevents the hatching larvae getting down to the roots. The Cabbage White Butterfly caterpillars can turn the leaves to lace. Also Slugs and Snails can reduce young plants to stumps virtually overnight as can the attention of Pigeons. Placing a ring of lime around the plant discourages the slugs and supplies the alkaline conditions preferred. Butterflies can be kept away with a fine mesh net, which should be held away from the plants or they will lay through it. It will also keep the Pigeons at bay. If the attack is not too severe the plants should recover and the hard heads will not be affected.
Grey-green Cabbage Aphids are very unsightly and reduce the vigour of the plants. They can be rubbed off by hand or washed off with a jet of water.
Diseases: Clubroot is the main problem. It causes the roots to swell, they cannot take up as much water or nutrients and secondary rots can invade - the liming discourages it. Raising the plants in pots to establish a good rootball and using a resistant variety, may overcome the problem. Some growers remove a pocket of soil and replace it with a mixture of garden compost, fertilizer and some lime.

Carrots

Sow directly in rows 15 cm apart and thin as the roots develop to 2.5 cm between the plants - the thinings can be eaten. Plant in ground which was manured in a previous year as fresh manure can cause forked and twisted roots, as will stones and a shallow bed. To avoid root flies cover with fleece as soon as they begin to grow and keep it there until the crop is harvested. Arrange it over hoops and anchor it in the soil so there are no gaps. Try to sow as thinly as possible to reduce the amount of thinning, as the smell of crushed foliage attracts the root flies. Sow at 4 to 6 week intervals for a succession of crops. Uneven watering can cause the developing roots to burst if a large amount is applied after a period of drought.

Courgette

Raised in pots under cover and planted out 1 m apart from the end of May to the middle of June depending on the local climate. Only a few plants are needed, but keep one or two as spares in pots, until the crop plants are well established, as they can be destroyed by slugs. They should be fed regularly with tomato fertilizer and given plenty of water. Harvest when they are about 15 cm long. Any which touch the ground may be attacked by Slugs and will start to rot.

Leeks

A winter crop so can be grown where another has been harvested earlier such as the early peas and beans. Sow thinly in rows in March or April in another area, and when they are about pencil-thick transfer to rows about 25cm apart. Trim back the foliage to about 15 cm and place in holes made with a dibber, 15 cm apart with the tops just peeping out, water around them washing down some soil, they will grow into the space.
Thrips can attack as with onions.
Leek Rust is the main disease; keep the crop free from weeds and well spaced. Spray with Dithane to prevent an attack. The surface of the plant tends to repel the spray so any application should contain a spreading agent such as soft soap to improve adhesion.

Lettuce

Can be raised in trays for earlier cropping, but may run to seed earlier if there is a check in their growth when transplanted. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots or modules to grow into small plants first to minimise the stress when planting out. Sow only small numbers at a time and repeat every few weeks to ensure a succession of mature heads. The normal spacing when planting out is in rows 30 cm apart with 30 cm between the plants. Cut-and-come-again types are sown directly and fewer sowings are necessary to ensure a succession of salad leaves - pick off the leaves as required leaving the stem intact. They are also very suitable for growing in containers.
Aphids are the main pest along with the usual Slugs which can clear a row of seedlings in one sitting. Leatherjackets will also take seedlings.

Onions

Usually planted as 'sets' (small onions) in rows 15 cm apart and 10 cm between 'sets'. These are available in early spring. Insert only the bottom half or use a handful of sand to keep the sets upright. Birds tend to pull them up so they can be brought on in modules so that they have developed a root system before planting out.
Japanese varieties available in late autumn, are planted in October/November and they are ready to harvest earlier the following summer. Both types have to be allowed to die back completely so that there is no moisture left in the old topgrowth. After lifting leave them on wire mesh and covered to keep off the rain, but with a good flow of air around them; in a few weeks they can be strung up in a cool dry place for storage.
Pests: Onion Fly (Delia antiqua) - the maggots eat into the bulbs before migrating to the soil where they pupate. Lift and destroy affected plants to prevent pupation.
Thrips - nibble the foliage leaving small spots of dead tissue. Use garlic spray.
Diseases - Downy Mildew can attack if conditions are present, but planting with good spacing to allow air to circulate should prevent it. The most serious disease is Onion White Rot which must be avoided if at all possible.

Parsnips

Treat as for carrots, but the rows should be 30 cm apart and thin to 15 cm between plants. Fresh manure, acid conditions and irregular watering can lead to Canker, the main disease of parsnips for which there is no chemical treatment. Root flies are not as big a problem as they are for carrots, but they can also attack parsnips.

Peas

Peas with rounded seed (eg.'Meteor', 'Pilot') can be sown in October to develop slowly over the winter and be ready to start for an earlier crop the next year - they can also be sown in the spring. Varieties with wrinkled seed (eg.'Onward', 'Klevedon Wonder') are not as tolerant of wet conditions so should be sown in the spring. Sow directly from March until June for a succession of crops to be ready from July to October. Put two or three seed per station every 5cm in rows 60 cm apart. (the extra seed per station are to allow for losses to mice, slugs and rot). As for beans the losses can be reduced by raising small plants in pots or modules, but the roots like to develop deeply so plant them out as soon as possible.
Another method of raising indoors is to use lengths of spouting filled with compost and sown with the peas. These can be covered with fine mesh to keep the mice at bay. When the young plants are about 10 to 15 cm high the spouting can be taken to the outside bed and the contents slid into a prepared trench - it maybe necessary to loosen the long root mass from the sides of the spouting first.
Peas no not need any feeding after the initial preparation of the bed which should have been well manured earlier. The addition of bonemeal gives a slow release feed and liming helps them to thrive better.
When they are about 15cm high put up some netting or use pruned branches (pea sticks) for them to scramble up.
They can be attacked by Pea Beetles which develop inside the seed, making then inedible.

Runner Beans

These are usually sown directly in May in a row or around a wig-wam of canes. The ground should have plenty of organic matter to hold the large amount of water these plants require. This can be prepared much earlier by digging out a trench and filling it with compost or even leafy green matter, then covered with the soil. If the ground is heavy and wet or to get an early start the seed can be raised in 7.5cm pots and the young plants taken to the bed when they are about 15cm. A few twiggy sticks will hold the young stems against the supports as they will not be used to the winds which may blow them over.

Potatoes

The 'seed' are available in early spring. There are Early, Second Early and Late or Main Crop varieties, this refers to the length of time they take to develop and not when they are planted - all types are planted at the same time. Place in trays with the eyes upwards in a cool, frost-free, BRIGHT place, but not direct sunlight - a process known as chitting. This allows stout shoots to develop, not the spindly, etiolated ones which grow in the dark, and as they develop leave only about three strong shoots on Late varieties, but allow all of them to remain on Early and Second Early varieties. Plant out as the soil warms up, traditionally this was when the grass started into growth, but the warmer conditions now experienced make determining this point more difficult. Incorporate plenty of organic matter - preferably well-rotted manure - in the bottom of the trench. Space about 40cm apart and 20cm deep in rows about 50cm apart, ensuring that the end with most of the 'eyes' or buds, is upwards - the 'rose end'. Earlies and Second Earlies can be planted a little closer. Some people recommend placing a clump of grass cuttings around the tuber to discourage Scab.
When the shoots appear above ground mould them up by dragging soil up and over them - they will soon reappear. This protects them from late frosts and increases the crop as the new potatoes are produced from the stems. Also it keeps the maturing tubers protected from light which causes them to become green and inedible. Planting an Early variety such as Homeguard could avoid Blight which usually occurs in the late summer when they will have matured. As the tubers come to maturity the topgrowth starts to flower, these should be picked off to give a heavier crop; also ensure that they have plenty of water at this time to swell the tubers. If there are small black Slugs (Black Keeled Slugs) or Wireworms in the soil, all of the tubers should be lifted, otherwise they can be harvested as required - try to find every last one, even the tiniest will grow the following year and can carry over diseases. As well as Blight look out for signs of Black Leg. They may also get Scab, but it is only cosmetic.
A broken chest freezer makes a good store as it keeps the potatoes dark and away from rodents. Stack them on crates or boxes, storing only sound tubers and check periodically for signs of rot or developing shoots - the latter will cause the tubers to shrivel up, so they should be rubbed off.

Potatoes are easily grown in containers or stout plastic bags, if there is little space or to grow some indoors out of season, eg. plant a few in the autumn for a treat at Christmas. Plant some tubers near to the bottom, and top up with growing compost as the shoots develop.

Swede

Sow directly in rows 30 cm apart and thin to 15 cm between the plants, later remove every other one for use, leaving the rest to develop more. They are not harvested for storing, but are used straight from the ground. Usually one sowing. Susceptible to Clubroot and slugs will hollow them out if allowed.

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