How to build a fruit cage or polytunnel

A while ago I posted a plan for building your own fruit cage or polytunnel. To read about and view the plan click here.

And now here’s a photo of the finished article (click to enlarge)… well, the ends have yet to be built but I’m still thinking about that. There’s some advantages to being able to open the ends wide… lets pollinating insects in, easier to keep the inside airy and can bring compost in on the wheelbarrow. Major disadvantage is the feathered fiends take a great interest in what’s going on inside the tunnel… ‘he can’t have expended all this effort and there not be something in it for us’ type thoughts. I need something on each end that can be opened up.

Just finished planting tomatoes, butternut squash and cucumber in the tunnel to accompany the raspberry bushes, all of which should benefit from the slightly warmer and stiller atmosphere inside. Covered the ground with hessian backed carpet to keep down the weeds and retain moisture, so all the plants have been planted through the carpet. Rain does come through the covering scaffold netting and the carpet. Aiming to grow a vine inside as well… got visions of it strung along the full length of the tunnel with loads of grapes hanging.

Using water piping for the frame is already proving useful. Eyehole screws easily screwed into the plastic piping so I could thread twine through them to string the tomatoes up. I’m pretty hopeful the tunnel will give me a new set of opportunities to grow things and extend the growing season. Total cost less than £50 for a 10 metre by 3 metre tunnel, the largest cost being the scaffold netting. More photos at the foot of this post.

The plot has never looked tidier since wife Linda has started to accompany me on visits. She likes weeding… yes, you did read that correctly. If I’d been given a free wish to make things more enjoyable on the plot that would have been it… to get an assistant who actually liked keeping things tidy. So while I potter around planting and building things Linda pulls unwanted things up.

Son in law Chris delivered about 20 four meter long planks of treated pine excess to requirements on his current carpentry job. Thinking about building a cowboy style veranda on the front of the shed in the space currently reserved for sitting out. I’ve always dreamed of lounging with my boots up on the veranda rail watching the sun set, glass of wine in hand. Only problem is the shed front faces the wrong way. Will have to give it some thought… not only orientation, but when I’ll get it done. Got to get the rest of the front plot dug over and weeded for next Spring, and also wanted to dig a wildlife pond with a clay lining. Looks like I’m still going to be constructing things well into 2012!

Oh, and grandson Connor has things planned for me as a well. The family accompanied Chris and the planks and Connor went to inspect development of the tree house (sans tree). Immediately he spotted a small plank missing, which I’d purloined as part of the tunnel construction. That lad’s got eyes like an eagle and the memory of an elephant! As part of his appraisal he decided I needed to move one of the beehive compost bins to make room for the moat he wants dug around the den. Add it to the list Connor.

Had a lovely Father’s Day surprise last Sunday. Walked down to St Ives with Linda to watch the civil war re-enactments as part of the 900 year celebrations for the town. Should have spotted something was funny… for example Linda needing to slowly tie both shoe laces when we were on Holt Island. Becky and Beth had fixed up for us all to go to a barbeque at Slepe Hall. Had to arrive at 13:00 for it to be a surprise. Had a wonderful afternoon with the family. The best kind of surprise.

Think I might have overdone it a bit this week on the photos and video below, but hope you enjoy them. Click to enlarge.

Oh, and by the way… COME ON ENGLAND! for Sunday’s World Cup football match against Germany.

Sammy and Paige try to throw their soft toys onto the pergola... Connor's using my pullover

My mad chickens when they realise there's spaghetti on the menu tonight

Part of the St Ives 900 year celebrations... civil war roundheads let off a volley

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The joys of grandchildren

Decided to give the daughters a bit of time off during the school half term holidays last week and committed myself to firstly taking the granddaughters out to Warner's Park followed up by an ice cream. They’re both strong minded little princesses so encountered a couple of problems.

Firstly they didn’t want to do the same things at the park. Paige wanted to sit under a tree in the shade and for me to tell her a story. Izzy wanted to play football in the sunshine. As always with a compromise the outcome wasn’t very satisfactory… Izzy and me kicked the ball around but not for long enough, and when it came to the story she was bored, bored, bored.

So time to get to what I thought would be the really exciting part for them… ice cream sundaes at Slepe Hall Hotel. Here they are in the video clip both getting stuck into a strawberry and a chocolate one each. But despite Paige’s assertion that they were going to eat them right up, within about five spoonfuls they’d had enough. See the photo at the foot of this posting of the uneaten sundaes.

On to the second half of the hero granddad routine… taking Connor and Sammy off to Monks Wood for a picnic on the magic island and a good long walk. The sign by the entrance says there are more than a thousand types of beetles in this ancient wood… and I’m sure the boys spotted and examined in great detail every single one as we ambled (that would have been breakneck speed compared to the actual pace they managed) along the butterfly walk.

Finally we made it to the magic island… so called because we have to step over a dip in the ground which sometimes contains water (honestly Beth, there’s hardly any water in there at the wettest of times and on our visit there was no water at all, so no chance of Connor doing his usual trick of flinging himself in the nearest puddle).

After a wander around we made for the meadow to eat our picnic. The grass was quite tall and I didn’t notice until watching this video clip how nervous the boys appeared, looking like a couple of meerkats on the lookout. You’d think a tyrannosaurus rex was about to come crashing through the trees any minute. I relaxed by flattening the grass and lying in the sunshine at full stretch… only to find I’d chosen an ants nest to rest on so I was soon on my feet as well!

After a good wander around the woods I drove them both home… with the usual chatter in the background about such un-pc topics as winkies and how fat that man at the bus stop was. I’ve given up trying to divert them on to more wholesome subjects when they’re together, I only seem to make things worse.

Lots more video clips and family photos below from the last couple of weeks.

Asparagus

Why plant

Considered a delicacy and highly prized because of its short growing season and price in the shops.

Has important health giving properties.

Interesting uses

Apart from a suggestion of its usefulness as a shark deterrent (are you likely to have asparagus hidden in your swimming trunks just in case?) and its success if you want to make your wee smell funny, there are no unusual uses.

However, asparagus is a useful companion plant for tomatoes. The tomato plant repels the asparagus beetle and asparagus may repel some harmful root nematodes that affect tomato plants

Origins

Asparagus originated in the eastern Mediterranean. Traces of wild varieties have also been found in Africa. It’s also thought to have been  cultivated in ancient Egypt.

Asparagus gets its name from the Persian word ‘asparag’ meaning sprout, stalk or shoot. It was popular with the ancient Greeks who believed it to have both sacred and aphrodisiac powers and it’s known that Hippocrates used it for medicinal purposes such as the treatment of  diarrhoea and urinary problems.

The vegetable was also popular with the Romans, who had written instructions on how to grow  asparagus. So prized were these perennial shoots by the Romans that not only did they enjoy eating them in season but they were also the first to preserve it by freezing as early as the 1st Century AD when fast chariots would take the fresh asparagus from the Tiber River area to the Alps where it kept for six months until the Feast of Epicurus.

The Romans are responsible for having introduced asparagus to England, where it gradually gained favour with the nobles and by the early 16th century it was widely served in many of the Royal courts of Europe.

By the 17th Century, asparagus was being commercially cultivated in England. Asparagus was so popular that it even got a mention by Samuel Pepys, the diarist, who recorded that he bought a bundle of "sparrow grass" in Fenchurch Street for 1s.6p.

Health benefits

Asparagus contains high levels of vitamin A, folic acid and dietary fibre, all believed to play an important role in the fight against cancer. It’s also rich in soluble fibre, known to have a protective effect against degenerative heart diseases. Asparagus also contains high levels of potassium, which may help to control blood pressure and the high folic acid content

helps to reduce blood homocysteine levels, thought to reduce the risk of heart disease. Asparagus is also low in fat and sodium, making it a good choice for those concerned about a healthy heart.

Asparagus is one of the richest sources of rutin (a natural substance found in plants) which together with vitamin C, can help to energise and protect the body from infections. It is also a source of iron, which boosts the immune system and prevents anaemia. Additionally, asparagus can make you feel good by boosting your sex drive, assisting in weight loss and is also great for nails, skin and hair.

Asparagus is low in calories with less than four kcal per average spear, which as part of a balanced diet can help weight loss, and it’s also very low in cholesterol, has no fat and very little sodium so can help to maintain heart function and blood pressure levels.

Finally, asparagus is a mild diuretic and is believed to help detoxify the body, helping it to get rid of excess water and combat cystitis. Asparagus contains prebiotics, which selectively stimulate the growth of friendly bacteria in the gut, soothing the stomach and aiding digestion.

 Varieties

Gijnlim - heavy crops one year after planting

Jersey Giant - dark green spears with a purple head

Jersey Knight Improved - thick, but tender spears

Purple asparagus of Alberga - Italian heritage variety with purple spears

Backlim - thick, green spears

Planting

Asparagus is a perennial vegetable, which makes it good for growing on plots where it will not be disturbed. However, it does take a long time to grow to maturity, so make sure you are planning to stay a while to see the fruits of your labour.

For a decent crop, asparagus needs to be given lots of space. It thrives in sun and well-drained soil but needs some protection from the wind. It can be grown in a raised bed but is not suitable for containers and won’t like heavy clay soils or a shady spot. Since it can remain productive for up to 20 years it's worthwhile spending time on preparing the bed to give it a flying start in life. Start in autumn by digging over the chosen ground thoroughly, mixing in plenty of well-rotted farmyard manure and removing all perennial weeds.

Asparagus can be grown from seed, but this takes too long and it’s best to buy one year old crowns. In April, or after the risk of hard frosts has passed, make a straight trench 30cm (1 foot) wide by 20cm (8 inches) deep, and then pour soil down the length of the trench to make a 10cm (4 inches) high mound. Carefully take your asparagus crowns and sit them on top of the mound, spreading the roots out either sides. Then cover with about 5cm (2 inches) of soil, which has been sifted through a riddle or sieve.

Cover the plants with more sifted soil as the stems grow, aiming to completely fill the trench by autumn. Subsequent rows should be spaced 30cm (1 foot) apart.

Aftercare

Water newly planted crowns thoroughly and keep damp during dry weather. Succulent spears may appear soon after planting but avoid the temptation to harvest them or you'll weaken the crowns. During their first two years of growth, plants should be left to form lots of ferny foliage. Cut down the stems in autumn leaving 5cm (2 inch) stumps above the ground. To prevent competition, keep beds free of weeds.

Harvesting

Most plants are ready to pick two years after planting, although several modern varieties have been bred for earlier cropping. To harvest spears wait until they're about 12cm (5 inches) long and remove them with a serrated knife, cutting them off just beneath the soil. Stop harvesting in mid-June to allow the plant to build up its energy for next year and give plants an extra boost by feeding with a general fertiliser.

Recipes

Asparagus and parmesan tarts

Asparagus, sundried tomato and olive loaf

Asparagus with dipping sauces

Griddled asparagus

Asparagus soldiers with a soft boiled egg

Common problems

If a late frost strikes in May it may damage the crop, so if there’s any risk cover with fleece.

Slugs may nibble at the spears and rust can be a problem in wet years. Remove affected shoots if rust strikes.

The asparagus beetle is rarely a problem to home growers. They are small with orange markings on their 7mm (1/4 inch) long bodies and will attack foliage and spears. After harvest pick up garden debris and turn the soil over around plants to disturb overwintering beetles. Begin scouting plants in early May or just after plants emerge. Harvest spears as early as possible. Beneficial insects, such as ladybugs and lacewing, will consume the eggs and small larvae. Hand pick the adults and immature stages from plants and drop them in a pail of soapy water. Also, remove the dark brown eggs from the spears. Spot treat adult beetles as a last resort with botanical insecticides.

Finally, the biggest risk is over cropping in the early years causing weakened plants and spindly spears. It is hard, but restraint will pay benefits.