Allotment update Jan-2012

Here's a pictorial round up of the allotment plot at the end of January 2012.

Won't be doing broccoli again this season. Long time coming for very little return. The parsnips in the next row had a bit of a chequered history as well... dug most of them up in September trying to get three equal straight examples for the Flower & Produce Show and ended up with a huge pile of invalids.

Although they don't look up to much the cabbage have been a great success. Bit worried about their attraction to various bugs but the Winter cold saw these off and they're sweet and delicious. Lots more of them for 2012!

The swiss chard has been as reliable as ever and decorative. Might help if I thinned them out a bit when seedlings. Don't eat these myself, they're used as greens for the chickens.

The brussel sprouts have been a bit of a let down for the second year in row... none of the buds tightened. Won't bother again since they also take a long time to harvest.

First time tried spring greens and were fine. Have yet to pick any for cooking, waiting for them to bulk up a bit more.

Spinach been productive throughout the winter and the chickens love some almost as much as me.

The odd remaining lettuce is looking pretty sorry. Maybe a bit of weeding would help. More food for the chickens.

Can't get enough leeks, and this year twigged they grow much more strongly if you start from seed straight in the ground rather than raise in a pot first. Going to grow lots more in 2012.

One of the great successes of 2011 has been the swedes. First time I've grown them and they've turned out trouble free, sweet and delicious. Again, lots more of these for 2012.

It's not just about vegetables. After struggling for years to grow sweet peas in toilet roll tubes it's been a great success to plant the peas straight in the ground in Autumn. Come up really tough and strong. The row next door also has peas coming up too... roast dinner style peas.

Some more flowers, this time wallflowers. So easy to grow from seed.

2012 is going to be a big year for peas. Here's Douce Provence stored in a propagator in the greenhouse after being raised at home on the windowsill, where there are even more starting to appear.

The rhubarb patch is looking a bit sad after being given a seeing to by one of the chickens before I noticed she'd jumped the fence, but the buds are beginning to appear.

Given the polytunnel a bit of a sorting. Early and late rapsberries now have a double row wire frame to be tied to on the right, the fruit bushes are almost all move to the left and strawberries further on down the left.

Plenty of onions growing. The nearest two rows were grown from seed and need separating. Furthest two rows are garlic.

The herb bank was a great success in 2011, though the only productive plant at present is the rosemary.

Even though the days are only slightly longer the chickens can tell Spring is on its way and have started laying again.

The pond was another great 2011 success, with memories of sitting in the sunshine having a snack whilst the frogs, pondskaters, waterboatmen and dragon flies entertained us. Astounding how quickly all the flowers established themselves.

The greenhouse is tidied, shelves back up and all ready to go!

Well on with the Winter digging too.

My first novel... week 2

How on earth did I think I was ever going to complete this book by Spring? Must have been mad!

You'll gather that progress has been rather pedantic. Now squeezed 3,754 words in total out on 'paper'. That's all of twelve pages... I've not even completed a decent chapter's worth yet after two weeks!

I've gone at it in my usual optimistic way, hoping, believing, praying that like the parting of the red sea, other things will make way to make more time for writing. And of course they won't unless I give something else up.

Here's a selection of candidates...

• Upating my 'One Moment Each Day' blog each morning.

• Updating my online to do list each morning so I can carry it around on my mobile.

• Generally faffing around with one-off things like booking accomodation for the Scone Palace Rewind Festival, chasing up the plumber for our downstairs loo, checking who's visited this blog, etc etc.

• Messing about on the allotment... something that's going to take up more time as Spring approaches.

• Going on long country walks.

• Finding more long country walks for summer by trawling the library, searching maps and trying out on the ground.

• Secretarial stuff for the Allotment Association... I've got to write most of the Winter newsletter's contents in the next few days ~;0(

• Reading rather than writing... just got into using the library's online facility to put a hold on books, so I'm working my way through great books I haven't yet read.

• And of course I'm adding to the problem by getting interested in eBay trading, aiming to make a bit of money to assuage the guilt whenever I spend more money on the latest gadget. Its not we can't afford it, just I'm the only one who ever seems to do the spending and the lusting is now for an iPhone, with an iMac following closely behind.

On the penultimate point, I've just taken delivery of the last John Steinbeck books I've yet to read, several John Updike novels and Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert. With masterpieces clamouring to be read I've come to the realisation if it's going to take a year that's fine. No use rushing it.

And that may help a bit... the background theme is the 2012 London Olympics and I've been getting a bit nervous about using this and publishing before the opening ceremony at the end of July. The London Olympic marketing machine is a bit fierce in protecting their brand, even telling retailers and charities to be careful not just about using obvious words like 'Olympic' and 'London' in any promotions, but even '2012'! So if I publish after the games there shouldn't be a problem.

Besides hammering out an extra 2,300 words (quite an increase on last week's effort you may note) what's happened this week? Well, the good news is I'm still enjoying it. Bit like working out a puzzle. I've also mocked up the structure of what I think are the fifteen chapters, where each of the four main characters appear, where other characters pop up, how the chapters interweave. Of course had to spend time on a flow chart for this.

Estimated each chapter needs to be at least fifteen pages long on average, but at present I'm only getting them to about five pages. So I'll have to go back when the first draft is completed to fill in all the nitty gritty detail that will make the whole thing more alive. Great example of this in the book I'm currently reading, Solar by Ian McEwan... like all his books, a masterclass on how to write fascinating, compelling detail.

With talent like that, what chance do I stand? I dunno... but I'm still up there giving it a go!

My first novel... week 1

Well, like some knackered old nag with more hope than expectation I'm off the starting block book-wise. My first novel is in creation mode. Got the general theme worked out with a background to give it some pace and current relevance. Introduced one of the main characters in the completed draft of the first chapter and I'm now into the second chapter.

Found the experience really enjoyable so far, 'so far' being all of one week. Relatively easy to get the words down and ideas keep popping up in between writing on how to improve what's already down or how to start the next part.

What I am finding a challenge is making sure the tense is right. Keep slipping into writing as though it's happening now when I'm giving background information. Also find things get a bit of of order and have to be reworked, though I suppose it's good to get everything out first and then fine tune.

So I've written almost 1,400 words. Sounds good until you realised that's all of about 4 pages. Only another 78,600 words to go! At this rate it'll take me more than a year. That's not necessarily a problem since even great authors took several years to come up with each masterpiece. And that's doing it full time! I'm trying to fit it in between fiddling around with other things. Hmmm... yes, maybe you're right, some of those thing don't need to be fiddle with right now. I know if I don't get it done before Spring it'll be a struggle. Who wants to be indoors huddled over a keyboard when it's all sunshine and light outside? And the background theme I've hit upon means ideally I need to publish by Summer.

Ok, Ok... I'll be honest and say the first few hours were spent searching for an iPad app that did a word count and had a spell checker and I could have for free. All time wasted since I ended up back with the Quickoffice app I paid for when I first bought the iPad. Got a word count but no spelchekr so apologies for any typos. I'll just have to upload to Word on my laptop periodically and check content.

Anyway, the fingers are now tapping whenever I get the time... I'll just have to get more focused and use the couple of hours early morning to write rather than faffing around.

The idea is that when the masterpiece is completed I'll load it up as an eBook on Amazon for Kindle readers, of which there are more than a million. Can be done very easily and enables you to go direct to sale and get reader feedback without the agony of finding a publisher, as explained at Kindle self publishing.

I'll try and update progress weekly, if only to give me another incentive to get on with it!

Potato (solanum tuberosum)

Why plant

Potatoes are easy to grow and it's very satisfying when you find that single spud turned into a bucketful. And if you've got ground that's hard to till a great option is to plant potatoes... they help break up the soil. If you've plenty of room to grow and store you can have your own year round supply. But if space is at a premium best to focus on new potatoes... they're the tastiest and most expensive in the shops.

Interesting uses

* Did you know potatoes are one of the main sources of vodka? Unfortunately it's not legal to distill spirits in the UK without a license, but you could try making potato wine.

* Rub the cut edge of a potato against a wart, the high content of potassium and vitamin C will promote healing.

* Use a raw potato to shine your shoes.

* Keep your spectacles from misting up by rubbing raw potato juice on them.

* Root a geranium by gouging a hole in a potato, push a geranium cutting into the potato and plant the whole thing in potting soil. Soon you'll have a new geranium.

* Remove stains on hands by just rubbing with a potato.

Origins

Potatoes were first found and cultivated by the Aymara Indians around 5,000 BC on the high plateau of the Andean Mountains of South America. They developed more than two hundred varieties, the potato becoming the mainstay of thier diet.

When the Spanish Conquistadors sacked Peru in the 13thC they quickly appreciated the benefits of potatoes and they were soon a standard supply item on Spanish ships. Sailors who ate potatoes did'nt suffer from scurvy because of the high vitamin C content. In spite of its attributes it would take another three decades before knowledge of the potato spread to the rest of Europe. Even then its reputation as a food for the underprivileged and it's relationship to poisonous plants, being poisonous itself at times, meant there was resistance to it's general acceptance.

The potato finally achieved greater recognition in the 17thC when the Prussian Ruler Frederick the Great ordered the German people to eat potatoes as a deterrent to famine. But it only gained real popularity when adopted by the Irish in the 18thC.

Health benefits

Unfortunately the healthy aspects of a potato are very often hidden beneath the grease and salt associated with chips or french fries, or other fats or sauces such as butter, mayonnaise, cheese or tomato sauce. Such treatment can make even baked potatoes a potential contributor to a heart attack, whereas in it's unadorned state a baked potato is an exceptionally healthy low calorie high fibre food that offers significant protection against cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Potatoes as a good source of vitamin B6, vitamin C, copper, potassium, manganese, and dietary fibre. They also contain a variety of phytonutrients that have antioxidant activity. Among these important health-promoting compounds are carotenoids, flavonoids, and caffeic acid, as well as unique tuber storage proteins such as patatin, which exhibit activity against free radicals.

Varieties

With about 450 varieties grown in the UK there's plenty of choice. Here are a few varieties...

* Maris Bard a soft waxy new potato suitable for boiling or chips

* Rocket another new potato, firm and waxy, suitable for boiling

* Estima a second early potato that's one of the most popular, makes a great jacket potato

* Nadine is another second early that turns into wonderful mashed potato

* Desiree a lovely red skinned maincrop potato that's a great all rounder

* King Edward surely one of the best known spuds, a maincrop all rounder as well

It's too long a list to do justice here to all the varieties you can choose from. To do a bit more exploring and get full information on varieties go to the Potato Council website.

Planting

There are three defined growing periods for potatoes as shown below.

TYPE	PLANT	HARVEST
New or Early	Jan-Mar	May-Jul
Second Earlies	Feb-May	Jul-Oct
Maincrop	Mar-May	Sep-Oct

If you want to get your potatoes off to an early start and you've got the room, buy about six weeks before planting and 'chit' them. This means allowing shoots to grow from the end where there are most buds or eyes. It's particulary beneficial to chit early potatoes. Set out the tubers with the bud end pointing upwards in egg trays or shallow boxes with an inch of dry peat in the base. Place the boxes in a cool, light (not sunny) and frost-free room. The aim is to grow sturdy shoots about one inch in length, so make sure there's not too much warmth or the shoots will be too spindly.

When ready to plant, dig a V-shaped drill about 5 inches (13cm) deep in a prepared seed bed that gets plenty of sun. If the soil is reasonably light you can make a hole with a dibber and carefully drop the potato in. For early varieties the potatoes should be planted every 12 inches (30cm) with the drills 24 inches (60cm) apart. For maincrop varieties plant every 15 inches (38cm) with drills 30 inches (75cm) apart. Cover with a handful of peat or fine soil to protect the shoots.

Aftercare

As soon as shoots appear above ground draw the earth from the sides of your rows over the plants. Keep doing this so you end up with about 6 inches (15cm) of earth drawn up along each drill. This prevents light getting to the tubers and turning them green. Green potatoes can give you an upset stomach.

Your potatoes will benefit from some feeding. Good results can be had from using liquid comfrey fertiliser because the liquid is immediately available.

In dry weather keep them well watered.

Harvesting

See the table above for when to lift your potatoes. About two weeks before cut any growth off at ground level so the potato skins toughen up, making them less prone to damage.

Place a fork deeply in the side of the drill, far enough out from the centre to avoid spearing any potatoes, and lift each plant. Try and pick a dry sunny day for harvesting. Leave the potatoes on the surface for a few hours to harden the skin and help them store better. Do try to get even tiny potatoes out or the following year they'll grow in the middle of whatever new vegetables you plant in that spot.

Hessian sacks are best for storing, you can buy these from many seed suppliers. Paper sacks are a good substitute. Don't use plastic bags since these trap moisture. Exclude light or the potatoes will turn green. Remove any that are damaged or diseased before storing and make sure no slugs get stored as well.

Ideally store at about 5°C, for example in a cool dark shed or garage. Make sure frost doesn't get to the stored potatoes. Check the spuds regularly... any ammonia or putrid smell indicates rot. If you experience this empty the sack to get the offending tubers out. Any that have been contaminated with moisture can be washed and used immediately.

Recipes

'Proper' roast potatoes

Potatoes dauphinoise

Bonfire night baked potatoes

Boulangere potatoes

Spanish potatoes

Common problems

Potatoes are generally trouble free if you give them a good start and water when necessary. For guidance on common problems click here

Bargain Hunt reject

After several weeks of hanging by the 'phone, guess I'm not going to get that call from BBC Bargain Hunt... the one that was my pathway to stardom. Having sent in an application last March, having received a call before Christmas and having gone through a telephone interview, I'm having to cope with the rejection of not being invited to the familiarisation session a couple of weekends ago.

Although counselling appears to be the modern way to cope with rejection, my Scots blood dictates a do it yourself approach to save brass. So I've sought advice on how to deal with rejection on t'internet. Fat lot of good it's done. Here's a summary of the best advice I could find... and my somewhat jaundiced response.

Don't take it personally

That's right. They must have made a mistake and thought I was someone else. Or maybe not.

Focus on your strengths

Clearly not spotting antiques.

Ask yourself questions

Why me? Or rather, why not me?

Accept reality

Unless a camera crew appears round the corner in the next 30 seconds, I've not really got much choice.

Keep it in perspective

I WAS REJECTED! How's that?

Accept responsibility, don't blame others

So it's supposed to make me feel a whole lot better saying it was my fault?

You're not alone

Sitting here, the penny having finally dropped... I am!

Don't want anyone to get the impression I'm bitter, but I may suddenly have gone off the programme. Now, how do I apply to get on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

 

Comfrey fertiliser

Here's another natural fertiliser that's easy to make. You may have been cursing the comfrey for its vigour as you hacked it down once again, but quite apart from its usefulness it’s also a very attractive plant to have growing around your plot that attracts bees. If you're interested in producing natural fertilisers you may also find the post on nettle fertiliser of use.

Comfrey is a perennial herb with a black turnip-like root and large hairy broad leaves and produces small bell-shaped white, cream, light purple or pink flowers that attracts bees. It’s native to Europe and widespread throughout Ireland and Britain, growing in damp grassy places. Comfrey has long been recognised by both organic gardeners and herbalists for its great usefulness and versatility.

If your plant produces purple flowers then you have the “Bocking 14” cultivar of Russian Comfrey (Symphytum x uplandicum). This strain was developed during the 1950s and will not set seed, an advantage over other types since it won’t spread out of control. This variety is propagated from root cuttings.

If you’re developing your own comfrey bed don’t harvest leaves in the first season and remove any flowering stems so the plant focuses its energy on establishing itself. Mature plants can be harvested up to four or five times a year and are ready for cutting when about 2 feet high from mid Spring through to mid Autumn. Comfrey will rapidly grow again and be ready for further cutting about 5 weeks later. It’s best to cut shortly before flowering; this is when the plant is at its most potent for nutrients.

Harvest by using shears to cut to about 2 inches above the ground. Take care when handling and consider wearing gloves since the leaves and stems are covered in hairs that can irritate the skin. Stop leaf cutting after Autumn to allow plants to build up winter reserves. The leaves will die back and break down in winter and nutrients and minerals are transported back to the roots for use the following spring.

Comfrey is an excellent source of potassium, an essential plant nutrient needed for flower, seed and fruit production. Its leaves contain 2-3 times more potassium than farmyard manure.

There are various ways in which comfrey can be utilised as a fertiliser, these include:

Compost activator

Include in the compost heap to add nitrogen and help to heat the heap. Comfrey should not be added in quantity as it will quickly break down into a dark sludgy liquid that needs to be balanced with more fibrous, carbon rich material.

Liquid fertilizer

Weigh down a handful of leaves in a bucket of water, cover and leave to rot down for 4–5 weeks to produce a ready to use comfrey fertiliser. Alternatively put several bunches of leaves in a refuse bin and fill with water.

Mulch

A two inch layer of comfrey leaves placed around a crop will slowly break down and release plant nutrients; it’s especially useful for crops that need extra potassium, such as fruit bearers, but also does well for potatoes. Avoid using flowering stems as these can root.

Roger and Val Have Just Got In

Immensely happy to see the BBC comedy series Roger and Val Have Just Got In is having a rerun on BBC2. Depicting the first half hour after they both get home from work, if you want a gentle comedy of a middle aged couple's struggle with life and their own loving relationship you couldn't do better. Dawn French and Alfred Molina are in their element. It's in the same mold as that other classic BBC comedy last run in 2009, Early Doors, both relying on microscopic behavioural comedy. Don't miss it... next episode BBC HD Thursday 12-Jan at 22:00.

First time round I loved it but couldn't quite understand why no one else in our family did. This time wife Linda is warming to it...because we're recognising all too closely ourselves in what's going on. Here are the themes for the next couple of episodes. To read full details of all six episodes click here.

EPISODE 2: Val comes home to find Roger in an agitated state. She's left that evening's meal, a pack of fish fingers and some frozen peas, in his plant fridge in the conservatory. Thus begins a chain of rows, each one seemingly all about fish fingers. Despite various attempts by both parties to smooth things over there's a certain amount of tension in the air. It transpires that Roger is in a foul mood not because of the fish fingers, but because there are two new water voles at work who don't get on, and staff have named them after Roger and his boss Phil.

EPISODE 3: Val arrives home with the freshly laundered dining room curtains and hears that Roger has had yet another clash with Phil, his non-plant-loving boss. The dining room has just been decorated and Roger and Val must summon up the energy to put the curtains back up - will they manage to do so?