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Harvest 'Festival'

by Bryan Smith

Well, what a difference a year makes!

From an overgrown plot of land which did not look as though it could produce anything, to a positive production line of vegetables. From the photograph below you can see the superb vegetables we are getting from the plot, even though we have had extremes of weather.

I don't think that any plant has had 'ideal' conditions, although it has generally been a fantastic summer. We started off the year with a very cold spell and then entered a very hot spell, which then turned into a cooler wetter scene throughout August.

Whilst most plants cope well with changes in weather conditions if they are gentle, the extremes we have encountered have had an affect on growth, pollination and the production of the final fruit or vegetable.

Early on I thought we had got away without too many pest problems, but these have also had an affect. Early carrots survived the carrot fly but the intermediate crop has been quite badly affected even though I provided protection with fleece. I will have to have a rethink for next year.

The cabbage white butterflies also succeeded in getting through my wire netting cages and have made rather a mess of broccoli, sprouts and even swede tops. It is impossible to keep up with the egg laying and subsequent caterpillar problem, and there doesn't seem to be an easy organic solution for getting rid of them. Very few people on the allotments grow brassicas, and I now know why!

I have also found a few slugs, but these seem to be kept in check by the large number of frogs on the site.

I think I mentioned in one of my earlier articles that I have tried, where possible, to plant according to the phases of the moon. I believe this has paid dividends, and where I have carried out some sample tests there are definite differences in both yield and quality, so I will certainly carry this on into next year to see if similar results are obtainable.

So then to the produce, which has been exceptional: we have enough food to last us through the winter, with three freezers now full with broad beans, runner beans, sweetcorn, carrots and parsnips; Leeks are now ready and will last for several months; the first and second early potatoes have been incredible.

I have certainly noticed a real difference in both the taste and quality of vegetables produced organically.

With autumn arriving it is now going to be a period of preparation for the winter months, and getting the ground ready for next spring.

Over the next week or two I will plant Japanese onions, garlic and broad beans. This will be the first year I have attempted to overwinter broad beans, in an effort to obtain an early crop next year.

Next time I will deal with building the shed and preparing the ground for the winter.

Happy growing!

Bryan