Vegetables

On this posting I will record varieties of vegetables planted in the garden, with updates and notes about how well they are growing (or not), harvesting, flavour, etc


ASPARAGUS
(1 year old crowns from Ken Muir 2000)
21.04.08 the first two asparagus spears are visible, about 20mm high!!!
first cut 03.05.08
stopped cutting end of May


BEETROOT
Crapaudine (Vita, French Seeds)
sown outside 29.04.08


BROAD BEAN
Bunyard's Exhibition (Unwins Seeds)
sown outside 21.11.07
about 60% germination, shoots 3cm 31.01.08
some seedlings transplanted to infill the rows 04.02.08

Crimson Flowered (home saved seeds, originally from the HSL*)
sown in pots in the greenhouse 03.02.08 all germinated and grew rapidly
no frost this week 04.03.08 put outside to harden off
planted out 08.03.08


BROCCOLI
Purple Sprouting
sown summer 2007 and planted out, much too late, September 2007
Only two plants survived. Tasted very good April 2008


CARDOON
established plants in the vegetable garden originally grown from seed
as these are decorative rather than productive and they are now huge woody plants I decided to dig up all but one plant (note: really MUST blanche stems next autumn)
09.04.08 transplanted the two largest young side shoots with good roots into the circular rose bed – I hope that they make huge feature plants visible from the studio
smaller side shoots potted up to grow on as small plants for the mixed borders or for sale!


CARROT
Autumn King
sown outside 11.03.08 under glass cloches.
Hopeless! Maybe one seedling?

29.04.08 another go now the soil is warm and moist – two short rows sown outside.
success!


CHARD
Bright Lights (Johnson's 'Cook's Garden' Seeds)
sown outside 29.04.08


COURGETTE
Gold Rush (Johnsons Seeds)
sown in pots in the greenhouse 29.04.08
3 plants planted out 31.05.08

Nano Verde Di Milano (The Taste of Italy, Vita Sementi Seeds)
sown in pots in the greenhouse 29.04.08
3 plants planted out 31.05.08



CUCUMBER
Marketmore (Mr Fothergill's Seeds)
sown in pots in the greenhouse 04.05.08
excellent germination


FENNEL
Finale (Organic Gardening Catalogue)
sown in a seed try in the heated propogator in the greenhouse 29.04.08


FRENCH BEAN
Climbing
Lazy Wife (home saved seeds, originally from the HSL*)
seed more than 5 years old
sown in large cells in the greenhouse 20.04.08
old seeds - no germination

Veitches (home saved seeds, originally from the HSL*)
seed more than 5 years old
sown in large cells in the greenhouse 20.04.08
old seeds - no germination

Mrs Fortune's (seed swap with Rebsie of Daughter of the Soil)
sown in large cells in the greenhouse 20.04.08
11.05.08 planted out around large rustic wigwam

San Antonio (HSL* selection 2008)
sown in large cells in the greenhouse 20.04.08
only 4 plants planted out 11.05.08

Poletschka (home saved seeds from HSL* selection 2007)
sown in large cells in the greenhouse 05.05.08

Borlotti (?) (climbing bean with red striped pods, seeds originally from Anna Pavord)
sown in large cells in the greenhouse 12.05.08 old seed - fingers crossed!


FRENCH BEAN
Dwarf
Royalty (seed swap with Matron of Down on the Allotment)
sown in large cells in the greenhouse 20.04.08
planted out 05.05.08

Emperor of Russia (HSL* selection 2008)
sown in large cells in the greenhouse 20.04.08
planted out 05.05.08

Negritos (HSL* lucky dip packet 2008)
sown in large cells in the greenhouse 20.04.08
planted out 05.05.08

Fagioli Nana / Bush Bean Creso (Vita Sementi/Thompson & Morgan - The Taste of Italy)
sown in outside in a long double row 05.05.08

Vermont Cranberry (home saved seed originally from HSL* 2007)
sown in outside 12.05.08


KALE
Dwarf Green Curled and Rubibor (Organic Gardening Catalogue)
sown summer 2007 and planted out, much too late, September 2007
the plants are still small but there were enough leaves to pick for our dinner on Valentine's Day 2008. The rest picked for Easter Sunday lunch 23.03.08

Cavolo, Tuscan Kale (Vita Sementi Italian Vegetables)
sown in a heated propogator 04.02.08
germinated quickly, seedlings 10mm - moved out of the propogator 09.02.08
24 seedlings transplanted to cells 26.02.08 the remaider will be eaten as micro-greens
14.03.08 potted on into 8cm pots – I'm hoping large strong plants will do better when planted in the veg patch.
01.04.08 pots transferred to a large plastic cloche on one of the vegetable beds
planted out in vegetable garden under netting 20.04.08
crushed eggshells scattered around plants to deter slugs


LEEK
Musselburgh (Unwins)
sown in a deep pot in frost-free greenhouse 12.02.08
11.03.08 germination just started

Lyon (Unwins, Heritage variety c.1881)
sown in a deep pot in frost-free greenhouse 12.02.08
11.03.08 germination just started

Porvite (Autumn Giant 2) (Thomson & Morgan, RHS Award of Garden Merit collection)
sown in a deep pot in frost-free greenhouse 12.02.08
first to germinate
11.03.08 full pot of seedlings


LETTUCE
Black Seeded Samara (HSL selection 2006)
sown in a seed tray in the greenhouse 20.04.08
08.05.08 largest seedlings planted outside
and the rest 13.05.08

Bronze Arrowhead (HSL selection 2007)
sown in a seed tray in the greenhouse 20.04.08
12.05.08 largest seedlings planted outside

Bunyard's Matchless (HSL selection 2008)
sown in a seed tray in the greenhouse 20.04.08
08.05.08 largest seedlings planted outside


LIMA BEANS
Chestnut lima Bean (picked up from the path at Clumber Park!)
sown in a deep pot in the greenhouse 12.05.08
germinated, but leaves damages and distorted


MICRO-GREENS
I'm experimenting with growing herbs and vegetable seedlings for salads

21.02.08 Nabiças(Portuguese greens)/Cavalo Cappuccio Rosso (Red Cabbage)/Rocket/Sorrel sown on vermiculite in a seed tray in a heated propogator.
11.03.08 not a great success, only the rocket has grown and is rather weedy!
only the sorrel seedlings looked really healthy – tansplanted these to cells 20.04.08
the other seedlings composted!

21.02.08 Red Orach sown on vermiculite in a small plastic tray in a heated propogator
moved to the green house bench and growing well 11.03.08
not a success – I think sowing on vermiculite needs much warmer moister conditions!


ONION
Red Baron (loose sets, Oakington Garden Centre)
planted outside 12.02.08

Sturon (loose sets, Oakington Garden Centre)
planted outside 12.02.08


PARSNIP
unknown variety (saved seeds)
sown in small modules in frost-free greenhouse 12.02.08
14.03.08 no germination – could be they needed cold to trigger germination?

Avonresister (Unwins seeds)
seed chilled in fridge for 2 weeks – sown in modules 27.03.08
08.05 08 no germination – I give up!

Tender and True (Suttons seeds)
seed chilled in fridge for 2 weeks – sown in modules 27.03.08
08.05 08 no germination – I give up!


PEAS
Purple Podded (home saved seeds, originally from HSL* member Chris Knight)
sown in cardboard tubes and a deep plant pot in frost-free greenhouse 26.02.08
12.03.08 all germinated, 2cm tall
moved to a plastic cloche in the vegetable garden 25.03.08
the pot grown seedlings planted out around a 2m wigwam 27.03.08
cardboard tube grown seedlings didn't grow as well as those in the pot – might this be due to fungicide in the cardboard? these remain under the cloche.

Carouby de Mausanne (The Organic Gardening Catalogue)
sown in a deep plant pot in frost-free greenhouse 26.02.08
12.03.08 all germinated, 2cm tall
moved to a plastic cloche in the vegetable garden 25.03.08
planted out around a 2m wigwam 27.03.08

Golden Sweet (home saved seeds, originally from HSL* 2006)
sown in a deep plant pot in frost-free greenhouse 12.03.08
good strong young plants with roots emerging from bottom of the pot
moved to a plastic cloche in the vegetable garden 09.04.08
planted out around a 1.5m wigwam 24.04.08

Victorian Purple Podded (HSL* selection 2008)
sown in a deep plant pot in frost-free greenhouse 12.03.08
good strong young plants with roots emerging from bottom of the pot
moved to a plastic cloche in the vegetable garden 09.04.08
planted out around a 1.5m wigwam 21.04.08

Clarke's Beltony Blue (seed swap with Rebsie of Daughter of the Soil)
sown in a deep plant pot in frost-free greenhouse 12.03.08
good strong young plants with roots emerging from bottom of the pot
moved to a plastic cloche in the vegetable garden 09.04.08
planted out around a 1.5m wigwam 24.04.08

Carruthers' Purple Podded (seed swap with Rebsie of Daughter of the Soil)
sown in a deep plant pot in frost-free greenhouse 12.03.08
good strong young plants with roots emerging from bottom of the pot
moved to a plastic cloche in the vegetable garden 09.04.08
planted out around a 1.5m wigwam 21.04.08

Salmon Flowered (seed swap with Rebsie of Daughter of the Soil)
sown in a deep plant pot in frost-free greenhouse 12.03.08
good strong young plants with roots emerging from bottom of the pot
moved to a plastic cloche in the vegetable garden 09.04.08
planted out around a 1.5m wigwam 21.04.08


PEPPERS
Red Chili Peppers (seed from a neighbour's plants)
sown in a heated propogator 04.02.08
pricked out 12.03.08
potted up into larger pots 25.05.08

Guindilla Blanca de Vinagre (Clemente, Spanish seeds)
small white (pale green) peppers for pickling in vinegar
sown in a heated propogator 04.02.08 – none germinated, old seed?


POTATOES
International Kidney (seed potatoes from Oakington Garden Centre)
planted 17.04.08

Ratte (seed potatoes from Oakington Garden Centre)
planted 17.04.08

Nicola (seed potatoes from Oakington Garden Centre)
planted 24.04.08

Pink Fir Apple (seed potatoes from Oakington Garden Centre)
planted 24.04.08


ROCKET
Rucola (Ortaggi, Italian seeds)
sown in a large pot in frost-free greenhouse 12.02.08
germinated amazingly quickly - 5cm tall now 11.03.08


RUNNER BEAN
Salford Black (home saved seeds, originally from the HSL*)
sown outside around giant wigwam archway 05.05.08


SALAD LEAVES
Lattughino da taglio misto (Magnani Sementi, Italian seeds)
sown in a large pot in frost-free greenhouse 12.02.08
11.03.087 excellent growth.


SHALLOTS
Pikant (loose sets, Oakington Garden Centre)
Planted outside 13.02.08


SQUASH
Marina di Chioggia (home saved seeds)
sown in pots in the greenhouse 04.05.08
one plant planted into 'Three Sisters' bed 31.05.08

Winter festival (home saved seeds)
sown in pots in the greenhouse 04.05.08
one plant planted into 'Three Sisters' bed 31.05.08

unknown round dark orange variety, with grey-green central boss (home saved seeds)
sown in pots in the greenhouse 04.05.08
one plant planted into 'Three Sisters' bed 31.05.08


SWEETCORN
Honey Bantam (Thompson & Morgan Seeds )
sown in pots in the greenhouse 08.05.08
excellent germination
17 plants planted into 'Three Sisters' bed 31.05.08


TOMATOES
Marmande Temprano (Clemente, Spanish seeds)
Sown in a small pot in a heated propogator 26.02.08
pricked out into modules 24.03.08
potted on into small pots 14.04.08
05.05.08 moved outside during the day to harden off (greenhouse too hot!!)
11.05.08 4 plants planted in a large tub in the courtyard

San Marzano (Semeurop, Italian seeds)
Sown in a small pot in a heated propogator 26.02.08
pricked out into modules 24.03.08
potted on into small pots 14.04.08
05.05.08 moved outside during the day to harden off (greenhouse too hot!!)
11.05.08 4 plants planted in a large tub in the courtyard

Liguria (Magnani Sementi, Italian seeds)
Sown in a small pot in a heated propogator 26.02.08
pricked out into modules 24.03.08
potted on into small pots 14.04.08
05.05.08 moved outside during the day to harden off (greenhouse too hot!!)
11.05.08 4 plants planted in a large tub in the courtyard

Sub Arctic Plenty (HSL lucky dip packet 2006)
Sown in a small pot in a heated propogator 26.02.08
no germination – old seed?

Salt Spring Sunrise (HSL lucky dip packet 2007)
Sown in a small pot in a heated propogator 26.02.08
pricked out into modules 24.03.08
potted on into small pots 14.04.08
05.05.08 moved outside during the day to harden off (greenhouse too hot!!)
11.05.08 4 plants planted in a large tub in the courtyard

Madame Jardel's Black (HSL selection 2008)
Sown in a small pot in a heated propogator 26.02.08
pricked out into modules 24.03.08
potted on into small pots 14.04.08
05.05.08 moved outside during the day to harden off (greenhouse too hot!!)
11.05.08 4 plants planted in a large tub in the courtyard
2 plants, one with 'potato' leaves, planted in pots in the greenhouse

Golden Jublilee (seed swap with Matron of Down on the Allotment)
Sown in a small pot in a heated propogator 26.02.08
first to germinate
pricked out 12.03.08
potted on into small pots 14.04.08
05.05.08 moved outside during the day to harden off (greenhouse too hot!!)
11.05.08 4 plants planted in a large tub in the courtyard


*HSL = Heritage Seed Library