You just can’t have too many runner beans.
This month is a bit fragmented or me in the garden. Some
things I am trying to speed up, like ripening the tomatoes and sage cuttings. Then
on the other hand I am trying to slow down the spinach and lettuce to stop them
bolting.
I have three types of tomatoes growing, I can’t remember their
names but some are bigger than others and they have all been left to do their
own thing barring the odd comfrey feed and nipping out a few side shoots. If
they don’t start to ripen soon we’ll be eating a lot of green chutney. The
lettuce, mustard and spinach on the other hand has no problem maturing. I
bought the “cut and come again” type, but maybe I am not doing it properly (I
really don’t know if you can do these things wrong) the resulting plants are
bolting even before the leaves have had time to mature.
What is Bolting?
I’ll pass you over to Michael Kelly, a freelance journalist,
writer for the Irish Independent Lifestyle pages and founder of GIY (Grow It
Yourself www.giyireland.com) Ireland to explain.
“Bolting is a horticultural term which refers to vegetable
crops that run to seed before their time.
The plant is essentially rushing in to procreation mode - trying to
spread its seed (by producing flower or seed heads) before it dies. It is a perfectly natural part of the plant's
lifecycle, but unfortunately it usually renders them inedible.”
What causes the
problem?
“It is often caused
by a cold spell, changes in day length or other stress in the plant such as
lack of water. Some plants such as
lettuce, rocket and annual spinach are particularly susceptible.”
When does it happen?
“Though bolting occurs as the plant reaches maturity it can
happen much earlier. In annual crops
this is usually caused by changes in day length but can be worsened by stressed
conditions (lack of water etc). In
biannual crops it is caused by unsettled weather conditions or a cold spell
early in the propagation phase. Cold nights, followed by hot days will also
cause it, as will late frosts.”
So how do we minimize
the amount of bolting in our veg patch?
“Watering well and regularly is key since dry soil
encourages bolting. Delay sowing cold
sensitive plants like chard, onions, beetroot until temperatures have risen or
raise in modules in a greenhouse and plant out when temperatures are warmer.
Succession sowings will help to beat bolting and provide a constant supply of
produce. Bolt resistant varieties are
specially bred to resist bolting - examples include Boltardy for beetroot.
There are also bolt resistant varieties of spinach, onions, carrots and
turnips.” Michael concludes.
I’m taking Michael’s advice here and sowing new salad plants
every few weeks and it seems to be working as we have had a continuous supply
all summer, barring tomatoes of course.
Runner Beans
The Runner beans are prolific and are talking the place of
mange tout which have all been eaten. The beans are as long as spaghetti and
after being put through the slicing machine look great mixed into the pasta.
They are the lads favourite vegetable and I can see why, they are soft (when
young anyway) and tasty and go with most meals.
Catch the Cabbage
Whites
One thing I have to do every morning is play “grab the
Cabbage Whites” in the polytunnel. Every
day I am removing at least 20 of them as they tap on the plastic and look for
somewhere leafy to multiply. They are after the curly Kale and broccoli of
course and every day I have to check for the small yellow capsules under the
leaves that soon turn into caterpillars. I’m being very lenient on these
butterflies and although it’s tempting to kill them I am catching them gently
and letting them go outside of the tunnel door. Right into the path of my
outdoor brassicas. You have to give them a sporting chance.
There are a couple of sun loving plants mature enough for harvesting
to entertain me until the tomatoes are ready.
The sweetcorn is full to bursting and this year I have grown my very
first chillies. Time for a runner bean
and sweetcorn curry I think.
