Now that it is Meteorological Autumn it is time to see how the crops in the Autumn bed are faring. Under the 4 seasons scheme all crops should be ready for harvesting before the month is out. There are some successes and some failures. Lets take a look:
AUTUMN
The autumn planting scheme was:
Beetroot
Tomato
Carrot
Fennel
Pepper (Cyklon)
Celeriac
Leeks
(Jolant)
Dwarf French Beans
Kohlrabi
Here are pictures of each square in turn with notes:
Leeks
Although an early variety (Jolant) these leeks are lagging behind and will need to be left for another month or two before harvesting. They could probably do with a bit of liquid feed. Leeks feature in Autumn, Winter and Spring beds. An earlier start is required for the Autumn ones.
Dwarf French Beans
Rammed full of greenery there has been a reasonable crop. Not sure that this variety is the best. A yellow or purple variety would help as the beans got "lost" behind the greenery.
Kohlrabi
A good choice but early growth was pecked to death by pigeons. Netting now in place and resowing has worked. Next year protection will be in place from the start.
Fennel
Peaked too early so the three remaining stems have bolted. Abundant feathery leaves. One stunning bulb was harvested in July by an unknown agency. 5 plants in a square foot was too many so the perpetrator probably did us a favour by thinning the crop!
Red Pepper Cyklon
A bit ambitious growing this outdoors in Scotland. Healthy green leaves, some flowers, but not any significant fruit. Squeezed in the middle it was not a fair contest. Verdict Not an appropriate choice for this location. Grow indoors in future.
Celeriac
Celeriac has been a bugbear for me in the past but I was encouraged by the results in the school garden last year. A single plant in this square. There is a picture of the root development below. Could do with a liquid feed. Also growing this in Winter with similar results.
Carrots - Missing!
Carrot are a bad choice for the school garden. Even with fleece the badger seeks them out and totally wipes them out. The two carrot square feet (Autumn and Winter) hove both been deeply excavated!
Tomato Totem
With more time for ripening this is an ideal variety for square foot growing. Some support helps:. A totem pole(?) Otherwise they keep themselves to themselves.
Beetroot
Old reliable beetroot has been happily growing overcrowded and uncared for it delivers without getting too big to crowd out its neighbours. Recommended for square foot gardening.
Beetroot Roots
Tomato Fruit
Celeriac Root
Hope you enjoyed this review.
Just for the record here are the other three seasons beds
It's time for the harvest from the 4 seasons "winter" bed in the school garden. The aim of these square meter beds is to demonstrate that there is something to be harvested in every quarter of the year. The winter harvest has been bolstered by produce from the brassica bed, notably brussel sprouts:
The school celeriac has rubbed salt into the wound by producing better celeriac than I have ever managed to grow on my allotment. (Despite the plants the from the same batch of seedlings)
Other pickings are:
Seakale Beet
Swede or ' Neep'
Kohlrabi
Beetroot
Once you re picking parsnips it begins to feel a bit like Christmas:
Not the prettiest of pictures, but I must give credit to the crops which have survived the winter and are still providing food for the table.
Top of the list has to be carrots.
The fleece/mesh that was in place to keep off the root fly goes on to afford some protection from the weather.
Hardier than carrots but competing for sweetness are the leeks. This is the last of them just before I lifted them to make soup yesterday.
Even more bedraggled but showing signs of recovery is spinach. There were three rows of different varieties and I think it is the Winter Giant that has proved most robust in fighting off the persistent annual meadow grass.
Another hard nut is the Swede. The pigeons have pecked off the leaves that the frost didn't get, but they still deliver on flavour. Kohl Rabi also deserves a mention as the big swollen stems have overwintered well. Salsify has also shrugged off winter.
Last but not least I planted up the former strawberry patch with a mixture of brassicas in late summer and hope yet to get some spring pickings.
Days have shortened, temperatures have dropped, rain has been sweeping past and outdoor activities have become less attractive. It is tempting to just forget about the plot on the other side of town. That's not to say that there is nothing cropping at the moment. It's just that as soon as your gloves get wet you have to change them before you lose the use of your hands. So today three pairs of gloves at the ready I harvested The last of the row of fennel
Swiss chard:
and spinach:
Cabbage:
Kohlrabi
Swede:
Carrots from under their cover:
and that's a row of salsify to the left which, like the parsnips, I have yet to explore. Less photogenic but also picked today Jerusalem artichoke and sprouting broccoli. There's plenty beetroot too and Brussel sprouts to come. The leeks I am leaving for when things get really depleted.
Nearly forgot to mention the late brassicas planted after clearing the strawberry patch! There's spring greens, kale and mooli in there.
So all in all I have still got lots of reasons to remember to visit the plot, (just don't ask me to do any weeding).
It is time for my warts and all annual review. Viewed from the East it is not very photogenic.
The view from the East End
In the foreground you have rows of brassicas (turnips, kohlrabi and swede) which I have as catch crops between the asparagus. Very few asparagus fronds came up after the last winter. I will be filling in the gaps next spring. Beyond the "asparagus bed" are next year's strawberries (Malwena) and a row of cucurbits. Aside from the Romanesco Courgette bush there is little to show. Beyond that is:
Sweetcorn
Sweetcorn. Really just an exercise in thumbing the nose at the naysayers who don't think it could possibly be grown in Scotland. It can - just!
Beets and Fennel
Beyond that we are on safer territory with beetroot, fennel, Swiss chard and lettuces. The beetroot this year has been very boistrous and I am hopeful that some of the bigger "roots" will survive well into the winter. Once they get gnawed though they won't keep, so some will be coming home for home storage in the coal cellar. Next is the remnants of the allium patch. Just a few shallots from seed left aside from the stalwart leeks. Beyond that is...
Allium Patch
The carrot temple. Looks rubbish but is the key to keeping the crop free from the tunnelling root fly maggot.
Carrot Temple
On past a row of scorzonera I am growing for a laugh, there is a solitary parsnip and 4 half haearted celeriacs. Then 3 rows of winter spinach (Amazon/Medina/Winter Giant) Only sown recently I want to see if any can survive rhe ravages of winter.
Spinach + Parsnip + Cleriac
Finally, to complete the run from end to end, we arrive at the potato patch. The main crop is still showing impressive folliage, I think you will agree?
Main Crop Potatoes
Earlies + Artechoke
The earlies have been harvested but there has been an unplanned reemergence of last year's Jerusalem artichokes smothering one corner of the patch. Turning through 180 degrees here is the single tubor I purposely planted in order to establish a new patch for the future:
Next Year's Artechoke
Moving to the Northwest corner to start the return sweep here is my fruit cage. The first of the three bays has goosberries redcurrants and new jostaberry and gojoberry bushes. The current cropper is....
Fruit Cage
Blackberries:
Blackberries
The middle bay is chocka with raspberries (Joan J producing Glen Ample and Glen Moy finnished but not yet cut back). Then the third bay was Marshmello strawberries but these have been grubbed up after a poor showing. To use the netted space I have planted out some spare brassicas in the hope of overwintering them. Already I have some casualties but the Daikon Radish is looking happy - and needing to be thinned.
Late/Early Brassicas
Also squeezed in are some very late sown peas. Hopefully I will be as happy as Monty Don in a few weeks if these come good. In the background is a fill in row of flowers where the early peas were!
Very Late Peas
Beyond them is a patch of green manure (clover) where the later peas were, and then there is a riot of runner and French beans.
Beans and Green Manure
The last "room" is the brassica patch proper. Not particularly pretty but a stalwart of any allotment.
Brassicas
Brassicas reverse view.
After the photos some harvesting:
I hope you enjoyed your tour of Mal's Edinburgh Allotment.
