Jobs for August in the Vegetable Garden

Posted by TopVeg - July 31st, 2007

August is the month for harvesting. But spend some time planning for the winter.

Sow Parsley for winter cropping

Sow into a seedbed or pots for transplanting later:

Perpetual spinach beet, radicchio, cabbages, winter lettuce & spring onions.

Harvest: Read More »

Common Scab affects Potato Tubers.

Posted by TopVeg - July 31st, 2007

Common Scab (Latin name - Streptomyces scabies) causes the skin of potatoes to develop dark, scaby patches which can cause pitting or cracking of the skin.

The disease is only skin deep and the eating quality is unaffected.

Common scab is caused by soil borne bacteria.

Common Scab occurrs when the soil is:

Prevention of Common Scab: Read More »

How to Protect Brassicas from Cabbage White Butterflies.

Posted by TopVeg - July 31st, 2007

Beware of the Cabbage White butterflies around the cabbages, sprouts and broccoli.

cabbage white butterfly

Biological control of the cabbage white butterfly involves placing empty egg shells on sticks. Read More »

How to Thin Carrots in the Vegetable Garden.

Posted by TopVeg - July 29th, 2007

As soon as the seedling carrots are large enough to get hold of, the carrots can be thinned so that there is one seedling every 2 inches. This will give the seedlings room to grow.

thinning carrot row

It is important to thin seedling carrots before they get too big, so that the roots of the remaining carrots are not disturbed. Watering the row before thinning will also help the roots. Water gently from the side.

thinning carrot seedlings

A measuring stick, with 2 inch spacings, will Read More »

The Vegetable Garden at the end of July

Posted by TopVeg - July 29th, 2007

The weeds are growing, but the vegetables are looking well after a day of sun.

How to Pick Blackcurrants.

Posted by TopVeg - July 29th, 2007

Blackcurrants hang in bunches which are quite easy to pull of the bush.

blackcurrant bunch

Blackcurrant fruit comes on last year’s stems, which means that the fruit bearing stems are pruned out to encourage new growth for next year’s harvest.

blackcurrant twig

It is therefore quite in order to cut off the whole twig bearing the blackcurrants, and then pick the berries off later. Read More »

Make Summer Pudding with Soft Fruits from the Garden.

Posted by TopVeg - July 28th, 2007

Summer pudding made from soft fruits picked in the garden is a special treat. The summer pudding recipe can vary according to the fruit available.

ingredients summer pudding

Today the Bedfordshire Giant blackberries are at their best. The Tullamine raspberry variety are coming to the end of a very productive season, it is an excellent variety with a good taste. The Ben Lomond blackcurrants are very ripe and sweet. Read More »

Inter-blog Leek Growing Project - report3.

Posted by TopVeg - July 27th, 2007

Soilman has jumped onboard the Inter-blog Leek Growing Project TopVeg are carrying out with Farming Friends, and has kindly offered to share the leek growing video.

Now we have an inter-inter-blog leek growing project, which must be good!  Thank you soilman.

Why is the Broccoli Wilting?

Posted by TopVeg - July 27th, 2007

The sun has come out, and the broccoli leaves are going limp and wilting in the vegetable garden.

wilting broccoli

Read More »

Why do some Potatoes Crack as they Grow?

Posted by TopVeg - July 27th, 2007

Some poatoes are cracked when they are dug out of the ground in the vegetable garden. The cause of the cracking is usually irregular rainfall or watering.

This year the UK experienced dry conditions in the spring. The first rains to end the drought caused a spurt in growth, which caused the potatoes to crack.

cracked potatoes

Read More »

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