Frost is forecast and threatens to spoil the potatoes in the plot.
So the Chef covered his potatoes with fleece tonight. This will trap the warm air that is around the potatoes and act as a barrier against the frost. If the frosty air hit the potato leaves it will kill them
potato-plant-day-40
which would be a pity after all the tender loving care they have received to get them this far.
The Chef listens to the weather forecast every day so that he can take action to protect his crops if frost threatens the plot.
Comments Off
The Chef has planted one row of Nandor carrots in the Plot.
Nandor is a first class F1 carrot variety which produces high quality carrots.
Nandor carrots are:
- very uniform and stumpy
- with a clean, smooth skin
- a deep orange colour
- cylindrical roots 15 – 18 cm long and 2.5 – 4 cm in diameter
- strong in the top
- easy to pull out of the ground
- resistant to carrot fly
- nandor-carrots
Nandor carrots taste sweet and have a wonderful flavour. They are very good cooked or eaten raw in salads.
- carrot-Nandor
The latin name of carrot is Daucus carota. Nandor is a popular variety of carrot.
Comments Off
The Chef has ridged up (or earthed up) the first lot of potatoes that he planted in the plot.
potatoes ridged up
These Maris Bard potatoes were planted on 2nd April, 40 days ago. The tops were 9 inches above the surface of the ground. They were planted quite shallow.
It is important to get a good depth of soil over the seed potato, as the root ball will grow around this and push out stolons which form potatoes on the ends. These new potatoes must have a good covering of soil to protect them from daylight. If the new potatoes are exposed to light they go green, which renders them poisonous.
For more information on the reasons we ridge up potatoes click the link. Ridging up potatoes must be done at the right time & carefully.
These Maris Bard potatoes will probably be ridged or ‘earthed’ up a little more in a couple of weeks by drawing more soil up the ridge.
Comments Off
These broad beans planted in The Plot 62 days ago are looking healthy.
broad-beans-day62
The Express Broad Beans were planted at the start of March. Some of them rotted off but most of the broad bean seedlings are growing well after 62 days.
Comments Off
The Chef planted a row of Meteor broad bean seed today.
Following the disastrous progress of the Express broad beans, the Chef planted another row of broad bean seed. But this time he used the variety called Meteor.
The Express broad beans were planted 9 weeks ago. Another sowing now will give a spread of harvesting, so that he can enjoy cooking fresh beans over several weeks.
Lets hope the Meteor Broad Beans planted today get off to a good start and have some sun, so that they do not rot off like the Express broad beans did.
Comments Off
One row of beetroot was sown in the Plot this morning.
The seeds were sown:
- in a shallow row
- 1cm deep
- 15cm apart
The seeds were covered lightly with soil and watered in.
The variety of beetroot was Bulls Blood, a heritage variety introduced in 1840 which has:
- vivid burgundy leaves
- baby leaves which add colour to salads
- fat round purple beetroots
Bulls Blood beetroot seeds are available from the Telegraph Garden Shop.
Planting beetroot now will ensure a supply of beet for summer salads
Comments Off
The Express Broad Beans in the Chef’s Plot were planted 53 days ago.
This photo shows broad bean row:
broad-beans-3-May-Plot
The broad bean plants are looking very strong and healthy.
broad-beans-Plot3-May
The Express Broad beans have grown steadily since they were planted 53 days ago.
Comments Off
The Maris Bard Potatoes in The Chef’s Plot are out. This photo shows the fleece pushed back to show the newly emerged leaves of the Maris Bard potatoes that were planted on 2 April.
potatoes-3-May
It has taken a month since planting for the potatoes to reach this stage.
PotatoesPlot-3-May
Even though the Maris Bard potatoes in the Chef’s Plot are out, he will still keep them covered over with fleece.
Comments Off
The Chef planted his Vivaldi seed potatoes today.The variety Vivaldi is:
- Second Early
- known as ‘weight watcher’s potato’ – has up to a third fewer calories and a third less carbohydrate than most other varieties
- known as the ‘butterless baker’ as its creamy texture and flavour mean that as a baked potato, it does not even needed butter to improve its flavour!
- good boiled, roasted, baked or mashed
- oval tubers
- yellow skin
- pale yellow flesh
- resistant to scab.
He planted a row of Maris Bard potatoes on 2nd April and they are still covered with fleece. The fleece will keep them warm and protect them from any frost.
The Vivaldi potatoes planted today need some warm weather to get them going.
Comments Off
The red onions on the Chef’s plot are showing a bit of growth.
red-onions-April15
The birds have been busy pulling the onion sets out of the row, but the Chef has pushed them back in. The birds will not be able to pull them out now that they have started to grow, as the roots will be developing in the soil and will act as an anchor.
The Chef dug up his lawn to make way for a vegetable garden. Now the red onions are showing growth his veggie patch is on the way.
Comments Off
