Wilberforce Gardeners
Growing Notes: HERBS and VEGETABLES
There is plenty of information on vegetable growing available in books and on the web and the writer has little experience so these notes are rather general and owe much to seed catalogues and seed packets. The specific descriptions/comments relate to things available in our Spring Sale (2012).
Good crops require good soil, good sun and some effort from the gardener. Soil should be deeply dug (particularly for root vegetables) and organic matter dug in (compost) to improve the texture and water-holding capacity of the soil. Fertility can be improved by digging in fertilizer such as spent chicken manure.
Watering is important for most things and a problem when we have a hosepipe ban. Water in the evening and use enough water so it actually gets down to the roots. Hoeing a gully may help and a funnel can be contrived with a cut off plastic drinks bottle stuck into the soil near the base of the plant. A mulch of something like chopped bark helps reduce water loss and helps to suppress weeds.
Most gardeners have no problems from pests when they grow vegetables but one can be unlucky. The more we grow vegetables the more likely pest trouble becomes. Aphids can be washed off with a sprayer filled with dilute washing-up liquid (just a drop or two in a liter). Some plants are said to repel aphids: French or African marigolds are often used. Biological control with specific nematodes that attack such pests as slugs and vine weevils can be effective but they are not cheap and the instructions must be followed carefully. One can even buy ladybirds to control aphids!
Snails and slugs can be blocked by copper collars around containers or (more cheaply) by a smear of vaseline around the pot. Many people dislike metaldehyde snail/slug pellets as there is some risk to birds and pets (although manufacturers claim this is very slight). There are safer pellets basic on ferric phosphate that degrade harmlessly in the soil. Snail and slug traps are available or can be contrived.
Brassicas (such as cabbages, cauliflower, and broccoli) can be affected by cabbage root fly. A collar of card or plastic fitting closely around the base of the plant stops the fly laying its eggs beside the roots.

Breeders have developed varieties resistant to particular pests.
Beans
Beans are generally easy to grow but it is important to water them well especially when they are in flower and setting their pods.
They need to be picked frequently both to get the beans when tender and to keep the bean plant producing. Spraying the flowers with water can assist seed setting. Climbing beans need support – a wigwam arrangement of canes works well.
CLIMBING FRENCH BEAN “Cobra” is a RHS award winner.
It has mauve flowers and produces a good yield of round, stringless beans. They do not require bees for fertilization and so often crop well in a bad summer.
RUNNER BEAN “Celebration” has salmon-pink flowers and gives an early crop. The pods are smooth and the plants said to be rust-resistant.
RUNNE R BEAN “St. George” is a RHS award winner that gave the heaviest crop in trials. The flowers are bicolour red and white. The pods “semi-stringless”.
DWARF FRENCH BEAN “Nomad” is another RHS award winner. Gives a very heavy crop if picked regularly. It is resistant to the common bean virus and anthracnose fungi. Germination has been very slow this year and many of our plants are barely above ground.
Basil
Early planted basil seeds did poorly this year thanks to the weather (they need warmth) so we have very few plants.
Supermarkets sell pots of basil and these can be planted out and grow happily all summer (they need fresh compost or fertilizer). Even bunches of cut basil will often root if kept in water and the rooted stems can be planted and many will grow well.
Whatever the source, basil plants want sun and heat and plenty of watering. Do not allow them to flower: keep pinching off the flower buds as they form.
Broccoli
PURPLE SPROUTING “Claret”

These are slow-growing plants that produce a good crop of spears in the late autumn and often in winter and early spring.
Plant in rich soil in full sun or light shade. Small seedlings.
CALABRESE “Belstar”. This sort of broccoli produces green heads in late summer/autumn. When the central head is cut side shoots provide a further crop. Likes good soil and full sun. Small seedlings.
Chives
Perennial herb that belongs to the onion family. Plant in clusters in a sunny spot. The purple flowers are attractive. It is a good idea to have two or three clumps. Every so often cut one down to the ground while you use the others. The one you have cut back will produce fresh leaves and then you cut the next one back and so on. Small seedlings.
Coriander
These are hardy annuals. The variety is “Calypso” and is low growing. They can be cut back three times over the summer.
Small plants.
Courgette
“BEST OF BRITISH”
An early cropping courgette. Needs full sun and lenty of water. Keep picking the courgettes (the flowers are edible too) to get a good crop. Birds like t hem too…. Small plants.
Dill
“Bouquet” a dwarf form of the hardy annual. It grows 20-
30cm. The leaves are normally used but the flowers can be used in pickles. Likes good sun. Small plants.
Lettuce and Other Leaves
All of these are small plants.
Let tuce “Lettony” – a Batavian type making a loose head with ruffled leaves. Weather resistant
Lettuce “Little Gem” – makes small, compact heads.
Both types of lettuce can be harvested for leaves when young if you prefer not to wait for the heads to form.

Cornsalad ”Cavallo” – also called “Lamb’s lettuce” or mache
Needs a sunny place and to be watered well in dry weather.
Rocket – a popular salad leaf that can be steamed as well.
Grow in sun or light shade.
Okra
“Clemson’s Spineless” Okra is also known as gumbo, lady’s fingers, and bhindi.
The seed pods are used in Indian, African and New Orleans cooking. They contain a mucilage that thickens stews and sauces.
Needs full sun and good watering. Fertilize with tomato fertilizer. Pick the pods when they are small 5 cm to 10 cm. They quickly become tough and fibrous when larger.
Probably best grown in containers. Small plants.
Peppers, Chilli
“Apache”
“Basket of Fire”
Both are small plants suitable for containers. “Apache” ripens from green to red while basket of fire runs from purple to yellow to red. Both are hot and to be eaten with caution. The fruits can be dried.
Grow in sun with good watering. Tomato fertilizer helps give a good crop. Small plants.
Peppers, Sweet
“Mohawk”
“Redskin”
Both are dwarf varieties suitable for containers. Grow in full sun with good watering and a rich soil (tomato fertilizer helps give a good crop). Mohawk fruits ripen from green to yellow and redskin as the name suggests, to red. Small plants.
Spinach
‘Apollo” a variety suitable for growing in containers. Full sun and good watering needed. Leaves can be used when young or when mature. Small plants.

Squash
“Harrier” This is a butternut type and makes a bushy plant.
Fruits weigh up to 800g and should be ready about three months from planting. Need a rich soil, full sun and lots of water. Small seedlings.
Swiss Chard
Swiss chard is also called leaf beet.
“Bright Lights” – Green or reddish purple leaves with white, yellow or red stalks. Decorative enough to grow in flower beds. Both the leaf and stalk are used as vegetables.
Good sun and soil.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes come in many types – some suited to greenhouse growing and some to outdoors. Cordon or indeterminate types need a lot of support and removal of side shoots.
Bush varieties need less support and do not usually need removal of side shoots.
Red Alert” is the earliest maturing outdoor bush variety.
Medium sized fruits.
“Incas” is an easy-to-row plum tomato. Bush type.
“Super Marmande” has large, sometimes misshapen fruits much grown in the South of France. It is a semi-determinate type which means that it makes a vigorous bush that may require some side shoot removal. (Don’t be put off – it is easy to grow here outdoors and the flavour is excellent.)
Our tomatoes are small seedlings thanks to slow germination but they should come on in the sun. Tomatoes do well in the sun and need lots of water particularly if grown in containers. They need feeding to get a good crop. A high potassium (“potash”) fertilizer is best.
Despite being bush types I have found it best to stake tomatoes as the weight of the fruit can pull them over. Some

recommend removing the flowers after six trusses have set but there seems little harm in letting them continue until late summer.
Spraying flowers with water in helps fruit setting.
HAW May 2012