Mark Saunders' A to Z
On April 26 2010, Mark Saunders gave COGS a highly informative, and entertaining, presentation of Vegetable growing tips. These were given as an A to Z list, which Mark agreed for COGS to reproduce here.
Asparagus - stake growth after June to ensure a better crop next year.
Aubergine - sow in January/February as it needs a long growing season.
Brocolli/Brussel Sprouts - needs protection from Pigeons all the time.
Carrots - protect from Carrot Root Fly with fleece.
Chard - try growing amonst flowers/annuals in a border.
Compost - essential addition whatever the soil.
Cucumber - indoor varieties hate any cold draughts or temps in early development.
Diary - keep a diary of sowing, planting and harvesting to aid memory.
Easy veg - Radish, Shallots, Beetroot, Kale, Potato, Pumpkins, Courgettes.
Feeding - base dressing before planting, Tomatoes are hungry feeders.
Fennel - goes to seed easily if left to dry out or stressed as a seedling.
Fleece - useful addition for Carrots, Cabbage and early Lettuce.
F1 hybrids - bred to give superior, even growth and disease resistance.
Garlic - divide bulb in November and plant in a 3" pot before planting out in March.
Greenhouse - allows you to get so much more from vegetable growing.
Hoe - many types of which the SWOE is superior.
Intercropping - catch crops of quick growing veg planted amongst slower types.
Jerusalem Artichoke - persistent re-grower if not dug up thoroughly first time.
Kale - cheap easy to grow alternative to Cabbage that lets you pick 1 leaf.
Leek - making holes for leeks is so much easier with a metal crowbar!
Lettuce - try loose leaf or picking lettuce which again let you harvest 1 leaf.
Marrow/Courgettes - will crop better if picked every day (even if you don't need them).
New varieties - Pak Choi Rubi, Broad Bean Karmazyn, Runner Bean St George.
Onions - do not feed as roots are sensitive.
Organisation - being organised is key to successful vegetable growing.
Parsnips - slow to germinate so mark ends of the rows.
Pepper - sow early for longest growing season and give sunny site for growth.
Planning - draw out your plot and plan your rotation in early Autumn.
Plug trays - multiple advantages for indoor sowing over direct sowing outdoors.
Potato - if Blight strikes remove all top growth immediately.
Question - what do you do, what you grow, what advice you are given.
Radish - try different colours - purple, white, biscuit, pink, black.
Rotation - helps to prevent a build up of vegetable diseases and pests.
Seed companies - using more than one gives you better choice and more variety.
Shallots - keep the best for sowing next year and eat the rest.
Sweet Corn - if growing super sweet types only grow 1 variety to avoid starchiness.
Tomato - if blight strikes remove all fruit immediately and ripen in trays.
Understanding - light, heat and water requirements will help improve yields.
Vegetable shows - a good way of increasing knowledge and finding good varieties
Watering - less watering helps improve flavour and makes for stronger plants.
eXercise - vegatable growing is a very good way of keeping fit and healthy.
Yellow Tomatoes - colourful vegetables are very good for your diet.
Z - if you manage all that then the zzzzzz's will come easily!