We had a very successful summer show on the 25th of July (see photos here) and our next event is the autumn show on Saturday 12th September in the village hall. We will be running the show in conjunction with the Harvest Festival at the Five Bells and the connecting gateway between the two car parks will be open all day. Schedules and entry forms are available from committee members and at the Five Bells. Doors open to the public at 2pm and the prize giving is at 3.30.
To be honest I wonder what will still be growing by early September. The hot weather and drought have brought about a number of changes in the growth and quality of produce particularly in the vegetable garden. My impression is that most crops are three to four weeks earlier than usual.
The hot weather certainly inhibited the setting of tomatoes and runner beans. Fine misty spraying in the evening may have helped but high daytime temperatures have certainly effected the end product. With beans the crop has been diminished and the size and texture altered despite regular watering. The pods seem to set to bean production very quickly making daily picking essential.
With tomatoes the main problem has been greenback where the area round the calyx remains yellow and hard and fails to ripen. This is partly due to excessive heat combined with insufficient watering and potassium deficiency. Hence regular watering and application of a potassium rich tomato feed will help. Contrary to the general believe I do find that regular watering with a tomato feed and a good dose of patience often leads to eventual ripening. On the plus side the increased amount of sunshine should add extra sweetness to the fruit and reduce the risk of blight.
Interestingly with courgettes and squashes I have found that the heat seems to have stimulated the plant into producing a surfeit of male flowers rather than the desired female ones. The same applies to cucumbers in the varieties that produce both types of flower.
As for potatoes, the ground has been so hard I’ve been unable to dig them but they should be fine until the rains come as slugs don’t like hot dry conditions.
It hasn’t been a good year for stoned fruit but now is the time to prune the trees to open up the centre and keep them of a manageable size and as soon as the rains come , a good feed and a layer of compost round the trunk.
As for apples and pears I am again a bit pessimistic. The so called June drop of apples seems to have extended into August whilst early pears are struggling.
Rather to my surprise my greenhouse grapes are doing well. They are an old fashioned variety called Muscat Alexandria and suspect it is more resilient than newer varieties.
Sadly the outlook for rain is not good and I fear that water restrictions will become ever tighter with a complete ban on watering so it will be back to the washing up and shower water!
There is every likelihood that this weather pattern will be repeated in future years so it may be a good idea to plan for the future by noting what plants and crops did well and what watering regime was the most effective.
Join us at the autumn show on 12 September.
Peter Estcourt