Project 63 - Belated update part 2.
18th February 2021
In: Project 63
Following the first instalment, we head straight to the experimental or unusual vegetables for this year which proved to be a bit of a mixture. We decided to grow chick peas, which are not supposed to be the easiest crop to grow, another attempt with Edamame beans, which seemed to thrive the previous year, together with further tromboncino’s which were prolific the previous year and tried a different variety. Whilst not really an experimental vegetable, we planted a couple of Marquis de Provence squashes, and these produce 5-6 really large fruit each weighing almost 18-20 lbs.
Finally, I was desperate to try growing some peanuts, having watched a plot holder in the Midlands turn quite a large area of his plot over to the crop, and started in the poly tunnel. Unfortunately, the mice really liked the peanuts, and despite various attempts chewed through the base of the roots and dug most up, so preventative measures were required, further plants sown, and eventually managed to get 18 plants to prosper during the course of the year. The outcome for the peanuts was eventually very disappointing, and whilst we did harvest and indeed eat several nuts from our attempt, the productivity was a little shabby, which is probably more a measure of my lack of knowledge of how to cultivate them.
Similarly disappointing were the chick peas, although we did manage to get quite a considerable crop from one of the raised beds, it was probably insufficient to consider them as a principal item to grow. The peas have been kept and planning to plant next year or maybe the year after to see if we can improve on the output.
The Edamame beans, supposedly not susceptible to disease, rust or other, proved not to be, and most failed this year, and once again plan to have another bash with these next year. The Cavalo, Buttonhole Kale, and the Trombo’s have been prolific, as were the Marquis squashes already mentioned.
One of the other experiments tried this year was Kallalloo. These colourful spinach like plants were suggested to be ideal pick and come again style growers. Whilst they did produce, and come again (and were very tasty), not sure these are sufficiently voluminous to warrant space to grow seriously apart from personal interest, they also had a magnetic effect on slugs and snails and some pretty serious preventative approaches were required to stop the junior and then slightly bigger plants being demolished.
At the start of the year, quite a bit of energy was invested in measures to protect the plot from the ravages of the ever increasing population of black and white fiends at the base of the allotment site. This seemed to work quite well, although the defences were breached on a couple of occasions as the Badgers went after a couple of bees nests in the manure bins.
In addition to the crops grown, tested and tasted, the plot welcomes a host of varied wildlife through the year, and a further article featuring some of the visitors to the plot to follow.
Planning is now well under way for the fifth season for project 63. A trailer load of manure has been delivered and just requires spreading (no digging on site - which is a joy for the back!). Garlics, normal and Elephant together with Broad Beans have already been planted in anticipation of another bumper year in 2021. The only difficult thing now is what experimental vegetables to grow. Having got carried away and grown multiple crops over the past 3-4 years, it’s proving quite difficult to decide exactly what to try next. It may be this year, we just stick to the ordinary, and leave the extra ordinary.
Finally, I was desperate to try growing some peanuts, having watched a plot holder in the Midlands turn quite a large area of his plot over to the crop, and started in the poly tunnel. Unfortunately, the mice really liked the peanuts, and despite various attempts chewed through the base of the roots and dug most up, so preventative measures were required, further plants sown, and eventually managed to get 18 plants to prosper during the course of the year. The outcome for the peanuts was eventually very disappointing, and whilst we did harvest and indeed eat several nuts from our attempt, the productivity was a little shabby, which is probably more a measure of my lack of knowledge of how to cultivate them.
Similarly disappointing were the chick peas, although we did manage to get quite a considerable crop from one of the raised beds, it was probably insufficient to consider them as a principal item to grow. The peas have been kept and planning to plant next year or maybe the year after to see if we can improve on the output.
The Edamame beans, supposedly not susceptible to disease, rust or other, proved not to be, and most failed this year, and once again plan to have another bash with these next year. The Cavalo, Buttonhole Kale, and the Trombo’s have been prolific, as were the Marquis squashes already mentioned.
One of the other experiments tried this year was Kallalloo. These colourful spinach like plants were suggested to be ideal pick and come again style growers. Whilst they did produce, and come again (and were very tasty), not sure these are sufficiently voluminous to warrant space to grow seriously apart from personal interest, they also had a magnetic effect on slugs and snails and some pretty serious preventative approaches were required to stop the junior and then slightly bigger plants being demolished.
At the start of the year, quite a bit of energy was invested in measures to protect the plot from the ravages of the ever increasing population of black and white fiends at the base of the allotment site. This seemed to work quite well, although the defences were breached on a couple of occasions as the Badgers went after a couple of bees nests in the manure bins.
In addition to the crops grown, tested and tasted, the plot welcomes a host of varied wildlife through the year, and a further article featuring some of the visitors to the plot to follow.
Planning is now well under way for the fifth season for project 63. A trailer load of manure has been delivered and just requires spreading (no digging on site - which is a joy for the back!). Garlics, normal and Elephant together with Broad Beans have already been planted in anticipation of another bumper year in 2021. The only difficult thing now is what experimental vegetables to grow. Having got carried away and grown multiple crops over the past 3-4 years, it’s proving quite difficult to decide exactly what to try next. It may be this year, we just stick to the ordinary, and leave the extra ordinary.