Shed Days

It’s so tempting to buy ready-grown courgette or pumpkin plants, as they are available now in garden centres. Resist!

Instead, put black plastic down to warm the soil (it should be warm by mid-May). Protect young plants with horticultural fleece or recycled cloches of plastic water bottles (bottoms cut off). I also have old net curtains on stand-by for any early potato plants that are up … There are often casualties on The Shed’s allotment site in the spring as sudden May frosts can kill young plants. Covering them makes all the difference.

Usually, I prepare a block about 10 feet square for sweet corn in April. Digging the whole area out, I put rotted manure down and then replace the soil. Enter the black plastic I mentioned for warming the soil. This I leave for at least a month.

To plant seeds, I use Jiffy 7’s - it’s best not to disturb the roots of corn plants. Jiffys can be found in garden centres and, quite simply, they are little discs that grow in water and contain the entire growing medium. After sowing, the Jiffys go in a propagator until the seedlings emerge. Then they come out to make room for the next, rather like a factory.

Next, I plant the seedlings into black landscape cover that’s had crisscross cuts made every 12 inches, leaving about 30 inches between rows. For years I’ve planted Swift, a sweetcorn variety that produces reasonably well considering all those summer days without sunshine (ideally, corn needs10 hours of sunshine). Lots of watering is needed, especially after the tassels form - using black landscape fabric helps to conserve moisture.

Protect from birds by using humming line or hanging up shiny CDs. When I make a scarecrow I always have something on it that moves, such as strips of bin liner that wave about in the breeze. Humming line, now packaged as ‘Buzz Off’, is simply a line that makes a vibrating noise that birds don’t like. After all this, one might say: why bother? To them I say the bother is well worth it! There’s no store-bought corn that can match the taste of freshly picked corn.

Parsnip seed is notorious for taking ages to germinate (allowing rogue weeds to invade their patch). I now let the seeds sprout on wet kitchen roll in my kitchen cupboard and then plant them. Soon, the plants emerge and need very little thinning.

Sweet Peas can now be planted too. It’s worth preparing a trench at least 18 inches deep.

Line the bottom with well-rotted manure and return the soil. Plant and tie plants to a supporting structure. Keep cutting the flowers to ensure more.

Each year I manage to get rhubarb from other plot holders. Each time I’ve tried to cultivate it something or other kills it. One year it was the fencing contractor, another year the floods. I’ll try again this year, but I’m beginning to think it’s my bad-luck plant.

Here’s the recipe I plan to do with a little help from my allotment friends.

Rhubarb Medley Sauce

Ingredients

3 cups sliced fresh rhubarb
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup orange juice
1½ cups halved fresh strawberries.

Method

Cut rhubarb into ½ inch pieces. Combine with sugar and orange juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer 3 to 5 minutes until rhubarb is tender. Remove from heat and gently stir in strawberries. Chill. Makes 3 cups.

Asparagus is such a luxury and takes time to establish, as it needs to be weed free. Here’s a delicious recipe that uses most of the stalk.

Asparagus Soup

Ingredients

2 or more cups asparagus (cut up)
2 cups water
2 chicken stock cubes
3 cups milk
2 tbsp flour
Salt to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg

Method

Snap off the tip end of each asparagus spear and put aside to steam. When lightly steamed, reserve these tips until your soup is ready to be garnished.

Cut the remaining shafts of asparagus into pieces, down to the lower, woody section. Discard the woody base of each spear and then peel the shafts, before cutting them into sections. Combine the asparagus, water, and stock cubes (these should be crumbled into the water). Cook until tender. Remove the liquid from the heat and then blend in a blender until smooth. Empty into a deep pan.

Blend the milk and the flour in the blender and, then, add this fluid to the blended asparagus. Place on a gentle heat and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Taste and add salt if necessary. Add steamed tips and grated nutmeg.

- Carolyn Dutton