Department: Fruit
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| Photo 1: Bed of spent broad beans. |
First I untied all the string, took out all the birch supports, cut down the broad beans and then gently lifted the tap root out, trying to leave some of the finer roots with nitrogenous nodes in the soil. This was because Mario explained we were going to plant in brassicas after and they like a firm soil. We were not going to do this by foot, because it has been raining heavily and the soil was still too wet, one has to wait at least 36 hours before the soil is at the right moisture level for this sandy soil.
Once cleared, we raked it over, then lined out where we were going to plant the sprouting broccoli. These will be ready next year early spring. They need 6 - 9 month of sitting in the ground, not including a month of bringing on seedling stage. We used a handy marker tool also known as a row maker, it is adjustable and can also be used for making drills for seed sowing.
The bed is 160cm wide. We drew out 60 cm between rows and approx. 60 -75cm between plants. The plants were a little bit drawn (usually with three true leaves the plant is ready to be planted out, these had more. They had to be planted in a specific way. First we dug a hole, then we bottom dressed with 35g of Growmore, forking that well in, otherwise the plant will scorch. Then checked plant carefully for any disease or pest, plant in, firming in soil with foot. Placed cabbage root fly collar around it. As they were leggy and bendy we trained them to a stick. After they were all planted we cultivated the soil around the plants, then watered them well in, careful to not get any soil on the collars. We then put up metal structures for a cage, which we strung 5 strings across (all pulling from the same direction to create a tension to hold up the netting better, then placed a net over it.
Usually Mario top dresses the bed first with Growmore a couple of weeks before planting, but as this is straight after another crop, we used this method. It important to firm the soil around brassicas, especially sprouting broccoli and brussel sprouts, sprouts apparently don't grow as tight balls but will open out if not.
When Mario has cabbage white caterpillar problem, he sprays with Dipel - Bacillus thuringensis (that feeds on caterpillars and other insect larvae).
He can't afford to use enviromesh on everything and finds that the next best thing is a black netting of approx. 5 x 5mm squares.
- For carrots - 30cm between each row, shallow drills, sowing depth 1.5cm deep. Spacing of plant depends on length of time in ground - the longer it is to be left then the more space should be given between them.
- Cover old thyme with soil right to the top of the leaves - this will force it to reshoot from old wood.
- For basil - place seedlings into 9cm pot and then when they have filled out the pots to transfer four plant at a time to a 10L pot.
- Leeks spacing (these will be transplanted next time) 40 x 40cm.
- Mario does not work the ground if it is too wet - ideal moisture conditions are at least 36 hours after rain.