Terry Walton talks pumpkins, planning and getting the perfect pH!
There’s still much to do on the plot to prepare for next season
The pumpkins have finally reached harvesting and are like orange suns among the dying foliage. These will soon be with my grandchildren for Hallowe’en.
The flesh won’t be wasted but converted into pumpkin pie and tasty chutney. These large, rambling plants made good use of my compost heap, where they grew. There’s now a heap of sorry-looking leaves and trailing stalks to be reunited with the heap! There are stories that the poor summer has made the commercial pumpkin crop later than normal – fields of pumpkins have been harvested and given special treatment in large barns to produce the orange glow that signifies it’s truly ripe.
You’re all aware of my preference for ‘proper’ colours in vegetables that make their way to my dinner plate. I’ve nothing against a meal looking like a multi-coloured work of art, but where will it all end? The latest addition to this colourful vegetable crusade is a purple potato called ‘Purple Majesty’. Potatoes have always come in a multitude of colours and some look pretty when they ‘wink’ at you with purple or red eyes. But this new kid on the block is being hailed as yet another super food, which in this case reduces blood pressure. We’re well aware that pigments in coloured fruits and vegetables are classed as containing higher levels of antioxidants and are good for our wellbeing. To me, however, all fresh fruit and vegetables grown naturally without chemicals and insecticides are a healthy way of keeping body and mind in great shape. The problem with these ‘super foods’ is that they can be seen as the panacea for all ills and also come with a higher than normal price tag.
While my memory still retains the picture of what my plot looked like this year it’s time to prepare my rotation plan for next season. I prefer a four-crop rotation of legumes, brassicas, root crops and others. This means that crops don’t get planted in the same piece of ground within a three year period, thus reducing pest and disease build-up in the soil. It also allows me to mark out and prepare individual areas to suit the needs of the crops. This is extra important to an organic grower, as there are no quick chemical fixes. So with my plan drawn, this can be fixed up in the shed to guide me through next season.
It’s also time for a little chemistry on the plot, to check the pH using a little meter. The good pH range for vegetable growing is 6.5 to 7.5, with brassicas preferring the higher end.