Well, it's December already. Where did the season go? As you would expect, everything looks done on the plot but, there are still a few things going on. Still in the plot are parsnips, leeks, kale, Brussels sprouts and cabbage. In store I have onions, squash, a couple of carrots and two sacks of potatoes while in the freezer is sweet corn, runner beans and broad beans (along with more carrot and parsnip).
A quick word on Winter cabbage. Last year I planted Tundra F1 but didn't have a good result. A quick look at the packet this year told me why. The varieties I've used in the past have required a seed sowing in early June and planting out in July. Tundra F1 are slower growing, they need sowing in March and planting out in April, basically the same time as Summer cabbage.
I followed the recommended sowing times this season and have had a much better result. The cabbages have grown over the warmer months and are standing well into the Winter. I've started taking the larger ones to allow the smaller ones more light and space. The outside leaves look a bit tatty but stripping them off has revealed a lovely Winter vegetable. I'll definitely be putting Tundra F1 on my seed shopping list for next season.
I've been waiting a few weeks for the rhubarb on plot #10 to finally die back so I can move the crown to plot #11 as part of my downsizing project. The last of the stalks had gone but I've had frozen ground; everything was just right on Saturday (2nd Dec) so I prepared the hole on plot #10 with some rough compost laced with poultry manure.
The crown was pretty large so I gave it a good watering when in place. I had this particular crown a few years back from another plot so I'm not sure exactly what variety it is though I suspect it's probably 'Timperley Early' as it's usually well underway by mid-January. (Pic - my rhubarb is probably an early variety as it starts growing in January. The picture was taken on January 17th)).
That's it for this early December update. Bye for now.
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