SASKATOONS GO COMMERCIAL

SASKATOONS GO COMMERCIAL

Amelanchiers have been grown in the UK for years, and are very happy on our soils, and our climate seems to suit them just fine. These bushes and trees have mainly been grown for their flowers, autumn colour and their ability to add variety to windbreaks, shelterbelts and woodland fringe plantings. The fruit from these is perfectly edible and quite tasty, but being small no-one bothers to pick and eat them. The large fruiting species of Amelanchier alnifolia, commonly known as the Saskatoon or Juneberry is very different. The fruit is similar in size to the blueberry, sweeter to taste and can be eaten fresh in season or frozen for future use or processed in yoghurts, juices, pies, compote, jams and wine.

About fifty years ago Murray Cormack, a scientist at the Scottish Crops Research Institute, now known as the James Hutton Institute, introduced them, as well as chokeberries and blueberries to see how they would perform in Scotland. I remember helping Murray to pick the first blueberries from potted plants in 1966. They certainly took off and became a major UK fruit crop.

Aronias, (the chokeberry) and saskatoons have still to make their mark, but interest is now accelerating at a fast pace. Scientific research has identified the massive health benefits of black fruits with the chokeberry at the top of the list due to the very high levels of antioxidants and vitamin C. However the slightly astringent taste does not encourage people to come back for a second helping, though they are perfect when processed for jams, juices, compote and summer puddings, and they make a fantastic wine.

Saskatoons are also very high in antioxidants and vitamin C, but the fresh fruit is absolutely delicious. The main crops are grown in Canada and North America where demand far outstrips supply, so growers are planting new orchards at a fast pace. The pick your own fruit is a major industry as people just love to come out into the country to pick and eat the fresh fruit.

I have been growing saskatoons since 2004 on my small allotment at City Road in Dundee. Word soon gets around and now interest in this new fruit crop is coming in from all over UK and Europe.

The first UK Saskatoon fruit orchard

Two years ago I was contacted by Sophie Sidaway, a student at Pershore College asking about saskatoons as she had chosen this new fruit plant for a college study project. I told her to come to Dundee and see them growing here. She came to our allotment Open Day at the end of June, bought a few plants, and I gave her a few pounds of fresh berries to eat as well as extract seeds from. She was delighted later on in the year, when I sent her down a bottle of Saskatoon wine, and a few more pounds of frozen berries for her College project presentation. The College Enterprise Board were over the moon and awarded Sophie with sufficient funding and land to plant up a half acre.

Sophie got an import licence and bought in 334 three year old Northline Saskatoon bushes. The field was ploughed and harrowed, then six rows were marked out with fabric mulch and the bushes planted into these fabric strips over three days. Rabbit guards were placed around all the plants.

Sophie will have the field for a five year study, then hand it back to the college. The project has caused a lot of interest from locals who would like to obtain the fruit, pubs, restaurants, other fruit growers, and officials from DEFRA.

Sophie attended a presentation ceremony at Pershore Abbey where she received another award from the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers for her interest and aptitude in fruit growing. The certificate came with an award of £125 and a request for an article on saskatoons in their next newsletter.

The new bushes flowered last year and gave Sophie her first small crop of berries. However these were kept for seed extraction giving her over 6000 Northline seeds for growing into bushes.

Sophie also got well over 200 plants from seeds extracted from the fresh fruit she got at our allotment open day.

It is Sophie’s plan to learn from this project then go into Saskatoon production for both fruit and young plants for sale once she leaves Pershore College.

I have found interest from Italy, Holland, Belgium, Ireland, Australia and all over the UK as well as California. It will not be long before the supermarkets start importing this fresh fruit, or encouraging local growers to get involved as it is so easy to grow here. Although very similar to the blueberry, it crops from mid to late July, so does not compete with the blueberry fruiting in August.

TheSaskatoon revolution has started.

Plant of the week

Phalaenopsis orchid is a very popular orchid as it is easy to grow, very reliable, and its blooms can last for several months. It often flowers in autumn to late winter after a spell of cool weather, though can flower all year round if it is happy with its environment. Once flowering has finished, cut off the old flower stem. It will produce two or three fresh leaves each year in late spring and summer. Water and feed regularly with a weak feed solution, but don’t let it stand in water. Since it is a tropical rain forest plant it likes good light (Scottish conditions) but not direct sunlight and a warm moist atmosphere. Bright bathrooms are favourite.

Repot every two to three years in orchid compost after knocking off some of the old compost and keep the size of pot just big enough to take all the roots. Don’t put the arial roots in the compost.

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TIME TO ORDER SEEDS AND PLANTS

TIME TO ORDER SEEDS AND PLANTS

Although the winter has been very mild and allowed us to continue with a few outdoor gardening tasks, the days are short so there is plenty of time to sit down in the evening and browse through this year’s new seed and plant catalogues as we decide what new plants to grow in 2014.

There are always plenty of new plants to try if you can find room. New vegetables can replace any unsuccessful ones tried in previous years, but new shrubs, roses, fruit bushes and grape vines are a bit harder to find room for.

Vegetables

Last year’s success with clubroot resistant cabbage, cauliflower and swedes will be repeated this year, but the range of varieties will be extended. Cabbage Kilaton was brilliant, but this year I will also try Kilaxy, another late summer and autumn cabbage. Cauliflower Clapton gave an excellent crop but they all came at once and two people can only eat so much cauliflower in a cheese sauce. This year I will try different sowing dates to extend my season. Last year I sowed cauliflower Aalsmeer in summer so the plants can overwinter to produce heads in spring. Growth has been terrific and I have two rows of strong plants showing great potential. If they keep their promise I will be growing them again this year for cropping in spring 2015.

I have always grown Brussels sprouts Wellington as it may be an old variety, but it is very reliable. Last year some plants were weakened with clubroot and the buttons were quite small, so this year I will try the clubroot variety Crispus.

I have only recently started to use my winter hardy swede Gowrie which is also clubroot resistant. One row of large roots will keep my supplied for another couple of months. It is well worth growing again, but I would also like to try Marion, another clubroot resistant variety, and see how they compare.

As my gale damaged greenhouse is in a serious state and may not be replaced till spring, plans will have to be modified. Thus this year I will buy in sets of onion Hytech rather than seed which I normally sow in late February, but they need protection when very young.

Both beetroot Boltardy and Detroit were great last year, but new varieties Bettolo and Rhonda are worthy of a trial as they are said to be sweeter than normal.

Fruit

I have heard that the new autumn fruiting raspberry Joan J is superior to Autumn Bliss. It has spine free canes and much larger fruit producing a heavier crop, so I will order in some plants.

Polka and Autumn Treasure are also said to be better than Autumn Bliss, but I only have room for one new raspberry.

The new blackberry Reuben is a primocane type, i.e. it fruits on new canes produced in the same year. It is thorn free and very popular, but however, I will wait a year or so to see how others find it. It was bred in USA, and our climate is a wee bit damper and cooler so I want to be sure botrytis is not going to be a problem.
Grape Regent was excellent outdoors last year, but I would also like to try Muscat Bleu and Polo Muscat to see how they like our Scottish conditions.

More information on these and other fruits can be seen at www.PomonaFruits.co.uk

Ornamentals

Most of the flowering plants grown in previous years will be grown again this year, but a few years ago I lost my Angels Trumpet, Datura which is a half hardy exotic used to give height in flowering tubs full of bedding plants. The rich scent in the evenings is heavenly, so it will be a must for 2014.

Greenhouse plants

Last year I tried Cape gooseberries and pepper Habanero, but this year, assuming I get the glasshouse back into production, I will try the new yellow cherry tomato Lldi, as well as my favourites Alicante and Gardeners Delight or Sweet Million. Sweet Million appeared less hardy when we got a poor spring and suffered root rots.

Plant of the week

Eucalyptus gunnii is the best Eucalyptus variety to grow up north as it is quite hardy once established, but in the early years can suffer frost damage in a bad winter. My eucalyptus is now about fifteen years old and very tough. It has lived through hard winters and severe gales but suffered no damage. They are evergreen so quite attractive all year round, and the canopy is not dense so winds can blow through it. The stems are quite flexible so they can bend over in a gale then return to normal. In Australia the hot dry climate can dry out the branches which can then crack and fall off without warning, but in UK this hardly ever happens. They are fast growers, so plant them as young one or two year old plants, but keep them away from walls and buildings.

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KNOW YOUR ONIONS

KNOW YOUR ONIONS

Onions, leeks, shallots, garlic, chives and spring onions are grown in gardens and allotments as an essential part of the rotation. They enjoy very fertile soil that is free draining but can retain moisture during the growing season. Onions have been in cultivation for over 5000 years. They are a staple food full of goodness and are virtually available all year round with good planning, growing, harvesting and storage. They can be cooked, pickled or eaten raw and fresh and current research is indicating they possess immense health giving properties.

Most people are aware of how healthy garlic is as it has been extensively studied, but now food scientists are turning their attention to the humble onion and findings are just about putting it into superfood status. For good health and a long life it is being recommended to eat an onion in your food every day. However don’t forget the apple a day, plus plenty of rhubarb, beetroot and if you can get a bush of Aronia, the chokeberry include that on the menu.

Allotment gardeners live a long and healthy life. City Road allotments have seen quite a few gardeners receive their fifty years service awards.

Health benefits

 

Onions contain the vitamins A, E, C and B6 as well as the minerals iron, molybdenum, manganese, chromium, calcium and potassium. They are full of dietary fibre and antioxidants, especially the red onions.

Onions lower cholesterol, inhibit hardening of the arteries, and help to maintain healthy blood pressure. They also contain the flavonoid quercitin, an anti inflammatory antioxidant useful against some forms of arthritis and hay fever and help the fight against several cancers and heart disease.

The high levels of chromium assist diabetics with insulin controlled sugar levels and also reduce bad cholesterol levels.

Growing onions

Onions can be grown from seed or sets. I usually sow seed indoors on a windowsill at the end of February using my favourite variety Hytech. I have tried numerous varieties over time, but Hytech gave me huge sweet onions that stored for over seven months. However there are many other new varieties worthy of a trial. The red onion Red Baron gave me good results as did Sturon and Stuttgarter Giant. However if you want a really huge onion Kelsae, used for exhibitors, but available for everyone to try is excellent. It needs a very long season to grow into a large bulb so is best sown at the end of January. I prick my onion seedlings out individually into small cellular trays and grow them on in my unheated greenhouse. They are ready to plant out at the end of April, spacing them four inches apart in rows twelve inches apart.

Most of these varieties can be bought as sets, which saves a lot of space and time or for those without a greenhouse. Plant sets in March at the same spacing.

In August onions may start to swell the bulbs, but don’t bend the tops over to hasten this, as some continue to grow and will give a bigger bulb if left to ripen naturally. They will bend over when they are ready. Lift them on a warm sunny day and dry them off in full sun on a hard surface. They can ripen up over a few weeks before cleaning and either bag up in loose nets or pleat them into ropes for storage. I run polypropylene binder twine through the pleat just in case the dried up onion foliage is not strong enough to hold the weight when you get a heavy crop.

Shallots are grown the same way as bulb onions, but are started as sets.

Spring onions and pickling onions prefer a humus rich sandy soil or one that is very well drained. They like warm conditions so do not sow them outdoors too early. I sow my pickling onions thinly in a broad band four inches wide as they do not need a lot of space provided the soil has been well manured. Pickling onions can be eaten in numerous different recipes both fresh and cooked as well as pickled.

Plant of the week

Snowberry, Symphoricarpos albus is at its best in early winter when its pure white fruit are very attractive after the deciduous shrub has lost all its leaves. This shrub will grow on most soils even in moist conditions in the shade, but it will produce more berries if grown in full sun on fertile soil.

It grows in woodlands, floodplains and riverbanks in its natural habitat in North Canada. It is very hardy growing up to six foot tall forming a dense thicket of stems arising from suckers helping it to spread readily. Birds do not eat the fruit till late winter or early spring. The fruit is considered poisonous to humans as they are full of alkaloids, but no-one has ever suffered too severely as they are very unpalatable and the fruit will cause violent vomiting soon after ingestion.

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THE GARDENING YEAR STARTS QUIETLY

THE GARDENING YEAR STARTS QUIETLY

Recent weather has curtailed progress of any outdoor gardening activities. The gales continued to blow and now my greenhouse has lost over twenty panes of glass, as well as the ventilator and the door which blew off. Another two days were taken up with collecting shattered glass fragments blown over a huge area of garden. Gales also blew down about thirty feet of fence panels, so I may change the fence to a ranch style which should not be so vulnerable to strong winds.

We have also had a lot of rain, and not much frost or snow, as I pen my thoughts early on Hogmanay, but knowing that when the magazine appears on Saturday 11^th January 2014 we could well be seeing a wee bit of serious winter.

Who knows what global warming has in store for us in 2014.

It has been too wet to walk over the soil surface, other than for harvesting the numerous fresh vegetables available following the brilliant 2013 summer. However we did have a long dry spell just before Christmas when I got most of my fruit bushes pruned as well as some roses. The dry spell also encouraged a full team effort, (me and Anna) to get all the surface weeds removed and clear up all the leaves.

My main rose bed and all my climbers will be pruned and tied up in mid January to mid February depending on weather. Apple trees will also get pruned at this time to encourage a balance of fruiting wood and strong young growth. I will also continue to lower the crown on our old Bramley apple tree to allow most of the picking from the ground. I am told I am getting too old to clamber up trees to reach that perfect apple just slightly out of reach at the end of a long slender branch.

Pruning grape vines

My other pruning task to be completed in January is my grape vines both in my gale damaged greenhouse as well as all my outdoor vines. I am hoping that the greenhouse vines are well hardened off and quite tough so should not suffer removal of the greenhouse in winter and building a replacement around the main rods. My ten foot long greenhouse has a permanent framework of five upright rods spaced two feet apart in a row on the east side of the greenhouse. It is side shoots from this that produce the bunches of grapes. I grow my tomatoes on the west side as well as the south end. They all seem to be happy growing together.

I prune every shoot on my grape vine back to one or two buds in January, as if left till February or later they are liable to bleed as sap rises up quite early in the season by which time the cut ends should have healed over.

Indoor tasks

Geranium cuttings taken last autumn are now all well rooted and can be potted up in individual pots. I will add extra grit to my compost to improve the drainage and pot them up in the smallest pots available as geraniums are prone to damping off in winter. I also grow them cool otherwise they will grow too big for windowsills, and I don’t know when I will have a greenhouse ready for them.

My Amaryllis bulb pot started off with one strong flower spike, but then another three flower stems appeared. Finally two of the smaller bulbs in the pot have produced flower stems, so it is going to be an absolute cracker. The foliage and flower stems are all quite tall so they needed four bamboo stakes and ties to give them support.

Keep them moist but not wet and feed once a month at this time of year, but once a fortnight in spring and summer. Although they prefer to remain pot bound to encourage good flowering, I will need to pot mine up after flowering as the bulb growth has been very strong and the pots are now distorted and the top very heavy and liable to topple over unless they get a stronger pot with a wide base.

Plant of the week

Elaeagnus pungens maculata is an evergreen shrub with golden variegated leaves. It will grow on just about any soil and can reach up to 4 metres eventually, so is perfect for screening and adding bright colour to the garden in winter. It is happy in sun or shade, and although the flowers are very insignificant, they are said to have an exquisite perfume. My five foot tall elaeagnus planted eight years ago has yet to reward me with its perfume, but I am patient. It does not need any pruning other than removing any straggly shoots or those that revert back to green and lose their variegation.

It can be propagated by semi ripe cuttings in mid summer.

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