#609 Garlic, Hot Composting & Allotment Battles

Hello and welcome to this week's episode of The Veg Grower Podcast! I'm Richard, and my passion is to encourage and inspire you to grow more of your own food, sharing insights from over 30 years of experience in my own allotment and vegetable garden. This week, we've had a significant garlic harvest, a full update from the kitchen garden, and a fantastic email question from a listener. Let's dive in! Allotment Adventures: Harvests, Battles, and Learnings My time at the allotment this week has been incredibly productive, despite not being able to visit as much in the evenings. The recent rain was incredibly welcome and certainly saved me some watering time! The big job for the weekend was harvesting our garlic. I planted it back in September, and usually, I'd harvest around early July. However, based on new information suggesting it's better to harvest about two weeks earlier when the leaves start to turn brown, I decided to pull it up. This year, we've had less rust on our garlic, which is a bonus, but some plants did seem to die off without a clear reason. During the harvest, I noticed a white fungi on some of the bulbs. This could be beneficial mycorrhizal fungi, or, less fortunately, onion white rot. Some bulbs with the fungi also had stem rot, which points more towards white rot. If it is white rot, it can persist in the soil for years, but luckily, I won't be using that bed for onions or garlic for that long, so it's not a major concern for future planting in that specific spot. I'm happy with the amount we harvested – well over 40 bulbs! After a good wash, they're now drying in the shed. The largest bulb of each variety will be saved for replanting in September. For the rest, instead of just storing them as bulbs, we're making "easy garlic" – blending the cloves with oil, heating it to prevent botulism, and storing it in the fridge or freezer. This method should help our large garlic harvest last considerably longer. Next, I tackled the top of my allotment, which borders a plot that's become a rambling mess after the previous tenants were kicked off. This area, where I have fruit bushes and rhubarb, is difficult to keep tidy, even with cardboard and mulch helping. The high weeds and brambles from next door are coming over, making it difficult to harvest my fruits, like the red currants, and care for my plants. I got my strimmer out and cut about a foot into the neighbour's plot, but of course, I ran out of string again! I then resorted to a bill hook, which did a surprisingly good job of hacking through brambles and nettles. Unfortunately, I couldn't clear the entire area due to dumped plastic bags and weeds. It's annoying, but I'll keep at it, coming down during the week to strim it back further. Despite the challenges, harvests are looking great! I've picked broad beans and peas, and the first early potatoes, grown under straw mulch, are looking fantastic – good size, healthy, clean, and easy to get out of the ground. I'm really starting to appreciate straw as a mulch, finding it more effective against weeds than grass clippings, especially if the ground is clear before application. We've also harvested some rhubarb and a couple of cherries. With the garlic bed now empty, I've filled it with mini bell tomato plants, ensuring no empty spaces and maximizing productivity. It means more tomatoes and easier maintenance. Overall, I'm happy with the allotment's progress; what felt overwhelming before is now coming together. Kitchen Garden Highlights: Autopots, Shed Plans & Hot Compost Back at the kitchen garden, we're consistently on top of weeding and watering to give the plants the best care. The greenhouse area is looking much tidier, and my autopots are truly performing! We've harvested our first cucumbers, and the autopots are producing some of the best cucumbers, tomatoes, chilies, peppers, and aubergines I've ever grown at this early stage....