Veggie Table

Well, it’s good to have had all that sunshine for once. Watering became a priority chore, and the plants have done their best to catch up after a slow start. Now the heather has joined in, and I found it blooming unusually early on the hills near Machrie two weeks ago.

During August, winter spinach can be sown in a sunny position. Soil rich in organic matter will give you a sweeter-tasting leaf. For a late crop of carrots, sow the short-rooted varieties like ‘Amsterdam Forcing’. Cover with a cloche and lift in November/December.

Spring cabbage can be sown now, either into modules or in a seedbed. Plant the seedlings out in October for use early next year. Try ‘Durham Early’ or ‘Spring Hero’ for a ball-headed type with close-packed leaves.

Save a few of your early potatoes when you lift them, and replant them in a warm spot in early autumn, covering them with a cloche. If all goes well, you could be enjoying new potatoes at Christmas.

Remember to add colour to your salads by using flowers. Honeysuckle blooms look charming, and so do pot marigolds (calendula, not French marigold) with their bright orange petals. Nasturtium flowers have a whole range of colour from yellow to orange to pale or dark red, and nasturtium leaves, known as Indian cress, are good, too. And if you are relaxing in the sunshine with a Pimms, remember that borage is de rigueur, not just for its sky-blue blossoms but its fresh, clean taste.