Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
In the second year, leave the fruit on the vine but remove half to two-thirds of the
grapes in each bunch. In the third year, remove between a quarter and a third of
them; from then on, it isn't necessary to remove any unless they are poor. It's a
good idea to clip out any large leaves that are shading the grapes, as doing so will
speed up the ripening process.
Seedless grapes can be dried whole to make your own raisins, provided that you
nick them with a sharp knife first, or blanch them briefly to crack the skins.
Frozen grapes make a decadent snack for children - freeze seedless varieties
whole, but seeded grapes must be cut in half and de-seeded first. To peel frozen
grapes, dip them one at a time into a glass of cold water while they are still frozen
hard, and the skin will come right off.
Problems
Vines are prone to
red spider mites
, which love a dry, warm environment, so
until the grapes begin to form it's a good idea to mist the entire plant regularly to
deter them. However, grapes are very prone to
botrytis
, and high humidity will
help to spread it extremely fast, so it is absolutely vital that you stop misting and
provide plenty of ventilation during the fruiting season.
Kohlrabi
Varieties:
'Azur Star', 'Lanro'
Kohlrabi is not a traditional crop in the UK, but it really deserves to be, given how
delicious and easy to grow it is. Popular in India, parts of Asia and throughout
Central Europe, kolhrabi is one of the hardiest of vegetables, with plants coping
with temperatures as low as -3°C. It looks bizarre - an elevated spherical 'bulb'
with leaf stems radiating outwards in a sputnik-like manner - and if you choose
one of the striking violet or purple varieties it can be a real show-stopper for
visitors.
Kohlrabi bulb (actually a swollen stem section) has a sweet taste all of its own
that could be described a mild, nutty mixture of turnip and celery. It can be stir-
fried (providing a water-chestnut sort of crunch even when cooked this way),
steamed, sautéed or used as an ingredient in soups, stews or curries, but it really
comes into its own when eaten raw, grated or cut into batons as part of a salad.
