VEGETABLES - Vegetable, Fruit and Herb Growing in Small Spaces - page 53

Celery
Celery is basically a bog plant and requires plenty of rich soil both to provide nutrition and to
act as a water reservoir. Show growers will provide 30 gallons of water per plant per week in
dry spells! Modern self blanching varieties are planted in blocks about 9 inches (22cm) apart
each way and are just not suitable for close spacing. So not a plant I'd grow in containers and
I wouldn't grow in a raised bed as it's such poor value for space.
Chilli Peppers
See Peppers, here .
Courgettes
Courgettes are incredibly productive croppers and new growers are so often caught out by
them, planting half a dozen and wondering what to do when the family refuse to eat cour-
gettes for breakfast as well as every other meal.
Because they're so productive, they need a lot of food and water to give of their best. I'd
suggest that growing just one plant in an old bucket or similar will cover most people's needs.
Sow initially into 3 inch (8cm) pots indoors in March to May and move to the final site when
the last risk of frost has passed. As they crop, feed with tomato feed to keep them going.
It's important to remove the courgettes regularly so that they continue to crop. If you just
leave the courgettes to turn into marrows, the plant stops producing more.
Tosca is a superb variety or try Midnight, Venus, Partenon and Supremo, which has the
RHS Award of Garden Merit.
One problem courgettes can suffer is powdery mildew towards the end of the season. I
rarely worry about it as usually they're not going to last much longer anyway when it strikes
and I don't like using fungicides on my food but there is a simple remedy that is safe and
does work.
At the first sign of powdery mildew, small white patches on the leaves, spray with a mix-
ture made of 1 part skimmed milk to 4 parts water. Skimmed milk is best as full fat milk can
get a little smelly. I've no idea how or why it works, but it does.
Cucumbers
If you've only eaten shop bought cucumber, then you are in for a revelation when you grow
your own. Instead of long pretty tasteless tubes of water where half usually ends up in the
fridge drying out and mouldering, you will discover a subtle and delicious flavour.