Episode 669: August Spinach, Drought-Smart Gardening and a Gourmet Harvest

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS | More

August has arrived, and this week’s episode moves between the kitchen garden, allotment and podding shed. I choose spinach Medania as the seed of the month, share progress during a stubborn dry spell, turn ripe tomatoes into a quick pasta supper and revisit a gardening book that puts flavour first.

August Seed of the Month: Spinach Medania

Spinach Medania is a strong choice for an August sowing. Sow seeds one to two centimetres deep and keep them moist; germination normally takes seven to fourteen days. Module-grown seedlings can be planted out at twenty to twenty-five centimetres apart. Pick young outer leaves regularly, or allow plants to mature for generous autumn harvests. Protect later crops with fleece or a cloche in colder weather. Its dark-green leaves work equally well in salads and cooked dishes.

Kitchen Garden and Allotment Notes

With nesting season over, I carefully checked and trimmed the congested blackberry and tayberry growth. I am also experimenting with aquatic plants and grey water during the drought, while treating this as a cautious trial rather than a ready-made irrigation solution. The Vegepod continues to supply plenty of salad, while the allotment has produced an enormous courgette, more space around the gooseberries and room for another planting of leeks. Regular hand-picking seems to have reduced the caterpillar pressure on the brassicas.

Roasted Tomato and Basil Pasta

This weeks recipe of the week is roasted tomato and basil pasta. A delicous and easy dish to cook up using some of those lovely homegrown tomatoes that are in abbundance right now.

Reading for Growers

Bob Flowerdew’s The Gourmet Gardener argues for choosing crops and varieties for exceptional taste, freshness and enjoyment. Its detailed organic-growing guidance and preserving ideas make it a useful reference for confident growers, even if beginners may prefer to browse one crop at a time. In August, the podcast reading choice moves to Ade Sellars’ The Plot on the Hill: The Carrot Catastrophe, a magical allotment adventure for younger readers.

If you would like to support this podcast then please consider becoming a member of our supporters club or use some of affiliate links below for items you might be buying. We might get a little commission

• Premier seeds direct for all your seed needs
• Autopot uk a revolutionary watering system for growing the best veg easily. User discount code auto10rvg for 10%off