Fruit
It's time to prune the grape vine
18th February
We have a vine that is planted outside and trained inside to some high wires just under a Perspex roof.
It is actually rooted under an outside decking area this has the advantage that the water from the roof above keeps the area under the deck moist so we never need to water it and the main laterals that we have trained under the roof get plenty of sunshine and are protected from winds. Grape vines need to be pruned every year to train them and get the most produce from them, They can be pruned anytime after the leaves have fallen off in the Autumn but before they start to bud in the Spring. We find that February or March is a good time to do this. We have two laterals that we have trained and get close to a 100 bunches of grapes from them every year.
We generally cut back all of last years new shoots to within one bud from the lateral and any new growth from the lateral about 90%
Traditional Redcurrant Jelly
28th June
Here's my "no nonense" way to make it
1. Cook the washed fruit, stalks and all, and water for 10 mins crushing and stirring as you go and raising the temperature
2. Strain through muslin, very slowly. (2 hours plus) or squeeze it through in 20 mins and put up with a bit of cloudiness
3. Add in the sugar and boil for 10 mins
4. Add in the port and stir
5. Bottle
Ingredients to make one pound (2 jars)
1lb of redcrrants
1lb sugar
1 tablespoon of water
1 tablespoon of Port
Marking out the hedgerows
25th February
Although it may seem like there isn't much you can do at this time of the year, there is one easy job that you need to take care of.... Marking out the wild plums and Blackthornes in the hedges. This is a nice simple job at this time of the year, and will pay dividends later in the year when the hedgerows are full to bursting.
You are looking for small white flowers that will be easily visible as you drive around the countryside, and will let you know exactly where to come in September to collect your bounty. The plums will be much smaller than those in the supermarkets but are packed with flavour and make particularly good jam. As well as wild plums, you will also see plenty of Blackthorn -Sloe's to you and me. Come winter they will make for a great sloe gin sat by the fireside -for now you just need to remember where they are. The nice thing about both of these, are that the white flowers come nice and early making it so much easier to spot them now, then when they are buried in the rest of the hedging.
Forced Rhubarb
8th March
This is Timperley Early Rhubarb, forced by simply placing an old metal dustbin over the crown from January until early march, when we lift it to unveil the crop. "Forcing" the rhubarb means that you are blocking out the light, so the rhubarb will strain to get to it. This means that the leaves will develop less, and more of the plants energy is placed in growing those lovely rhubarb stems. By forcing, you get the crop nice and early -This is when its at its best - pink and delicate. Best eaten dipped in a pot of white sugar -Mmmmmm
If you only have one rhubarb plant, I'd recommend splitting it in two (by simply using a spade to cut the crown in two, and then replant one half some way away. Do this when the plant is dormant. This means that you can then alternate which of your rhubarb plants is forced each year, giving each plant a chance to grow back after its been deprived of light and then stripped of its crop.