I am a dedicated follower of piers corbyn and the fact that we have entered the start of the mini ice age. We are going to get the extremes in temperature and more rainfall than we want or need, during the winter months. Summers could bring us droughts and extreme heat at times. I am not asking anyone to agree or disagree re the mia but we do need to put thinking caps on re what veggies will cope best ie not prone to wilting or to rotting in soggy soil which then hardens to rock solid concrete. Berries seem to cope well so I want to concentrate on veg
I am thinking brassicas for starters, leeks but now we have the mighty leek moth to contend with, swedes. Help me get my brain in gear please. I have lots of seed varieties stashed in the fridge but don`t honestly see the point in sowing many of them. I believe that I am thinking about the basic veggies that were grown in the past and not new fangled tender continental types
Thinking the varieties and types of veg is more of icing on the cake...if the soil is 'looked after', it is able take much more adverse weather without reacting to it too much and limiting the growth.
The usual growing methods where bare soil is seen between wanted plants will only enhance the extremes...and this apply not only during growing season but during the time when you don't have any crops on. The soil needs to be kept busy and working even when we are not using it. So mulching, green manures, under crops, mix cropping and cultivating only just enough...+ many other soil friendly practices are the starting point. Saying that..it is not always easy to get hold of all the 'good stuff' but more one can get on the land..less 'solid concrete' there is to cope with.
Personally I'm not too worried about 'what seeds'..I always grow all the basics anyway and grow some 'fancy' crops in smaller scale. If they do well, that's bonus..if not...lesson learned, noted and possibly not venture there again in a hurry..usually those get another change following year before they are totally off from 'list' :angel11:
We have leek moth here too...but it haven't been too much trouble for me..heh..the moth have to find its way to leeks first. I try to grow my crops in small amounts here and there, not advertising each crop for their specific pests.
Kales are VERY hardy and crop almost all year round and cabbage butterfly seem to be less interested of them..as are collards, tree cabbages and other looser leaf brassicas.
If you go for old heritage varieties....they have proven to survive to modern times and not without good reason..they are hardy, reliable and tasty..some might not yield as much as modern growers would want to, but hey, for home growing they are perfect!
Anatolian tree cabbage from realseeds have been one of the most rewarding crops last few years...LOOOVE them! Even now I have one big plant that survived last winter..grew all summer, no flowering, and I'm still cropping it now...though I didn't know how hardy they would be and planted last spring big lot of them elsewhere..I truly have plenty of 'greens'. :icon_cheers:
If the prediction is correct, and history repeats, it will be several lifetimes before the changes are acute. The symptoms of change can be moderated: ie more rainfall needs better drainage, higher temperatures offset by shade(mixed planting), lower temperatures by shelter(cloches) drought by combination of irrigation and mulching. The more subtle changes possible by diminished sunlight, and sudden weather outbursts will be more troublesome. My guess and approach , is to hedge ones bets and cover more crop options. For example, spinach may respond better to wet autumns than cabbage, say, it wont "split". Remembering that the need is to provide satisfaction through vegetables rather than to improve on your output of a glorious season previously enjoyed, the new er challenges give an experienced gardener the chance to prove( to him/her self at least), that one can do it.
It's asking a lot not to comment on a "mini ice age", but more winter rain and more summer drought in the UK is much less problematic, so let me give you my toppence on that. I've never noticed winter vegetables or perennial to have any problem with very wet winters. For dryer summers I can recommend an IBC tank or two. Mine is flush under the gutter, so that I can water by gravity.
(http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php?action-gallery;sa=view;id=2549)http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=2549 (http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=2549)
I must have missed something I thought we were getting concerned about Global Warming now we are going :BangHead: :BangHead: into an ice age
Martinburo, last year when we had standing water in the garden for a long time, I had a lot of problems, leeks and brassica perished, not seen this before. The things on slightly higher ground or where the water drained or inside the greenhouse were ok. Heard yesterday on the radio (they were talking about the Somerset levels) that after a month under water veg won't recover, which is why farmers and gardeners are going to have an ongoing problem.
We have a pear tree that suffers from standing water, the other fruit trees seem to be able to withstand it. When this pear tree gets wet feet for a couple of weeks, it won't flower and fruit the following year. We had no pears from it this year. This winter the land around us seems to drain a little better than last year. I have broccoli, the leeks and PSB is looking good and the kales (perennial kales from goodlife) are doing splendidly. Fingers crossed.
I think hedging our bets by planting a variety of things might be the best bet. Not just a lot of different vegetables, but perhaps two or more varieties of each vegetable. The opposite of mono culture. With this approach I find we always have a lot of food from the garden, but what exactly we are going to harvest in good quantity, I can never tell. If the conditions are too warm for runnerbeans, they are just right for squashes and French Beans. If it is cold and rainy, the greens and runnerbeans thrive. I guess it means that every year I sow something that does not do very well, but on the other hand there will always be something else that surpasses all expectations. Sowing and planting a good variety is the key.
I am also convinced that heritage seeds, older varieties and home saved or local seeds thrive better in adverse conditions.
Thanks goodlife, lots there in your post and ancellsfarmer for the spinach prompt and I can add chards to that. Living 10 mins walk from the levels we are getting constant storms and winds so am really not inclined to crops that need a lot of tlc. Lettuce for me will be no nonsense little gem, cabbages the old timers like piacenza and red drumhead and doric sprout has stood up to anything this winter, kales yes and we like them. Beetroot, some parsnips, the swede are still good. I will be getting blue danube potatoes (maybe if t and m send them!!) a few squashes on obelisks, shallots and garlic already looking good but could do with frost. I am VERY interested in Anatolian tree cabbage. Runners and french beans yes. I have the sutton beans but cannot access growing equipment at the moment
mia is characterised by waning sun and lots of sudden jetstream swings
Quote from: laurieuk on February 05, 2014, 15:47:45
I must have missed something I thought we were getting concerned about Global Warming now we are going :BangHead: :BangHead: into an ice age
It's just one guy who is saying that and with no offense to OP he is completely against mainstream opinion, will not submit any of his methodology or findings for peer review, is not a meteorologist and doesn't believe in man made CO2 based climate change. He doesn't publish free forecasts so it is very difficult to put his findings to the test but some people have attempted to analyze his forecasts - some say that is impossible given the vague generalised way he makes them. - http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/7.02/howgood.html
Mayor Boris likes him so that is enough for me to consider him beyond the pale -
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2013/09/boris-climate-sceptic/ (http://www.leftfootforward.org/2013/09/boris-climate-sceptic/)
I'd say still plan to plant everything as usual but depending on conditions, for example, this year things will have to go in later because of the wet. Last year they went in later because of the cold but still caught up.
The wet summer of 2012 native veg did very well, parsnips, celery, leeks brassicas etc. as well as oca.
Last year most things did well to very well but not celery.
So as long as you put in as many different things as you can and you like you will always have a crop of something. I read that someone once asked an old veg gardener for a tip that would save 20 years - the answer - always plant chard (perpetual spinach too). Fail safe veg.
Leafy veg in cool, wet conditions, tender veg in dry, warm ones. cloche/environmesh covers can keep out the worst of the weather as well as pests.
Even if we do get another wet summer and that is by no means guaranteed, there is no need to give up. We need to rise to any challenges that present themselves. Then the veg we harvest is even more appreciated isn't it? :happy7:
I don't get how anyone can imagine that we're beginning a mini ice age with ice caps melting like mad! I think it's a question of growing what survives well - I agree that mainly means well adapted heritage varieties - and making what changes we can, like putting in raised beds on a waterlogged plot.
Piers Corbyn, Piers Morgan.
Glad I don't have to rely on anyone called Piers!!