Gourd growers

by Joe Lofthouse, Horticulturist at RHS Garden Harlow Carr

September is a key harvesting month; it’s also a good time to reflect on which varieties of fruit and vegetables are cropping well - particularly those that taste good - those that are not doing so well and the ones you want to grow more of next year. Based on the lessons learned from this year’s harvest, here is my choice of crops that I will definitely be growing next year:

Fig-Leaf Gourd One fruit growing at RHS Garden Harlow Carr that has really caught my eye this year is the Malabar Gourd (Cucurbita ficiflia), referred to as fig-leaf gourd after its attractive foliage shaped like fig tree leaf. Also known as the sharks-fin melon, the plants are often mistaken for speckled watermelons, perhaps not surprisingly as they belong to the cucurbit family and have the same trailing and flowering characteristics.

The fig-leaf gourd is a climbing vine with a vigorous growth habit up to 10 metres or more in length. It is an annual but can be a perennial if grown in frost-free climates. The fruits are large – often weighing 6kg or more - brightly coloured and mottled and have very tough skins which may require a a saw to cut through them. A single plant can produce up to 50 fruits!

They are very easy to grow: sow seeds individually into 9cm pots in late May or early June; this may seem late but they grow very quickly. If sown too early, the soil can be too cold for planting then out. When planting, allow lots of room between plants: they can be trained along the ground or on structures like the ones at Harlow Carr. The gourds can be grown in most types of ground but tend to be greedy feeders so it is important to make sure the soil is well-drained, moisture-retentive and fertile. Once the vines have been hit by the frost, this is when the fruits are fully ripe. The frosts will not harm the fruits.

Fig-leaf gourds are generally pest and disease-free, apart from a powdery mildew that most cucurbits tend to be susceptible to. Fruits are prone to rotting when young if trailing across the ground so raising them off the ground will reduce the risk of rotting. The fruits have a long storage life; some growers have said they last for more than two years.

Egg and Chips This year we are growing aubergines and potatoes - believe it or not, on the same plant! Named egg and chips, this new plant that has been grafted by Thompsons and Morgan following on from their TomTato plant a couple of years ago which featured tomatoes and potatoes on the same plant. The plants are looking really healthy and we’ve had a good harvest of aubergines so far.

Strawberries in hanging baskets Also new to the kitchen garden this year are strawberries in hanging baskets. A trial is underway looking at yield, flavour, ornamental value and disease tolerance of new varieties grown specifically in hanging baskets. The best preforming plants will receive the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Why not come and visit us at RHS Garden Harlow Carr to see how the plants are growing, and get inspiration for your own kitchen garden?

Jobs to do

* Raise your pumpkins off the soil using slate or wood to prevent them rotting.

* Be vigilant with any rotting fruit you find – pick them off to avoid diseases spreading

* Order your garlic bulbs if you are planting in autumn

* Continue to sow catch crops to keep you going through the autumn

With thanks to Joe Lofthouse, Horticulturist at RHS Garden Harlow Carr

DIARY DATES

September 20 and 27: Garden Tours Join a tour of the garden starting at 11.30am and find out how Harlow Carr evolved from a Victorian Spa to an RHS garden. There is a suggested £2 donation to the Friends of Harlow Carr. Normal garden admission.

Saturday, October 1 and Sunday, October 2: The Autumn Food & Wood Festival Enjoy the very best the season has to offer with a food market specialising in local delights, cookery demonstrations using seasonal produce and live music. See handcrafted wooden items being created using traditional woodworking techniques. Younger members of the family can make their own willow wand while mum and dad watch demonstrations of a range of new cordless gardening gadgets from STIHL. Normal garden admission. Buy garden tickets online and save ten per cent.