Back in March this year I visited Oman.  (see my earlier post). I had wanted to visit this corner of the Arabian Gulf to witness the great diversity of flora and fauna it is famous for. Needless to say, I was not disappointed.  The great surprise was coming across large amounts of garlic being grown on the Sayq plateau at Jabal Al Akhdar.  There I met a wonderful, hospitable and very enthusiastic garlic-grower, Nabhan, owner of the delightful Sahab Hotel.  He promised to send me some of his crop to both taste and cook with, but most importantly, to grow.  Last week a large sweet-jar full of garlic arrived with the post.  How it made it through customs I have no idea – you could smell the contents from down the street – a heavenly sweet garlic perfume.

Nabhan tells me that this garlic is unique to his region of Oman and probably originates from a French garlic brought to the Middle East in the 18th century. However, this quite magnificent variety could have a more ancient provenance and is certainly a distinct variety having been grown in Oman for centuries. I plan to share some of the cloves with other collectors and will be planting myself in the autumn in one of my polytunnels. I do believe though, that this garlic will do well here. The Sayq Plateau is high at over 1,000 metres above sea-level. The winters are short but can be very cold with snow and freezing temperatures. Nabhan plants his garlic in the autumn and harvests in June.  My guess is that I will be able to harvest in July from a late Octobetr planting.  Only time will tell.

It may bea shitty, cold, wet day but that should not stop us from getting lots of stuff going for planting out in May when all danger of frost is past. At the weekend I sowed runner beans – an HSL black-seeded variety called Meesna, Borlotto climbing French beans and Ryder top of the Pole, all from seed I have saved in previous years. I sowed seed individually into root trainers and put on the greenhouse shelf to germinate. I already have squash, courgettes and cucumbers growing on in the greenhouse, but it is not too late to sow seed of these vegetables now. Being lucky enough to have several greenhouses and polytunnels to grow crops in, right now it is gratifying to see early potatoes making good growth, broad beans flowering and setting freely – helped by an army of bumble bees – and peas swelling in their pods.

I transplanted sweetcorn into one of my polytunnels which should be ready to eat in July. I will sow a second crop next week to give me cobs in August. Again using root trainers and the greenhouse so the plants will be hardened off and ready to plant outside at the end of May. If you have got room in your greenhouse border or polytunnel then sowing carrots, beetroot, salad crops including radish, rocket , spinach and lettuce in early February promises crops throughout the spring.

If you haven’t got salad crops on the go start now outside and continue to sow a pinch of lettuce seed every couple of weeks for the next few months to give a constant supply of leaves into winter. Now is also an excellent time to plant up your main-crop of potatoes. Plant 30cms apart in rows 75cms apart using a dibber to make a deep hole so the tuber is at least 10cms below the surface. As the shoots appear in a few weeks time earth up to protect from frost and encourage a bigger yield.

I have had some success growing sweet potatoes through black polythene in a polytunnel. Last year I found mice also liked my crop and I had to remove a number of very lovely nests and badly nibbled tubers. But even in April I have some of last year’s crop to finish eating. Sweet potatoes are magnificent keepers if they are cured properly after harvest. To do this I put them in trays in the airing cupboard for about ten days!

For reasons I do not understand other than profit, buying sweet potato ‘slips’ for planting up in May can set you back a small fortune – at least £1.50 per plant. so, I prefer to grow my own slips using some of last year’s crop. Avoid trying with commercial tubers as these are often treated with a sprouting suppressant and, unless grown in the UK, can struggle in our climate.  There are many modern cultivars of variable quality sold by seed companies.  Beauregard is my favourite with a deliciously sweet orange flesh. Last year I dug just over 20 kilos from six plants.

In late February either fill a large plastic container or a polythene bag with damp sand, put it in a cardboard box to keep its shape and bury two or three medium-sized tubers about two inches deep. Put the box in the airing cupboard if you have one, otherwise the warmest place in your home – I use a cupboard above the stove – as sweet potatoes need a temperature of at least 22 degrees to sprout.  Check regularly.and after three or four weeks the first sprouts will emerge.  Make sure sure the sand doesn’t dry out. At first a few fibrous roots can appear on the surface but then the first shoots stuck their noses up and now the tubers need to be moved to the sunniest part of your home.  If this gets cool in the evening move the plants at night to a warm place., although any warm spot in the house is fine.

Towards the end of March lift the tubers and select the longest and strongest shoots which should be removed from the mother tuber.  I like to leave a small amount of tuber on the slip as it provides nourishment whilst the slips are starting to establish.  If there is good evidence of young roots growing from the stems, plant the slips up to their first leaves in potting compost mixed with some sharp sand. Alternatively put the slips in a jar of water so most of the stems are covered  and after a few days roots will appear.  These slips can then be potted on.  I like to keep the plants on a sunny windowsill in the house for a week or so because the night temperature is greater than my greenhouse.   The slips in the following image are of another purple-skinned variety I was given which are native to the Atacama desert in Chile.

By mid April the plants are ready to grow on in my greenhouse where they should stay until mid May when I plant them through polythene in a polytunnel about 30 cms. apart.

It is important not to plant out to early as sweet potatoes do not like cool weather!

Sweet potatoes plants will grow to a huge size so be prepared to create a jungle!I have also grown them in a cloche with good results.

They should be ready to harvest in late October.  Frost or cold nights will kill off teh haulm.  Collect up the tubers which can grow to a great depth, brush off any soil and spread out in a box to dry and cure.  I leave mine in the boiler house for at least ten days, although an airing cupboard is ideal.  They should stor until April and I find the flavour improves with keeping.