It's now high summer; the plot is in full production and providing lots of fresh vegetables for the kitchen. It's easy to meet the recommended five portions a day. The choice is from sweet corn (Early Extra Sweet ), potatoes (Winston & Pentland Javelin), carrots (Chantennay), peas (Hurst Green Shaft & Onward), shallots (Red Sun), onions (Red Baron & Setton), courgettes (Defender), cabbage (Minicole) cauliflower (Candid Charm) and calabrese (Chevalier).

Now that the catch crop of first early potatoes in section C has been lifted the transplanting of leeks (Musselburgh) can start. The leeks are bigger than is usual for planting but this has not been a problem in the past, they all go on to mature. Lifting the potatoes from section A has started. The empty space will be sown with Crimson Clover green manure. Other empty space has already been sown with the clover. The packet says to sow broadcast but I prefer to sow in rows a foot apart. This makes weeding easier and using a small seed sower is more economical with seed.

The clover really needs to be sown before the end of August to get a good germination. It will then grow right through the winter. Next spring taking a sharp hoe to the rows quickly cuts off the top growth for composting. The roots, with their nitrogen rich nodules, are left in the ground to help to feed next year's brassicas.

Next month its mostly harvesting and our neighbours appreciate any surplus. As usual, weeding and hoeing helps to keep the weeds down.

One vegetable that now appears regularly on supermarket shelves hardly gets a mentioned in older gardening books. Commonly called broccoli, but more correctly calabrese, it is one of those crops, like courgettes, that have come into common use, mainly because of claimed "healthy" properties.

The calabrese version of broccoli has itself two variants. The version grown commercially matures quickly and has a large single head. Once harvested the rest of the plant is discarded. The F1hybrid Chevalier, the variety that I grow, also matures quickly with a good sized head but when this is cut the plant goes on to produce a succession of smaller side shoots called spears. Cropping of these can continue until well into the autumn and the total weight of the spears can be almost as much as the main head.

F1 hybrids are noted for their consistent and regular growth. Chevalier follows the pattern and all the plants from the same sowing mature about the same time. Once mature the head doesn't stand in good condition for long before flowering. Once harvested it needs to be used within about three days before going yellow. That's all a bit of a problem if you don't visit your plot frequently and have planted out a lot of calabrese at the same time. I use successional sowing to overcome this problem and give a steady supply.

If the whole head is cut off at harvest the remaining stump is hollow and collects rain water. This sets up rot and can lead to the loss of the plant. The solution is to cut each branch of the head separately. The thinner stumps aren't hollow and don't collect water.

Cropping early, along with peas and courgettes, calabrese gives some of the first of the welcome new seasons vegetables. But remember, pigeons also like fresh young plants so make sure to provide good protection.

B. A. Plotter.