VAL BOURNE says this year's cool, wet summer has led to a crop failure

I expect you have been trick or treated' in the last few days. I always escape this dubious pleasure because I have always lived in houses with dark, unwelcoming drives. But I did have a brush will Hallowe'en. I was tickled by a besom broom while shopping (unintentionally, I add), when a giggling teenage girl, carrying a very large, black pointed hat, swept by in high spirits - albeit a little carelessly.

Garden Organic, based at Ryton, near Coventry, always provides another Hallowe'en essential - pumpkins. But this year's cool, wet summer has led to a crop failure. Their horticultural field trials manager, Thalia Nunis, explained that "pumpkins, squashes, and gourds enjoy warmer temperatures and weather, and this year, we've had dreadful conditions and our harvest has suffered".

This crop failure is due to the fact that frost-prone cucurbits - cucumbers, courgettes, squashes, gourds, melons, pumpkins, or marrows - demand a warm June and July in order to romp away. Pumpkins are particularly reliant on warmth, although not as much as melons.

I have fared better than most gardeners. I covered two courgette and two squash plants with heavy-duty plastic bell cloches (available from Harrod Horticultural, on 0845 218 5301, or visit the website www.harrodhorticultural.com) for their first four weeks outside. As a result, these plants were untroubled by the cool summer, while their uncovered neighbours shuddered. Those four plants went on to yield 80lbs of produce. No wonder, bell cloches have featured in British gardens since the 17th century. They were introduced from France, so that gardeners could produce melons under big hats'.

In all, we cut 24lbs of courgettes from just two plants. One was the sweetly flavoured Romanesque' (from Seeds of Italy), the other was the dark, smooth El Greco' (from Suttons). We have also harvested 37lbs of squash from just two plants as well. One was Marina di Chioggia' (from Seeds of Italy), and the other Sunshine' (a Japanese kabocha type from Thompson & Morgan). Marina di Choggia' is an ugly bumpy, green-skinned squash. But Sunshine' is an award-winning, smooth-skinned, orange beauty, worthy of any Jack-o'-lantern.

Both should be excellent to eat, although you always have to store squashes for at least six weeks, stem down to prevent rot, before they become flavourful. They are a nutritious and deliciously soft-textured food, adored by babies as well as adults.

So from now on, I shall always cloche some of my squashes and courgettes. Cloches are also useful at warming the soil before sowing or planting. But do choose tough specimens and not the flimsy, thin plastic, so often sold in garden centres.

Choosing sowing and planting times carefully is also vital. Remember that plants cannot go into the garden before mid-May, as there's still a chance of a frost. So it's not really worth sowing cucurbit seeds before mid-April. The large, elliptical seeds tend to collect water above the surface, and they can rot if you lay seeds down horizontally. But if you place your seeds vertically, exposing just the edge, there's less chance. Once sown, always place pots of cucurbits in your warmest place.

For details, or to join Garden Organic, visit www.gardenorganic.org.uk, or call 02476 303517. Seed suppliers: Seeds of Italy 0208 427 5020/ www.seedsofitaly; Suttons 0844 922 0606/www.suttons.co.uk www.suttons.co.uk; Thomspon & Morgan 01473 688 821/www.thompson-morgan.com; Organic Gardening Catalogue 0845 130 1304/ www.organiccatalog.com