My Home-grown Journey

robnye

beetroot,

onions plant august time

Melonade

Our garden is starting to supply tiny amounts of fruit/veg :j

We've had tons of lettuce so far and this evening my son ate the 1 strawberry that hadn't been chewed by something else. He said it was sweet, tasted like a strawberry but nicer

Got a few pods of peas today but I'm not holding out for too many since the slugs have munched through lots of them and then a herd of caterpillars have demolished what was left :mad: They even ate every single climbing bit so the poor plants have collapsed in a heap now and starting to go a yellow colour.

Got some tiny green toms that I'm willing to grow faster because I can't wait anymore.

I'm having loads of fun and my son is really keen too, even picking his own salad leaves

Dex

I've had lots of lettuce, spinach and rocket, though I couldn't eat the rocket fast enough and it went to seed so I had to pull it out, def wont do as much rocket and spinach next year!
Ive had about 12 strawberries, all tasted yummy... there are loads unripe ones on the plants too
I have 1 4 inch mini cucumber and about 5 courgettes, does anyone know how big I let them get before picking them?
I have 8 tomato plants covered in flowers and a few peppers and chillis growing... I've eaten loads of peas though really need to wait for them to get bigger!! - no runner beans as yet, they have really suffered with the slugs but seem to have recovered and are flowering nicely, im still waiting for my pots that are currently flowering and my spring onions to thicken a little more... my cabbages are looking great and will be ready to harvest in about a month Im having so much fun - can't wait till next year - I may try some winter veg, maybe onions and pots

HariboJunkie

Dex wrote: »

I've had lots of lettuce, spinach and rocket, though I couldn't eat the rocket fast enough and it went to seed so I had to pull it out, def wont do as much rocket and spinach next year!
Ive had about 12 strawberries, all tasted yummy... there are loads unripe ones on the plants too
I have 1 4 inch mini cucumber and about 5 courgettes, does anyone know how big I let them get before picking them?
I have 8 tomato plants covered in flowers and a few peppers and chillis growing... I've eaten loads of peas though really need to wait for them to get bigger!! - no runner beans as yet, they have really suffered with the slugs but seem to have recovered and are flowering nicely, im still waiting for my pots that are currently flowering and my spring onions to thicken a little more... my cabbages are looking great and will be ready to harvest in about a month Im having so much fun - can't wait till next year - I may try some winter veg, maybe onions and pots

This sounds like I could have written it , with the exception of the courguettes which kept dying from stem rot. :rolleyes:

In addition we have had loads of little gem and lollo rosso. My cut and come again salad keeps bolting so I'm really glad I planted so many lettuces.

All 25 tom plants are flowering like mad but no fruit yet and I have lots of golf ball sized green peppers. :j The garlic is nearly ready to pull as are the first sowings of baby carrots, turnip and beetroot. We have eaten lots of mange tout and next year I will just grow them and no peas as the mange tout seem easier and better value for money.

scotsaver

Dex wrote: »

I have 1 4 inch mini cucumber and about 5 courgettes, does anyone know how big I let them get before picking them?
I

Hi Dex - I usually cut my courgettes when they are the size that I would buy them in the shops, if that makes sense, Hugh Fearnley-whittingstall was cutting some on his programme last week and he was using his middle finger as a size guide, if they were as long as his finger then he was cutting them - hope that doesn't sound rude.:o

Dex

Thanks Scotsaver ill try that

Primrose

Dex - I try to pick my courgettes when they are no longer than four inches. When picked this small they are delicious eaten crunchy and raw in a salad and the more you pick them early , the more the plant will be encouraged to produce. Once they get to six inches long they are only fit to be cooked, griddled or used grated in a pasta mixture, or in chunks in ratatouille. Also I find they become more indigestible once they're allowed to become bigger. They always seem to be sold far too large in supermarkets, but then I suppose the growers are selling by weight and the more the weight, the more income they get. If you grow your own you can grow for quality alone and have courgettes that are far more delicious than any you can buy in the shops.

Dex

I love ratatouille, thats why I grew them but I never though about putting them in a salad before, thats a great idea will have to try that!

robnye

blooming caterpillers..... lost 3 small cabbage plants, picked one full grown, just noticed top of other fully grown ccabbage is starting to go...... the burgers

am i too early to plant cabbage for winter?