Help MBE grow his dinner 2010

Principia_2

mrbadexample wrote: »

I also had the opportunity to check out mrbadexample snr's kumatoes that I gave him earlier in the year. He's better at it than me:.....

Predictably, dad's was better. Sweeter, with a much thinner skin.

That'll be age before beauty then

mrbadexample

Principia wrote: »

That'll be age before beauty then

Sadly, he's much better looking than me too. Ask my mum.

:rotfl:

lemonjelly

Mr BE you have my condolences.:eek:

I have decided to have a type of holiday this year, but I'm having a number of awaydays (with a couple of overnight stops) rather than a full holiday.

I'd dread coming back to what you did...

Haven't been able to post much, as I'm in a busy period at work. The hedgehogs are nibbling my courgettes, but I am managing to get some of them...

I cut off the brocolli florets, & new ones are growing...:j

My cucumbers are getting big. I am hopeful for them, as they didn't turn out well last year. Fingers crossed....

frazzbo

I don't think I've posted on this thread before but I have been reading it with interest, and I'm absolutely gutted for you. I hope you are able to rescue the chilli plant.

Looks like you have had a nice harvest though :-)

mrbadexample

frazzbo wrote: »

I hope you are able to rescue the chilli plant.

It'll be ok now it's had some attention. It was my best one, but I have a spare anyway. I've lost some fruit, but nothing's dead so it's not the end of the world. I was just a bit miffed to get back and find all was not as I'd hoped.

mrbadexample

Today I picked my gooseberries, and was delighted to find just over 4lb of fruit. I didn't think I had anywhere near that much. Gooseberry and rhubarb pie tomorrow, I think.

Lotus-eater

mrbadexample wrote: »

I also had the opportunity to check out mrbadexample snr's kumatoes that I gave him earlier in the year. He's better at it than me:

Predictably, dad's was better. Sweeter, with a much thinner skin.

Where did you get the kumato seeds from? A little search on google shows they aren't available at first glance.
And if your kumato doesn't look like a commercially available kumato, is it still a kumato?

mrbadexample

Lotus-eater wrote: »

Where did you get the kumato seeds from? A little search on google shows they aren't available at first glance.
And if your kumato doesn't look like a commercially available kumato, is it still a kumato?

I saved the seed from two kumatoes I bought in the south of France last year.

Well, it does look a bit like it! I think it's now an improved kumato.

davemorton

How are you meant to tell when your gooseberrys are ready to pick??
I picked about a quarter of mine yesterday, but had to give up when my hands could face no more spiking!

mrbadexample

davemorton wrote: »

How are you meant to tell when your gooseberrys are ready to pick??
I picked about a quarter of mine yesterday, but had to give up when my hands could face no more spiking!

Well, mine turned a nice dark red, which is a helpful indicator. However, if you have a yellow variety, you're just looking for the fruit to start to soften slightly. When they're unripe, they're like bullets.

I found the easiest way was to lift the end of each branch with one hand (a glove might help), and carefully remove the fruit with the other. Doing it this way, I only got spiked a lot.