Potatoes: Buying, Chitting, Planting, Earthing Up; Harvesting.

annie123

If you dont already have one get a courgette, can't fail to impress.
Will produce so many you'll end up making courgette muffins

newsgroup_monkey

pinkcandyflossprincess wrote: »

thats a good idea annie:)
he was muttering about green beans yesterday so there may be hope- i told him i had planted peas but he seemed unimpressed.
Im hoping it goes well as with a family of 7 i would save a fortune if i can actually manage to grow something:o

I've never done peas before, but I was excited because i'd planted a couple of dozen or so plants for the family . My allotment neighbour planted 240 and there's just him and his missus.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

I have my first small crop of peas.

The first potatoes are about to flower.

I am inundated with Mizuna.

The tomatoes are about 5 - 12" high.

The corn is being beaten by the beans that are supposed to be climbing up the corn.

There are carrots somewhere under the Mizuna.

There are some cos lettuces in there too.

And the beetroots look very red.

The shallots are thriving.

ALL the garlic is dead.

The leeks look like grass.

The cabbages want to be planted out.

The Mizuna is joining forces with the courgettes to say 'no' to the cabbages.

The strawberries look rubbish.

The raspberries - well, I might get 7 from one twig, the rest are just making pretty leaves.

The blackberry isn't doing much.

French beans are appearing where I don't remember planting any.

The herbs all look happy.

I'm beginning to lose the cats in the [STRIKE]prairie[/STRIKE] lawn.

HELP!

Lotus-eater

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

The corn is being beaten by the beans that are supposed to be climbing up the corn.

They aways do that, it doesn't work! unless you sow the beans later or use a dwarf one.

pinkcandyflossprincess

annie123 wrote: »

If you dont already have one get a courgette, can't fail to impress.
Will produce so many you'll end up making courgette muffins

I have 9 courgette plants out currently in a large bed i made, one died but the others are alive:)
Im not sure about my tomatoes as have loads of them on windowsill grown from a kids seed pack at moment and one outside that is bigger and established.
I do use a lot of courgettes in cooking so if they grow it will be brilliant-they are great for bulking out in meals such as bolognese etc when moneys tight:o

Lotus-eater

pinkcandyflossprincess wrote: »

I have 9 courgette plants out currently in a large bed i made, one died but the others are alive:)
Im not sure about my tomatoes as have loads of them on windowsill grown from a kids seed pack at moment and one outside that is bigger and established.
I do use a lot of courgettes in cooking so if they grow it will be brilliant-they are great for bulking out in meals such as bolognese etc when moneys tight:o

9 courgettes should just be about enough for your size household, but don't be disappointed if they are not quite as tasty as you think they should be, IMO the run of the mill dark green ones aren't any tastier than ones from the shops. But they are fresher
If you've planted std ones. If you have, next year try some of the italian ones, a world of difference....... well that's what I think , no one else seems to be able to tell the difference :rotfl: damn highly evolved taste buds

Lotus-eater

pinkcandyflossprincess wrote: »

I do use a lot of courgettes in cooking so if they grow it will be brilliant-they are great for bulking out in meals such as bolognese etc when moneys tight:o

We do that alot, when the courgettes are on full flow, we virtually live on them. Grilled lightly, or pan cooked they are superb also and you can add lots of little things to them to make different meals...... but still keep the same ingredients IYSWIM
Cheese is great, garlic is superb.
One of the best money saving things to grow and if you grow as many as you are, it's perfect, because otherwise you really don't have enough to make them a main ingredient.

annie123

Lotus-eater wrote: »

If you have, next year try some of the italian ones, a world of difference

Which would you recommend?, I like to try new varieties.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

If you use a peeler to make courgette ribbons, cook them quickly and use them like fettucine - cover in pesto or a tomatoey sauce, maybe with some arrabiata. Very nice!

Lotus-eater

annie123 wrote: »

Which would you recommend?, I like to try new varieties.

If you're buying anything from real seeds, the verde d'italia is out of this world. I've been waxing lyrical about it for years. Far better than any other I've had. Grows well and tastes lovely.... and looks really good too.
But, hold the phone, because I'm trying a couple of new ones this year. I'll let you know later