Help MBE grow his dinner 2012

Pre-war_babe_33

With all this talk of winter my new spring catalogue arrived from Sutton`s yesterday and I found something called The Homegrown Revolution. The man is doing a recipe book with six free packets of unusual seeds. I am thinking of giving them a go - how does something like Electric Daisy grab you - gives quite a zing to the tongue apparently. He has lots more unusual flavours available too which are all supposedly easy to grow. Yes, some of them will definitely be on my order form for next year.

mrbadexample

Pre-war_babe_33 wrote: »

how does something like Electric Daisy grab you - gives quite a zing to the tongue apparently.

Electric Daisy? Is that food? :huh:

poorly_scammo

*waves*

No sweetcorn for Scammo this year.

Have decided to grow asparagus peas next year.

annie123

Had to look up electric daisy http://www.suttons.co.uk/Gardening/Vegetable+Seeds/James+Wong+Homegrown+Revolution+Seeds/Electric+Daisies+Seeds_147045.htm

and no I won't be growing them, don't like electric shocks!

edit; some of wongs other seeds are interesting like these http://www.suttons.co.uk/Gardening/Vegetable+Seeds/James+Wong+Homegrown+Revolution+Seeds/Cucamelon+Seeds_188060.htm

poorly_scammo

Asparagus peas - Taste of asparagus but look like...well, erm little green star fruit? http://www.thompson-morgan.com/vegetables/vegetable-seeds/pea-and-bean-seeds/asparagus-pea/136TM

katholicos

annie123 wrote: »

The kitchen is the only room in the place that is DG, white PVC type and that's where they go. I have one window faces south and one that faces brick the wall next door or west, and they ignore that one.
The south one they sit huddled in 2 groups in the top corners where it meets the wall. Done it since I moved here in '93
I have noticed more harlequin ones rather than our native ones over recent years but not a lot I can do about that.

Once they've settled, they're very well behaved, may have a little wander up and down the frames during winter but that's it.
The jostling for best position takes a week or so and during that time I find ladybirds everywhere including suicidal ones in the cooking pots. Winter starts for me when they come in as I know I won't have any more warm days till they leave again.

That is so interesting. I am feeling incredibly envious now. They must be very happy.

Thinking about it, i rarely clean my windows, if i did so more often, i might find more than spiders and conwebs! I never see many ladybirds in the garden though so probably am not as fortunate as you. Might think about purchasing, is it, 'ladybird' lava or something, next year?

Aphids ruined a lot of my broad beans this year :mad:

annie123

Picked the 3 little BNS, 1 looked as though it was getting little rot spots, 5 blackberries (told the other 50 to hurry up and ripen) and some chard. I've decided I'm bored with chard so going to give that a miss next year too.

Those carrots ready yet MBE?

And I've got one lone ladybird wandering around the window, feel sorry for it, the others are late coming in.

mrbadexample

annie123 wrote: »

Those carrots ready yet MBE?

Halloween is the deadline for me being beaten at carrot growing.

Today I've picked the last couple of beetroot, a few normal carrots, a couple of parsnips and a few more slug-filled spuds. I need to get the courgette out as it's in the way of the leeks. I also need to sow some winter-hardy spring onions.

I need to shred all the tomato plants etc & get them on the compost heap. I'm trying to decorate at the moment so not much spare time.

annie123

Well in spite of the grey, damp foggy day I'll be clearing up some of the beds and pots.
First compost bin already full so will be onto the 2nd one today. I should turn the first one really but doubt I'll have the energy by time I've done the other bits.
Only planting 12 garlic bulbs, that should be more than enough for us now the garlic muncher has left home, and still pondering on sowing a few broad beans, but I doubt they'll make it through the winter without becoming a snack for slugs.
Possible sub zero temps due even here in London at the weekend so think it's time to lift the dahlias. I used to leave them and for years they were fine as we had very mild winters then winter '10 came along and I lost them all, including my 20 year old tree fern

I like decorating, hubby's pleased I like decorating as he HATES it. Don't do painting ceilings though, that's a male job, along with taking out the rubbish when wet, removing spiders, and any other job that needs doing that I don't want to do

Pre-war_babe_33

My son has just told me we have had SNOW - the first of the winter just inside the M25 so how are things further north? Not sure when but it was either Friday night or Saturday night. It is still only October isn`t it? I am getting really muddled now with all this unseasonal weather we have been having this year. No wonder the plantlife is getting confused. I have flowers in bloom on a pepper plant that should have produced some peppers long ago but not a single one appeared. Too cold out there to be tidying up so unless we have a nice warm day it is the end of gardening for me this year.