Help MBE grow his dinner 2013.

djohn2002uk

Hey MBE, just seen your avatar on the grapevine. I'd have thought you'd have found one with a DRAGON on rather than that rose that looks like it needs deadheading.:cool:

zafiro1984

mrbadexample wrote: »

Please could you share your recipe for the apple and mint jelly? I've been scrumping in my mate's garden.

Sorry about the length of time it's taken to reply but I've had a couple of meetings I needed to do work for.

Mint Jelly
4lb cooking apples
2pts water
bundle fresh mint
1lb caster sugar per 1pt of juice
green colouring - optional

Wash apples, cut into pieces dont remove peel or cores, simmer in the water with a few sprigs of mint.
When soft and pulpy turn into jelly bag to strain
Measure juice and add 1lb sugar each 1 pt juice
boil until setting point
Chop up rest of mint and add, plus a few drops of green colouring if liked.
Pot in the usual way

I find it quite sweet so I cut down a bit on the sugar. I don't add green colouring (what's the point of making it look bright green) so it tends to be quite a dull colour. Apart from the usual use with lamb I like it on toast

Over the last few days I have made
10 jars of crabapple and clove jelly - that's enough and there is still plenty for the wildlife
5 large jars of apple chutney - more to make as I want to get to about 12 jars.
4 jars of rosehip and orange jelly - a lovely change from orange marmalade - but now the rosehips are going over, so I will leave the rest for the wildlife.
Turned my back and the elderberries disappeared, but found some sloes so they have been put to bed with some gin.
Chestnuts, not ready yet

zafiro1984

Queen of Cheap Impressive photos, I'm not surprised you ache. How long did that take you to do?

I'm too embarrased to take a photo of my veg plot, loads and loads of weeds, docks and marestail by the bushel, I got my DH to glyphosate it all last weekend so once things are looking a little sad I'll have to start. I think I'll spread muck over the top and cover the beds over for the winter.
I am still finding it hurts to bend over to get down to the beds but each week I'm a little stronger - roll on next year

Dizzy_Ditzy

zafiro1984 wrote: »

Queen of Cheap Impressive photos, I'm not surprised you ache. How long did that take you to do?

I'm too embarrased to take a photo of my veg plot, loads and loads of weeds, docks and marestail by the bushel, I got my DH to glyphosate it all last weekend so once things are looking a little sad I'll have to start. I think I'll spread muck over the top and cover the beds over for the winter.
I am still finding it hurts to bend over to get down to the beds but each week I'm a little stronger - roll on next year

Thank you

It's taken about a week in terms of time spent there doing the work, the odd half day here and there and a few full days. I've done another, much smaller but so much easier to dig over veg bed this morning

All that effort and I've planted up a few spuds :j in an inside out compost bag I might chuck a few in one of the beds in the next couple of days

If I can do it Zafiro, so can you

mrbadexample

djohn2002uk wrote: »

Hey MBE, just seen your avatar on the grapevine. I'd have thought you'd have found one with a DRAGON on rather than that rose that looks like it needs deadheading.:cool:

Oh, you're just hilarious.

annie123

mrbadexample wrote: »

Oh, you're just hilarious.

I thought it was funny

Free day and no gardening as it's cold,wet and windy.
Pleased my chillis are indoors along with the local population of ladybirds. Not even the birds are out in this weather.

Dizzy_Ditzy

http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/free-200-spring-flowering-bulbs-worth-a-total-38-37-plus-5-60-p-p-van-meuwen-1677856

Some free- ish spring bulbs

lemonjelly

The high winds blew over both greenhouses.

At least that prompted me to get my backside out there & pack them away. Annoyingly, one of the "doors" has a rip in it...

Filled up the composters with all the old plants. Got all the toms in - have a windowsill full of mainly green toms now.

uckily I'd harvested the 3 chilli's I'd managed to grow thursday evening.

Lost the last batch of lettuce, but hey ho.

Dizzy_Ditzy

Time to clear down for the winter

My aloes are all in, as are my chillies

I've been creating in the kitchen with some of the chillies, making chilli flakes and chilli powder. The powder is a lot of effort for very little reward, but I'll be thankful for it further on down the line I'm sure

Just a word of warning to anyone thinking of doing the same- make damn sure you wear gloves and cover your face with something- I've had the sniffles, sneezing fits and the under skin burn

annie123

Today is ladybird invasion day. Had a few in last week but today they are everywhere.
Called DS as he's 1/4 mile away to to see if he had any and he does, but his are on his north facing bathroom window, around 50 of them. Or at least they were there before he went to work. Could be flying all over his flat towards the south bay I guess. They'e going to regret that north window if they stay put, it gets bl**dy nippy in there in winter. Mine are sensibly on the face facing kitchen window.
There's a lot more than usual, either it's been a good year for breeding or they know something about winter that I don't :eek:

So tempting to pull a couple of parsnips but as mine went in later than Johns I'll wait a few more weeks.

My kitchen window is now tomato free :j so pleased to see the back of them. They have however , been replaced with several chillis. I'm trying to over winter a scotch bonnet again. Failed for years at this. I can get every other type I've tried so far to last, but not these. I'll get there in the end.

Any one else got lady birds yet?