The highs and lows of growing your own dinner 2015

Kantankrus_Mare

Just nipped to lottie on bike to water everything and brought back 2lb 2oz of strawberries . Going to weigh each picking to see just out of curiosity how much I get off my 3 beds.

Also got first pickings of mange tout which I shall have with dinner tomorrow.

Still oodles of rhubarb but got no time to do anything with it as busy decorating at home.

unrecordings

zafiro1984 wrote: »

That's interesting, I would be curious to know what sort of peas and how tall they grow and what sort of harvest you get - please let us know.

Just replanted them today - in a little space next to the other peas. I'm assuming as a commercial variety they won't grow that tall - maybe 2 foot if that

Funnily enough we're having pie & peas again tomorrow, so will remember to put some more aside when I soak them this evening

Ken68

Had a marvellous day, neighbour asked me to help clear his strawberry bed, froze them onto plates then will bundle into bags tomorrow. Fruit sorted now until goosegogs come in.

zafiro1984

Has anyone grown oca, if so what was it like? I've just been given some tubers and know nothing about them - thanks

unrecordings

I've grown oca - I'm in my second year. I popped them into small pots in mid April, then planted out the resulting plants about a week or two ago. They'll grow pretty much like potatoes except that you don't need to earth them up. You can apparently eat the leaves.

In terms of cooking, again, pretty much like potatoes but if you cook them too long you lose the lemony taste. I'm still experimenting on the cooking side though

Here are some of the best links I've found on the subject:

http://www.thompson-morgan.com/how-to-grow-oca-new-zealand-yam

http://emmacooper.org/blog/how-to-grow-oca

http://downtheplot.com/oca.php

wishus

No joy at all with my basil! some grew, but then got eaten. We have a persistent slug issue! Will have to get the critters drunk.

zafiro1984

unrecordings wrote: »

I've grown oca - I'm in my second year. I popped them into small pots in mid April, then planted out the resulting plants about a week or two ago. They'll grow pretty much like potatoes except that you don't need to earth them up. You can apparently eat the leaves.

Many thanks Unrecordings, I've looked at the websites you posted and also did a bit of google searching myself.

I've put them in pots in the greenhouse and they have already started to grow, here's hoping I'll let you know how they perform.

zafiro1984

I am so enjoying this year after 3 to 4 yrs of inactivity. I'm on the plot every day for about an hour, sun, wind or shine.

The peppers are flowering, first flowers on tomatoes, courgettes cropping well, first set of strawberries coming to an end, potatoes cropping. Don't wish to appear 'a sad case' but sometimes the phrase 'get a life' comes to mind.

Dizzy_Ditzy

I had a mammoth session yesterday at both plots- 2lb of strawbs, the last of the onions and garlic, pulled up the broad bean plants and planted some French beans out. Potatoes all looking good came home with a few raspberries and blackcurrants too

At the other plot, I came home with over 9lb of gooseberries just from one plant :eek: first lot of fizz is underway :beer: beetroot looks like it's ready to start coming up, snowball onions looking great, cabbages all doing what they should be and the chickens still being their mad selves. They go mad for gooseberries

Still got a load of rhubarb in the fridge that needs using. Gonna get some jam done today I think, I have strawberries, gooseberries and rhubarb to get used

Ken68

Just been given a score of leek plants, topped and tailed, usually buy them local at £3 per 100. Yet to see the advert. You're about 2 weeks ahead of me, Queen.