The highs and lows of growing your own dinner 2015

zafiro1984

unrecordings wrote: »

As I'm on the edge of the woods, everything is getting covered in leaves - great for the leaf bin, not so for the person who has to fill it.

Know what you mean - my plot is hedged by copper beach. I'm a bit reluctant to cut it back as I glycerine lots of the smaller branches in the spring.

Has anyone grown decent celeriac this year - mine is rubbish - can you use the leaves for flavouring in stews/soups?

Ken68

zafiro1984 wrote: »

Know what you mean - my plot is hedged by copper beach. I'm a bit reluctant to cut it back as I glycerine lots of the smaller branches in the spring.

Has anyone grown decent celeriac this year - mine is rubbish - can you use the leaves for flavouring in stews/soups?

Mine is tennis ball sized, Zaf. larger than last year. All twelve plants amount to probably four or five of those sold in Lidl.
Have frozen some leaves, not used them yet.

zafiro1984

Thanks Ken68, however I've just dug up my first parsnip and it's a whole different story.
Does anyone remember the tale told to children about the 'Enormous turnip' well substitute the word parsnip for turnip.
It took me about 10 mins to dig it out, the cardio vascular system had a good work out and there's enough to accompany several roasts or enough to make an enormous pan of squash and parsnip soup.
I just hope the rest of them are smaller otherwise I'll be making wine - now there's a pleasant thought!!

Ken68

Zaf....I sowed some special parsnips this year, made a hole with a crowbar, filled it will seed compost and then three parsnip seeds, took out the two worst, yet to try them. Will post a photo later....if.

Jazee

Just thought I'd pop in quickly to let you know that I won second prize in the garden competition in the fruit and veg category.

Thanks for all your tips on growing stuff.

wishus

Well done Jazee!

Still feeding myself on my homegrown spuds. Well chuffed with myself! Hopefully next year I can try more things. I picked up some seeds in Aldi reduced to 19p - just got to wait for the sowing season.

A neighbour has given me a load of Bramleys too!

Dizzy_Ditzy

Well done jazee ��

We are still on the homegrown spuds too and think we will be for a good number of weeks Savoy cabbages look amazing :j

It's getting tricky now the clocks have changed I work full time and have two plots, one with chickens. I leave work and go straight to chickenville to put them to bed. At the moment there is just about enough daylight but that won't last long. Pretty soon the only time I'll see my girls during daylight hours is at the weekend

I popped to the other plot on my way home the other day to see his things are doing, brought home a cabbage that filled a large Iceland carrier bag and the last few blackberries. Would you believe that I have two RED strawberries?! They've been munched by the bugs so are staying put.

I need to get my onions and garlic in soon. I'm already starting to plan next years planting at that plot

I'm picking up a load of grapes later for the brewing bucket :beer: I can add into that the grapes off my own vine :j so I will be able to say that I have made wine with my own grapes :j no one needs to know just how many of my own grapes have gone on there :cool:

My resolution for next year already is to spend more time at number one plot. I feel really bad having not been there so much

Jazee

Another one here with strawberries, tiny but even so...

I have someone coming this weekend to clean the greenhouse inside and out as I struggle to do it properly myself. So I need to empty it out and hose down the shelves and pots etc.

Am also planning to plant the garlic and I'm keen to see if the parsnips are ready yet. Will be composting the last of the tomato plants.

zafiro1984

Queen of cheap's posting :- Would you believe that I have two RED strawberries?! They've been munched by the bugs so are staying put.

Jazee's posting:- Another one here with strawberries, tiny but even so...

Hard to believe it's November - today I picked French beans and sweetcorn - crazy

unrecordings

Some of my (greenhouse) tomatoes are still hanging on. Got a big bowl of them in the kitchen that are ripening nicely. Everything is covered in leaves at the moment (not surprising on the edge of the woods). I bought a big leaf cage for about £20 a couple of years ago and i fill this every year, I got my first batch of leafmold earlier this year which was really good. I'm waiting for the frost so I can sort out this year's horseradish (I have orders for it would you believe), and harvest the walnut sized kohl rabi