A Simpler Life 2018

carolbee

Cottage_Economy wrote: »

I know! I was so excited last year when I got my first courgette because I had never been able to grow them at the old house.

Come September I was like "Meh, another soddding courgette".

I feel your pain!

purpleybat

i love growing veg and I find planning and sorting seeds cheers me up after the winter blues I always get.
this year I have seeds for:-
tomatoes (3 types)
courgettes (2 types)
runner beanos (absolutely essential)
salads and spinach
French beanos and peas
brussells
leeks
spring onions
I have a couple of fruit bushes so hopefully they'll fruit well this year.


I think I have other seeds but can't remember at the mo, its my turn this year to share seeds with my sisters. I've always done spuds but they take up most of my tubs, so last year I grew them in the earth, lots of back breaking work for little return. this year i'm not bothering.

dolly84

I'm rubbish at growing things except trees, I'm very good with trees and have loads of them that no one is allowed to touch except me as I love them all very dearly. However I did manage to grow courgettes so they must be a doddle, I got loads and loads of them which does make me wonder why they are so expensive to buy.

DawnW

dolly84 wrote: »

I'm rubbish at growing things except trees, I'm very good with trees and have loads of them that no one is allowed to touch except me as I love them all very dearly. However I did manage to grow courgettes so they must be a doddle, I got loads and loads of them which does make me wonder why they are so expensive to buy.

I often wonder that too! Runner beans are also easy, and always expensive to buy in the shops, even though you get loads of them :huh: Even a couple of plants in a big pot gives you handfuls of them. I think it must be to do with the harvesting, handling etc being time consuming.

tighteningthebelt

I only grow herbs, but they give me a lot of pleasure!

Cottage_Economy

I never understood that either DawnW and Dolly84. As you say, I think some stuff is labour intensive on a commercial scale. I'm not good with runner beans - too many stringy ones forced on me as a child. DH is the same with them.

Well, I'm afraid I caved today. I popped into a charity shop to drop of some of my bedding that I sorted out the other week and ended up having look round.

Very pleased I did! Found a massive box set of 32 DVDs that my father has been looking for over the last couple of years. Online he'd have to pay £70 and I got it for £15 - he's asked for it to be wrapped up for his birthday. Also found a new sealed Avon day cream for £2 that I used to use but stopped as it was too expensive at £16. Judging from the amount of stuff an Avon rep had a New Year clean out.

Crucially, I did not look at the books!

DawnW

Cottage_Economy wrote: »

I never understood that either DawnW and Dolly84. As you say, I think some stuff is labour intensive on a commercial scale. I'm not good with runner beans - too many stringy ones forced on me as a child. DH is the same with them.

Well, do what I now do then, and grow climbing French beans instead - no strings, and they freeze better. A bit trickier to get going than runners. I am growing purple ones this year

Cottage_Economy

DawnW wrote: »

Well, do what I now do then, and grow climbing French beans instead - no strings, and they freeze better. A bit trickier to get going than runners. I am growing purple ones this year

What sort of yield do you get off per plant? I've grown dwarf French beans before when I had no space for climbers and got quite a reasonable amount off them but never tried climbing beans.

Is there a secret to getting climbing French bean started off??

GreyQueen

DawnW wrote: »

Well, do what I now do then, and grow climbing French beans instead - no strings, and they freeze better. A bit trickier to get going than runners. I am growing purple ones this year

I'm sure I've seen stringless variety of runner beans on sale in Wilk0 last autumn - I buy the next year's seeds in the sales. Perhaps they have some this year?

Courgettes are amazing plants. I had a random selection of courgettes, BNS and pumpkins in a relatively small bed in full sun at the top of the lottie. The bed was enriched with seven barrows of spent barley grains from the brewery and things grew like triffids. I still have monster squash all over the place and will be making another BNS soup this evening. Truly astonishing how much mass you can get for how little effort.

Courgettes seem to the the same price year round, even when the British grown ones are in season and you can barely give them away to family, friends and acquaitances.

elmer

I only really grow herbs as my garden slopes alarmingly to the `Tweed, its covered in snow at the moment too but....

I think I might try beans , you lot have inspired me, and although I dont like courgettes at all, if Im doing beans I could try peas too...

Ill need help getting back up from the bottom of the garden though?

elmer