The Prepping Thread - A Newer Beginning ;)

Nargleblast

Even I, the Slaughterer of All Things Herbaceous, can grow mangetout.

greenbee

Mar - stick some seeds in the ground/a pot and when you're not looking they'll grow. Just make sure you have some supports for them (I use a small metal obelisk). And don't grow 'Bijou' unless your supports are about 15ft tall. The name is misleading. 

Happy_Sloth

MingVase said:

How easy - or not - is mangetout to grow?

super easy and well worth it.  Just make sure you keep picking so more grow. 

MingVase

Thanks everybody, I might give this a go, I love them.

euronorris

I think mangetout are probably the easiest thing I have ever grown, with the exception of cress! You also don't have to wait for them to swell, like you do with peas, so you can harvest more often, which encourages more to grow

Here's a photo to enjoy from a previous year:

-taff

I think most things are easy to grow, we tend to think of them as awkward [in some cases, yes they are, florence fennel anyone?] but we forget that it's plants biological imperative to grow, fruit, set seed and then die. Stress some plants, they reward you with more,[ hotter chillies etc], pick the fruit, and it goes into overdrive trying to make more.

I really think we make it too complicated, new growers get worried by less than perfect leaf shape or worried about spots or marks or lumps and bumps.

Um...probably what I'm trying to say is, to new growers anyway, is don't expect perfection from every plant, don't stress too much, give them what they need which is just basicaly food, water and sunshine [for the most part] and grow what you want to eat...

-taff

Not related but I haven't seen something like this for a long time

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/apr/22/everyone-one-should-prep-the-britons-stocking-up-for-hard-times

DigForVictory

Amused to see Britons being reported on as almost American style preppers. I do hope they haven't gone the whole path with guns etc as well, but if they will have their names & photographs in the Press?
Granny's preps involved a store cupboard & a garden & not talking about things but teaching us how to cook, grow & preserve. (Well, she tried. I'm not very good at the cooking but the lads will eat almost anything.)
Delighted to see Asda have 5L bottles of cooking oil rolled back to £6 a bottle. Still blushing at the panic buy of cooking oil off ebay but I took my eye off that ball & ooops.

Doveling

Bought a new little Buff Wyandotte bantam last weekend as sadly lost one a couple of weeks ago. 
Wyandotte wars lasted for a couple of hours but they settled eventually. Three bantams should keep us in eggs but
Silver lace and Lavender Wyandottes are very pretty and I want some.

I can feel a chicken addiction looming....... more productive than the previous shoe addiction 

Floss

-taff said:

I think most things are easy to grow, we tend to think of them as awkward [in some cases, yes they are, florence fennel anyone?]  

Florence fennel grows best when planted in a sunny dry place in June, and if it doesn't produce nice fat bulbs leave it to flower & collect the seeds 😉