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nettie



Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 5888
Location: Suffolk
PostPosted: Sat Mar 26, 05 11:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Bugs wrote:


Is this a harvestable year (ie how old are your plants? Or is this the new allotment?)? This is our first "official" harvest year, as we grew ours from seed. We grew Franklim F1 as various sources said it was good, but if I were starting again I'd choose an older variety as I like the idea of having different sized spears for different things.


Yep, my first harvestable year this year, which is why I can't wait!!!! I have the Franklim's and also Connovers (sp?) Colossal, which are about as thick as your finger. Roll on May....

Blue Sky



Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France
PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 05 12:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

CRESS!

This may sound sad at first I know but it is wonderfull.

My son (aged 3) is very excited about the cress as his cress seed has germinated well in advance of all my sowings and he is looking forward to egg and cress sandwhiches this week. Now that we have plenty of eggs coming from "the gals" I will be making mayonaise to accompany the aforementioned delights.

We stuck our first batch of spuds in yesterday aswell and can't wait to reap that harvest (if the cats don't scrat 'em all up first)

Lloyd



Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 05 1:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

My spuds are ready for planting now...Please can someone advise me, how deep and how far apart do you plant them?

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism
PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 05 7:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Are they early or maincrop? Our Expert book says 15 in apart in the rows for maincrops with 30 in between rows and 5 in deep. We tend to plant closer as we don't have the room. Earlies its 12 in apart in rows, 24 in between rows.

I would definately recommed 'The Vegetable & Herb Expert' book for everyone. It's only about £6 and is very easy to get to the info.

Blue Sky



Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France
PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 05 9:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Treacodactyl wrote:
I would definately recommed 'The Vegetable & Herb Expert' book for everyone. It's only about £6 and is very easy to get to the info.


Yes definately worth having a copy to hand. I use mine all the time - would struggle without it

ISBN no: 0903505460
Currently selling for £5.59 on Amazon

Lloyd



Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 05 12:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Earlies, Treacs. Thanx.

Nanny



Joined: 17 Feb 2005
Posts: 4520
Location: carms in wales
PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 05 1:26 pm    Post subject: first harvest Reply with quote
    

frankly i look foirward to all of it.......possibly the first sweet corn is the one i will forward to most though i also like the first lettuce and cucumber and as for the first peas...ummmmmmmmmmmm

however it all seems like a long way away today as the weather has closed in and it is raining and too cold even to be in the green house for long

sowed lots of seeds yesterday and today but all are in the green house and not outside

i had thought of putting the second earlies in but now that it's raining, wet and cold i shall hold off for a bit

now sitting in front of the fire with chocolate and soon to be movie with slow cooking brisdet in the oven so not a bad bank holiday really

wellington womble



Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands
PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 05 5:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I'm looking forward to love in a mist to cut for the house (I know you can't eat it, but I like it) and early potatoes and peas.

Of course, I'll have to plant some first!

sean
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42207
Location: North Devon
PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 05 6:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Is 'love in a mist' nigella? (Sorry lamentably ignorant about flowers) If so you can use the seeds in pickles and preserves, particularly with lemons.

nettie



Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 5888
Location: Suffolk
PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 05 7:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Sure is, Sean....and I never knew that!!!!

Bugs



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 05 7:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I think the nigella most sold for eating is sativa, the pretty one you grow in the garden (I had to look the name up) is damascena. None of the books I've looked in suggest it is used for eating but then, none say it's harmful, and indeed the internet, and we all know how reliable that is, comes down on the side of edible.

But it might taste less/different to the usual version. Sadly I don't think sativa is nearly so pretty...still, a highly sustainable annual

cab



Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 05 8:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

The one I was most excited about this year has been the purple sprouting broccoli. Never grown it before, but made room for four plants in the garden. It's been producing for a fortnight now, and it's marvellous.

Wild, the first ones every year that I get excited by are the St. Georges mushrooms. Everything else (all the wild plants) are far more predictable, they're pretty much gimmes.

judith



Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire
PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 05 9:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I'm still waiting for the PSB to get to eating size - the heads are still tantalisingly small. Also looking forward to my first ever home-grown caulis, which are just starting to form curds. Anything will be a nice change from the curly kale, which we have been eating for weeks now.

Have just dug up the very last of the roots. Roasted the last parsnips with the roast on Sunday, so that just leaves half a dozen swedes, some scorzonera and the still-threatening pile of jerusalem artichokes.

Pilsbury



Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 5645
Location: East london/Essex
PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 05 9:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Cant wait fir anythnig to be ready, I havs got Beetroot, dwarf french beand, cherry toms, peppers, jalapenos, scotch bonnet, strawberrys and soon to be planting salad leaves, pumpkins, cuecumbers and what ever seeds i can find in my box. This will be my first year really trying to grow stuff in this house and am really quite excited.

Tristan



Joined: 29 Dec 2004
Posts: 392
Location: North Gloucestershire
PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 05 10:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I've no doubt Cab will like this one, Hairy Bittercress, it was growing like mad in the greenhouses at work, and having finally got 'food for free' in the mini version and realised why the name cress had been used, it seemed like too good an opportunity to miss, tasty too!

About three weeks from the first spuds, too.

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