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What are you harvesting today?
+3
Chilli-head
freebird
FloBear
7 posters
Page 9 of 30
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Re: What are you harvesting today?
I was expecting a bumper crop of strawberries. In truth, I should have got around to picking them earlier, but with work, C-H Jnr on holiday after GCSEs, etc etc I have not had time. Last night I went to pick them, many of the biggest were mush. Some had turned to mush without reaching properly ripe red. I think my lotty is a challenging spot - heavy clay that can stay sodden for ages, but can also dry like concrete. They are in quite an exposed spot sun-wise, which also might be part of the problem. I'm half inclined to grub them up.
One of my blackcurrant bushes has been hit by aphids so hard it has no leaves left, just 5 currants on it. I wonder if that will survive. The problem of not having a proper winter.
One of my blackcurrant bushes has been hit by aphids so hard it has no leaves left, just 5 currants on it. I wonder if that will survive. The problem of not having a proper winter.
Chilli-head- Admin and Boss man
- Posts : 3305
Join date : 2010-02-23
Re: What are you harvesting today?
I seem to have a bumper crop of gooseberries. Back in May, with the dry weather, they looked pathetic and I stopped taking any notice of them. The weeds have taken over my soft fruit area (they're as tall as me) but I suddenly noticed huge gooseberries hanging like bunches of grapes - the wet June weather was obviously good for them.
Ploshkin- Posts : 1779
Join date : 2013-07-18
Location : Mid Wales
Re: What are you harvesting today?
I have chillies. Some quite red. My family have bunked off to the beach for the weekend, so I think tonight might be chilli night for me. Maybe with cold beer.
Chilli-head- Admin and Boss man
- Posts : 3305
Join date : 2010-02-23
Location : Bedfordshire
Re: What are you harvesting today?
Thanks for the info about strawberries. I'm amazed that I never knew they didn't ripen further after picking - I must have grown them on and off for about 20 years!! I think I've always picked them off the plant and eaten them straight away. The jam idea is appealing - I might find a compote recipe and make a small amount to be eaten immediately!
Dandelion- Admin
- Posts : 5416
Join date : 2010-01-17
Age : 67
Location : Ledbury, Herefordshire
Re: What are you harvesting today?
My first blueberries of the season. There won't be many as last autumn I cut the plants back hard so they wouldn't be too huge to transport when we move.
Also some whopping strawberries, with lots more to come, good picking of loganberries and gooseberries. All for eating straight away as I am trying to empty the freezer.
Also some whopping strawberries, with lots more to come, good picking of loganberries and gooseberries. All for eating straight away as I am trying to empty the freezer.
freebird- Posts : 2244
Join date : 2011-10-19
Age : 67
Location : Powys
Re: What are you harvesting today?
Peas!! The first ones of the year, eaten in a risotto with a bit of lemon and parmesan.
Dandelion- Admin
- Posts : 5416
Join date : 2010-01-17
Age : 67
Location : Ledbury, Herefordshire
Re: What are you harvesting today?
Loads of gooseberries from my very neglected bush. I've left so.e to go red but the blackbirds will probably get there first. Had a good first pick of raspberries today too.
Ploshkin- Posts : 1779
Join date : 2013-07-18
Location : Mid Wales
Re: What are you harvesting today?
We had sugar snap peas lusaka yesterday, nice and not at all stringy. Few tomatoes tonight, with some lettuce and rocket.
Chilli-head- Admin and Boss man
- Posts : 3305
Join date : 2010-02-23
Location : Bedfordshire
Re: What are you harvesting today?
I really liked Lusaka too. Did you get them from the seed swap? Can't remember if I put some in.
Another big bowl of strawberries, and brought in my garlic which I dug up last week and left drying in the sun.
Another big bowl of strawberries, and brought in my garlic which I dug up last week and left drying in the sun.
freebird- Posts : 2244
Join date : 2011-10-19
Age : 67
Location : Powys
Re: What are you harvesting today?
I bought the seed I have, but I can't remember where. I did buy some stuff from T&M, who I usually avoid because of excess mailbombing and small packet sizes, so it could be from there.
I've also sown a lot of peas that are by now quite an assortment of inter-bred petit pois types - I leave the plants when I'm done harvesting, and pull them up when dry saving any seed. These are a few generations on from buying their ancestors, and seem to germinate and grow better than the fresh seed I've bought. What's not to like ?
I've also sown a lot of peas that are by now quite an assortment of inter-bred petit pois types - I leave the plants when I'm done harvesting, and pull them up when dry saving any seed. These are a few generations on from buying their ancestors, and seem to germinate and grow better than the fresh seed I've bought. What's not to like ?
Chilli-head- Admin and Boss man
- Posts : 3305
Join date : 2010-02-23
Location : Bedfordshire
Re: What are you harvesting today?
It sounds as if you've got some pea descendents who like the conditions in your garden/allotment!
Dandelion- Admin
- Posts : 5416
Join date : 2010-01-17
Age : 67
Location : Ledbury, Herefordshire
Re: What are you harvesting today?
I've been a bit lackadaisical about watering so am not getting as much produce as I probably ought but I've picked a tubful of broad beans for our evening meal and a few sugar snap peas to share with the parrot.
FloBear- Posts : 868
Join date : 2015-02-10
Location : Forest of Dean
Re: What are you harvesting today?
More peas picked today - and it's been so much easier to see them on a cloudy dull day without the sun glinting in my eyes!!
Dandelion- Admin
- Posts : 5416
Join date : 2010-01-17
Age : 67
Location : Ledbury, Herefordshire
Re: What are you harvesting today?
Tonight's dinner plan is piri piri chicken, on a bed of lettuce, with grilled padron peppers and potato salad. Chilli, garlic, oregano, thyme, lettuce, padrons and potatoes all from the garden. A very smug trug
Chilli-head- Admin and Boss man
- Posts : 3305
Join date : 2010-02-23
Location : Bedfordshire
Re: What are you harvesting today?
A great crop of raspberries and well pollinated - my bees have earned their keep this year.
.... and FIGS
I've been despairing because they've been continually going soft and dropping off and they're like cotton wool inside. Finally I've had a few that are properly ripe and sweet - delicious.
.... and FIGS
I've been despairing because they've been continually going soft and dropping off and they're like cotton wool inside. Finally I've had a few that are properly ripe and sweet - delicious.
Ploshkin- Posts : 1779
Join date : 2013-07-18
Location : Mid Wales
Re: What are you harvesting today?
Perhaps the dropping off is normal - like June drop for apples.
freebird- Posts : 2244
Join date : 2011-10-19
Age : 67
Location : Powys
Re: What are you harvesting today?
The last of the strawberries, and a good handful of blueberries. Fortunately a friend who came for tea in June reminded me that the birds like blueberries too, so I netted the two plants, and we have a reasonable crop.
Dandelion- Admin
- Posts : 5416
Join date : 2010-01-17
Age : 67
Location : Ledbury, Herefordshire
Re: What are you harvesting today?
Lots of blueberries this year, best ever crop.
The mollycoddled raspberries, Joan J, have plenty of fruit starting, the sadly neglected Autumn Bliss have managed to produce a small crop but have run out of energy now.
That reminds me, I'd better go out and do some watering now the tennis has finished.
The mollycoddled raspberries, Joan J, have plenty of fruit starting, the sadly neglected Autumn Bliss have managed to produce a small crop but have run out of energy now.
That reminds me, I'd better go out and do some watering now the tennis has finished.
FloBear- Posts : 868
Join date : 2015-02-10
Location : Forest of Dean
Re: What are you harvesting today?
Padron peppers, they are being very well behaved producing a dozen peppers per week from three plants.
We had lettuce, tomatoes and spring onions to go with our wraps for lunch earlier, then garlic, onions and tomatoes for the pork tinga for dinner after the padron starter.
On Friday I picked some broccoli, not sure why it was ready now, but it went with some more of the sugar snap peas, new potatoes, garlic, onion and chilli into a kari sayur.
We had lettuce, tomatoes and spring onions to go with our wraps for lunch earlier, then garlic, onions and tomatoes for the pork tinga for dinner after the padron starter.
On Friday I picked some broccoli, not sure why it was ready now, but it went with some more of the sugar snap peas, new potatoes, garlic, onion and chilli into a kari sayur.
Chilli-head- Admin and Boss man
- Posts : 3305
Join date : 2010-02-23
Location : Bedfordshire
Re: What are you harvesting today?
Kari sayur night again. Broccoli, peas, potatoes, first dwarf French beans, chillies, onions, garlic. And some new courgettes - this one is from Seeds of Italy and is kind of fluted, so makes very pretty slices.
I had a whole row of pak choi germinated at the lotty before I want away for a few days, now no sign left at all. Pigeons, flea beetle, desiccation ??
I had a whole row of pak choi germinated at the lotty before I want away for a few days, now no sign left at all. Pigeons, flea beetle, desiccation ??
Chilli-head- Admin and Boss man
- Posts : 3305
Join date : 2010-02-23
Location : Bedfordshire
Re: What are you harvesting today?
I picked and cooked the first of this year's 'Courgettes which time forgot' today - more than enough for two of us, stuffed with various things. Must pick the rest before they get stupidly big!!
Dandelion- Admin
- Posts : 5416
Join date : 2010-01-17
Age : 67
Location : Ledbury, Herefordshire
Re: What are you harvesting today?
My figs have been very disappointing. The trouble is I don't really know what I should be doing with them in the polytunnel.
There was a brilliant fig specialist, Reads Nursery, that I asked for advice on the best variety for my situation. They recommended a green fig, Excel. Unfortunately the nursery disappeared about a year after I bought my plant from them. Last year it had 5 fruits and I managed to pick the last one when it was sweet.
This year it's had 53 fruits. Back in June some started going very soft and then brown so I took them off or they dropped off. I cut down the watering - it's in a 14" pot and I had been watering it every day. The fruit seemed to stay firmer with less water and I was hopeful. They turn quite yellow when they ripen but I don't know how yellow they should be. When ripe they droop. I picked them off at various stages before they got squishy but they were just dry and woolly. A fresh fig should be reasonably firm with a bit of give I think. They didn't seem to be juicy until they were very squashy and wrinkly and then they were just tasteless. We've had a lot of sun this year so I would have expected them to be sweet at some stage.
I'm fishing in the dark really, haven't got a clue.
There was a brilliant fig specialist, Reads Nursery, that I asked for advice on the best variety for my situation. They recommended a green fig, Excel. Unfortunately the nursery disappeared about a year after I bought my plant from them. Last year it had 5 fruits and I managed to pick the last one when it was sweet.
This year it's had 53 fruits. Back in June some started going very soft and then brown so I took them off or they dropped off. I cut down the watering - it's in a 14" pot and I had been watering it every day. The fruit seemed to stay firmer with less water and I was hopeful. They turn quite yellow when they ripen but I don't know how yellow they should be. When ripe they droop. I picked them off at various stages before they got squishy but they were just dry and woolly. A fresh fig should be reasonably firm with a bit of give I think. They didn't seem to be juicy until they were very squashy and wrinkly and then they were just tasteless. We've had a lot of sun this year so I would have expected them to be sweet at some stage.
I'm fishing in the dark really, haven't got a clue.
Ploshkin- Posts : 1779
Join date : 2013-07-18
Location : Mid Wales
Re: What are you harvesting today?
I know very little about figs - my aunt had a very healthy and productive fig tree in the garden at her home near to Cardiff, but my aunt is nearly 100 and I'm not sure she would remember any cultivating tips. I noticed last time we visited her that the tree had gone. Are you a member of the RHS? I joined for a while, and found their advice service very helpful. I'm sure they would know about figs.
Dandelion- Admin
- Posts : 5416
Join date : 2010-01-17
Age : 67
Location : Ledbury, Herefordshire
Re: What are you harvesting today?
At the moment I'm harvesting courgettes by the armful, and French beans which seemed to all ripen while we were away for a few days. I've tried making bean vinaigrette with some of them, which was tasty.
Dandelion- Admin
- Posts : 5416
Join date : 2010-01-17
Age : 67
Location : Ledbury, Herefordshire
Re: What are you harvesting today?
Funnily enough I have just spoken to my fig-growing aunt on the phone - it's my mother's 95th birthday today, and my aunt was ringing to say she had forgotten to buy her a birthday card! I asked her about the fig - she said that she carried it around with her in a smallish pot until the family moved into the house she lives in now (which she must have been in for about 58 years.) It was a self-sown seedling, and she described it as 'tough as old boots'. She didn't recall having problems with the fruit, but it was planted in the garden, so it must have been easier to regulate watering. The tree was finally blown clean out of the soil during a gale a few years ago, which is why I didn't see it when I visited.
Dandelion- Admin
- Posts : 5416
Join date : 2010-01-17
Age : 67
Location : Ledbury, Herefordshire
Re: What are you harvesting today?
My little fig tree has succumbed to the heat and not-enough-watering
I have picked a large jugful of small red gooseberries, green gooseberries, blueberries and raspberries. The raspberries are being bored into by wasps so I have to be careful when I pick!
Made summer pudding with last lot of mixed fruit, including blackcurrants.
I have picked a large jugful of small red gooseberries, green gooseberries, blueberries and raspberries. The raspberries are being bored into by wasps so I have to be careful when I pick!
Made summer pudding with last lot of mixed fruit, including blackcurrants.
FloBear- Posts : 868
Join date : 2015-02-10
Location : Forest of Dean
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