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The Vegetable Patch

Discussion in 'General Chat' started by Keefly Bantam, Dec 15, 2018.

  1. Allotment Bantam

    Allotment Bantam Squad Player
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    Bit behind this year, mainly due to cold weather earlier on, plus a bit busy with other things.
    The garlic and shallots are looking good this year. Have had a reasonable harvest of asparagus and purple sprouting broccoli.
    The potatoes are all coming through.
    I also have field beans doing well, much easier and better yielding than standard broad beans.
    As usual I have been too enthusiastic on the tomato, chilli and pepper front. Far too many plants.
    I am growing 2 varieties for seed for the Heritage Seed Library this year. A climbing French bean called John's Bean, and a pea called Pilot. They are both planted out now.
    All very busy both at the allotment and in the greenhouse.
     
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  2. bantam65

    bantam65 Important Player
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    Quick question folks....
    I have an aphid problem on a couple of honeysuckles.
    Is a washing up liquid/water mix sprayed over as good as shop bought chemical treatments to get rid of tge blighters?
     
  3. SelbyFan

    SelbyFan Impact Sub

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    That's what I would use. I don't do chemicals, weak soap spray works for me.
     
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  4. Clity

    Clity Fringe Player

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    Not a quick fix but if its just one or two specific plants its a sign there is too much nitrogen in that spot. I could be wrong because I picked it up off a permaculture youtuber but his logic makes sense. Does the dog pee there or has there been a compost heap there in the past?
     
  5. Allotment Bantam

    Allotment Bantam Squad Player
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    After a two year gap it was the West Yorkshire Organic Group's annual show today, where everything is judged on taste rather than appearance.
    I managed to get a 1st prize for my Sioux lettuce, a second prize for a Kalibos red cabbage. A third prize for cavolo nero and also my pickled cucumber with dill. Three highly commendeds for a red pepper, garlic and Swedish rye and caraway bread.
    First year my jam hasn't won anything. Must do better with that!
     
    #165 Allotment Bantam, Sep 10, 2022
    Last edited: Sep 10, 2022
  6. River_City_Bantam

    River_City_Bantam Squad Player
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    Pear harvest just about completed here, so just parsnips to go. It's been a year of mixed success -- most berries, pears, lettuce, rhubarb, welsh onions, and herbs were excellent, beans, chives, and onions good, strawberries and carrots meh, and radishes a dead loss.

    Bought-in peaches were excellent too; I now have several large jars of spiced peaches waiting to liven up winter meals.

    Now I have to start processing the pears, but as always there are far too many; the compost heap will get a lot. Orchard (pear+plum+apple) jam, my own brown sauce, spiced pears, and dried pears. Oh, and poached pears for desserts. And then I'll be happy not to see another pear until next September!

    RCB
     
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  7. Allotment Bantam

    Allotment Bantam Squad Player
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    It's a while since I posted on this thread but I feel the need to show off.
    I decided to give the Grimsby match a miss as I was entering stuff at the West Yorkshire Organic Show where the judging is based on taste not looks.
    I entered stuff in the veg, fruit and homemade sections. I didn't give myself much of a chance, there were lots of really good looking entries. Much to my astonishment I got 5 first prizes, 4 second prizes and 6 third prizes plus a highly commended. I also won the trophy for the best bread exhibit and the best in show, again for the bread. The other first prizes were for beetroot, cake, squash and leaf beet. I don't think I will ever top these results.
     
  8. RCarol

    RCarol Squad Player
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    That’s fantastic! Congratulations and well done.
     
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  9. Bronco

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    I'm sure if you can almost get a clean sweep managing Bradford City should be a doddle, well done Anne.
     
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  10. Allotment Bantam

    Allotment Bantam Squad Player
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    Thank you! I entered 28 different things and had some success with 16 of them. I didn't enter every class. There were entries from 109 people, with quite a few entering a lot. I never thought I would win best in show. I've never done anywhere near this well before.
     
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  11. Allotment Bantam

    Allotment Bantam Squad Player
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    Thank you!
     
  12. Bronco

    Bronco Star Player
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    You can take from the comments on here with regards yesterdays game you missed nowt, first half was very much on a par with Morecambe.
     
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  13. River_City_Bantam

    River_City_Bantam Squad Player
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    If farming (as it were...) were football form:

    Runaway champions, never out of the auto slots: raspberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants, Welsh onions

    Steady playoff side: various herbs

    Slow-starting but eventual playoff sides: French beans and lettuces (rabbits a problem until thwarted)

    Somewhat disappointing mid-table: onions (many remained too small -- pearl rather than regular)

    Lower end of the table: carrots (not many sprouted, for whatever reason)

    Worrying close to having to apply for re-election: strawberries, wild strawberries (but fence-building hurt the patches)

    Bottom of the table, but won re-election: pears (frost at blossom time killed off most blossoms, might not get any pears)

    Bottom of the table, failed re-election: radishes (dozens sprouted, only 4 developed bulbs)

    Blueberries still in non-league, as plants need more time to develop. A few berries appeared this year; the robins ate them all.

    For this year's novelty, sowed some Sugar Baby watermelons. Sprouted nicely, have produced many melons. But, and here's a rather big but, how to tell when your melon is ripe? Picked one the other day that met most of the generally-accepted criteria: right size, right weight, sounded hollow when thumped, dull dark green rind, tendril nearest the melon mostly dried-up and brown. Did not have a yellow patch at the place where the rind rested on the ground, but if the melon has been moved it might not develop this patch. Anyways, brought it in, cut it open at table for dessert . . . and found it almost all white inside, with only hints of red. Good only for the compost heap!

    Plenty more melons on the vines; hopefully they'll still ripen now that autumn is on its way...

    My jam & jelly cupboard full to overflowing; last additions (save for some Mamade) were spiced peaches, using bought-in fruit. It was an amazing year for berries: some 26 qts of raspberries, and 22 of blackcurrants. I shall be making a lot of my own Ribena over the coming months.

    RCB
     
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  14. River_City_Bantam

    River_City_Bantam Squad Player
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    Well done indeed!

    Would one of the trophies be the Golden Beet?

    RCB
     
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  15. Wakefield Bantam

    Wakefield Bantam Squad Player

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    Been given a bag full of French Beans and a bag full of Runner Beans from someone with an allotment. Any suggestions as to what to do with them? Will they freeze?
     
  16. Hugh Jarse

    Hugh Jarse Squad Player
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    I 'think' they should freeze ok if you par-boil them first. Maybe check with someone who knows a bit more than me first though
     
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  17. River_City_Bantam

    River_City_Bantam Squad Player
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    Would have replied in time to be helpful but I haven't looked in for a few days...Sorry!

    Yes, French and runner beans will freeze well -- I have a nice bagful of French in the freezer now.

    Wash them, top & tail them, then parboil for 2 minutes, either whole (French) or cut into suitable pieces (French / runner). After parboiling cool them -- I put them in ice water for 30 seconds or so -- spread them out on a towel to dry a bit, and then pack up and freeze. Will keep well for many months.

    If you want to get adventurous then there are various recipes for pickling/canning beans, but I just stick to freezing them.

    RCB
     
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  18. Allotment Bantam

    Allotment Bantam Squad Player
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    Very good advice.
     
  19. River_City_Bantam

    River_City_Bantam Squad Player
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    Ta, and I in turn should credit my source: Denys de Saulles' 'Home Grown' (London: MacMillan 1988). It really is an excellent source of info for all the stages of growing and preserving your own fruits & vegetables.

    RCB
     
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