Home Grown - A Project by Carl

Rather partial to a radish, not that people seem to use them much in salads these days, which is a shame; much tastier than a bit of limp rocket or Chinese leaves.
 
how are your vegetable gardens doing?

Well I've run out of 8" pots for pepper seedlings but as with dev trays other things I've adapted like non magnetic sauce pans since we have a new induction hob o_O:rolleyes: later on we'll probably get a flood of shots of things ready to pick and eat (y)
 
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We've had the first spuds out, not a massive crop to be honest but very tasty. Lots of radish, I am amazed at how quickly they grow. Just waiting for the carrots, onions, peas, beans, garlic, beetroot, spring onions, strawberries and raspberries to grow. :D
 
Ah, forgot tomatoes and peppers......
 
strawberries

On tv those giant strawberries are called "Colossus" and the sweet cherry tomatoes at places like Sainsbury's are called Piccolo.....I just can't stop eating them dipped in salt and pepper, but must sacrifice one for the pips.... to sow. (y)
 
This is exceedingly clean for one that is apparently straight out of the ground...

Perhaps you grow clean veg down south (from me).
;)
They're grown in a special potting mixture, it is made from clouds and fairy dust and doesn't stick to the plants and discourages pests ;)
 
Well its all coming on rather nicely. Tomatoes, carrots, red and white onions and leeks are all doing well, the radish are growing quicker than we can eat them and apart from beet leaf miner on the beetroot no real pests.

Veg 1 by Andy, on Flickr
 
I’m just about picking broad beans that I planted on a whim rather later than advised last Autumn. They’re worth trying as they are happily over wintering. I did Spring onions at the same time (variety that overwinters) and they too are about ready.
 
Broad Bean “Aguadulce” sown 1st December, cropping now but can be sown Sept-Feb. I could put climbing beans in after, there’s still time ;)
Spring Onion “White Lisbon”, should have been sown in September but I sowed 1st December — they didn’t do much over the winter, just hung on as shoots but romped away in the spring.
 
Don't forget the parsley sauce with the broad beans, it's not the same without them, that and a nice bacon chop or gammon steak and some mashed potato. As I've said before, I used to sow broad beans in November and overwinter them as I thought it made the growth shoots tougher and less susceptible to blackfly. I think they were Aquadulce too. Last winter was quite a mild one, so no doubt your late sown beans will have caught up for the two or three weeks they missed in Nov. :)
 
Don't forget the parsley sauce with the broad beans, it's not the same without them, that and a nice bacon chop or gammon steak and some mashed potato. As I've said before, I used to sow broad beans in November and overwinter them as I thought it made the growth shoots tougher and less susceptible to blackfly. I think they were Aquadulce too. Last winter was quite a mild one, so no doubt your late sown beans will have caught up for the two or three weeks they missed in Nov. :)
Yes, I haven’t seen any blackfly on them, which is usually inevitable, though you can thwart them by pinching out the tops and cooking them (tops not blackfly).
Of course the proper way to eat tender new bacelli is simply to shell, peel and dip in freshly ground sale grosso (coarse sea salt).
 
That beetroot looks great.
 
Jan roasted it and had it with yesterday's roast.
 
Is that Kevin the carrot on the right, the one with the arms? ;)

Joking aside, don't forget to chew the pea pods (after washing them first of course), when they're freshly picked they're almost as nice tasting as the peas.
 
Haven't posted any photos for quite a while now. Tbh I think doing the project solely on film is making it quite difficult as I can't just take and post one or two photos as things develop (accidental pun, but I'm leaving it in as it's hilarious). If no one has any objections to me posting digital photos in here, then I might post some digital photos more frequently and then every few weeks post up a selection of film shots that I've taken.

Slow progress in the veg patch so far. The tomatoes, peas, corn and chillies haven't made much progress at all, and are about half the size they were this time last year. Mind you, this Junes weather couldn't really have been any more different than last year! The squash, carrots, parsnip, cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, potatoes and strawberries are looking great though.

The chickens are doing really well too. Last week we had our 300th egg from them! They average 6.2 eggs per week each, and two weeks ago we had a perfect week where the three hens laid 21 eggs between them, so one egg each every single day. They are a lot happier now and will run up to the fence when you walk through the garden. They still don't like to be touched or picked up, but will happily stand at your feet pecking your shoes. Their combs aren't floppy now and the skin on their face has gone from pale white to a nice deep red.

Well the beetroots survived the leaf miner.

Glad yours did Andy! I lost about 70% of the leaves from my beetroot to the bloody leaf miners, as well as a lot of my spinach and most of my swiss chard. Thankfully the beetroot seems to have made a comeback now though. My own fault for not paying close enough attention until it was too late. Still, the chickens love spinach and bugs, so they snaffled all the manky leaves up pretty sharpish :D

Beetroot looks great Andy, the only beetroot I've ever tried has been sliced and pickled in a jar, so I'm looking forward to trying them roasted.

don't forget to chew the pea pods (after washing them first of course), when they're freshly picked they're almost as nice tasting as the peas.

I did not know this!!
 
I did not know this!!

Picker's perks! You have to spit them out after a few munches as the flavour goes and they're too stringy to eat, but a few bites give a nice bit of fresh pea flavour while the pods are still young and tender. They're not nice when they get leathery and past their young and tender stage though!
 
Great news about the chickens @Carl Hall. I'm looking forward to trying one of their eggs next time we see you! :D

The leaf miners ruined loads of our beetroot leaves but they've all recovered well. Shame about your spinach and chard, although at least the chickens thoroughly enjoyed the remains!
 
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Actually its ok, I sliced him up and popped him and his little mate in a stew. :D
 
Actually its ok, I sliced him up and popped him and his little mate in a stew. :D
You mean they tasted OK, but what if there are delayed side effects to come ...................................... :eek:
 
You mean they tasted OK, but what if there are delayed side effects to come ...................................... :eek:

Pitiful human, you are no match for the Mutant Carrot Creatures...... I mean, Im sure it will be fine....
 
What about the bear rooting new lords?
 
well just AAMOI about peppers:- My greenhouse ones were successful but many didn't turn completly red (like you see in the shops) but sorta red to dark brown. The ones out of the greenhouse did well but stayed green, but many had a neat hole in them and inside were anything from slugs, earwigs and woodlice and stayed small :eek:
Did initially think of the garden comp by taking a close up of inside a pepper with a curled up slug....erm well you have to agree no one has taken a shot like that before o_O:D
 
Apple vodka and apple rakia (left over from Bosnia 3 years ago) plus a bottle from last weekend's sloe gin run. :D

Liqueuers.s.jpg

Wilkinsons have these 'sanctuary' jars* at £3.50 each, although I'd recommend the ones with the glass lids instead, since they will likely seal while these drip a little if held upside down because the ceramic cap is uneven.

*I want to call then canopic jars. o_O:puke:
 
well just AAMOI about peppers:- My greenhouse ones were successful but many didn't turn completly red (like you see in the shops) but sorta red to dark brown. The ones out of the greenhouse did well but stayed green, but many had a neat hole in them and inside were anything from slugs, earwigs and woodlice and stayed small :eek:
Did initially think of the garden comp by taking a close up of inside a pepper with a curled up slug....erm well you have to agree no one has taken a shot like that before o_O:D

The green one was outside and the other two in the greenhouse (different varieties)..although they are a funny colour I think if left growing longer they would have eventually turned red, also IMO it's not worth growing outside unless you use chemicals as about 40% of peppers were ruined by slugs etc and some just rotted away.
kqA2LZO.jpg
 
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Thought I'd kick the New Year off with this one, some cuttings of pinks (Dianthus) I took that seem to have taken OK. Should put on a nice show in the next couple of years. Canon A1, 50mm f/1.4 on Kodak Gold 200.

So come on you lot, get going with the growing!

 
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Well my tomatoes ended up with the dreaded rot in later summer\Autumn, but still had enough over the season to put in the freezer and still have a few left. I would like to start my tomatoes indoors early in late January but the net says wait till March. Same thinking in when to start peppers.
 
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I would like to start my tomatoes indoors early in late January but the net says wait till March. Same thinking in when to start peppers.
Think you will struggle keeping healthy seedlings going if you sow that early. You're liable to end up with"leggy" and weak plants before they can go outside. Back of the seed packet sowing recommendations are usually good.
 
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