sjp Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Toms don't need light to ripen but there don't half taste better if they get it. most shop brought toms are picked when still green The 2 reasons of removing leaves are 1:-increase air flow to lower the humidity this rejoices the chance of blight 2:- tricks the plant into thinking it dying so puts all its effort into making seed. which in turn ripens the fruit. removing the growing tip is done for the same reason. also stop feeding just keep them watered Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 2Kg of green tomatoes. They are now Chutney and it looks and smells absolutely wonderful. The best I've ever made, I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlecrow Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I have just had an evening meal with carrotts cabbage and potatoes from the garden, my first years veg .. i didn't prepair the ground just dug it over ( nothing grown in there for 10 + years ) planted, carrott, cabbage, courgette, squash, potatoe, onions and everything came up not much admitadly but its a start, i'm very proud of myself, i still have leak, more onions and corn in pots on the patio.. oh yes and peppers. going to get a greenhouse in the winter ready for next year and dig out the veg beds properly so who knows what i'll get next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy chickens! Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Weeds They love this weather! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 Decided to pick the bramleys as the wasps are nearby eating the plums. Just stewed 2 great big pans of apples and have frozen them. Still got a couple of buckets to peel(urgh) Picked a few victoria plums and they are so sweet! indie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 Yesterday I picked another large bowlfull of Runner Beans, six heads of Broccoli and four small Cauliflowers. the Broccoli and Cauliflower were crawling with bugs and beasties even after being washed several times so the Chickens had a feast. The last of the lettuces came out too. The greenhouse tomatoes are finally colouring up so picked 6 yellow, 3 red and 3 orange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 Apart from the tomatoes, carrots, beans and 2 more sacks of potatoes - Rooster this time - I harvested my coriander seed. It was a plant left from last year which I left to grow. It grew in the polytunnel to over 6' - flowered in Spring and made lots of seed. I ground some down and the aroma was really something! - it will go well with all the carrots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 Not today, but over the weekend - sweetcorn, 4 large cobs. Picked and cooked within 10 minutes of picking. Oh my goodness! What an unbelievable sensation that is!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter S Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 A couple of pounds of runner beans, a few little gem lettuces, some beetroot, a few turnips, some more green and yellow courgettes, and loads of rhubarb chard. Calabrese all bolted, so have cut off the heads in the hope that smaller florets may grow. Still picking strawberries and cherry tomatoes (none of which makes it off the allotment ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Did a veg box for a friend of ours who looked after the chickens and the greenhouse whilst we were away. It had new potatoes, beetroot, carrots, sweetcorn, courgettes and raspberries in it. We also lifted 4 rows of our maincrop potatoes, a pretty good crop this year and very clean, very few slug holes and no splitting, last year all of our Picasso variety were very deeply split. There is a bit of blight mainly on the Desiree, but we still have the Sarpo which is blight resitant to harvest they are still growing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chooklady Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Some tomatoes, chillies, a cucumber, french beans and runner beans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperman Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 Sweetcorn, Curly Kale, Parsnips, Carrots, Broad Beans, Runner Beans, Cherokee 'trail of tears' Beans, Savoy Cabbage, Red Beetroot, White Beetroot, Kohl Rabi, Tomatoes, Green Peppers and last but not least Strawberries. Just scoffed the corn, lush. Saved a couple of dodgy looking ones for the chooks. So tonight we are having vegetable soup, followed by a stir fry and tomorrow we are having beef with six veg. We might just achieve our 'five a day' today, and tomorrow Aren't allotments brilliant. Kev. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 carrier bag full of sweetcorn guess who's going to be blanching after tea 2 punnets of toms this morning any body know the best way to dry sweet corn on the cob leaving them on the allotment is a none starter due to rats 4 and 2 legged types Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 We've come home from the lottie today with runner beans tomatoes a cabbage for the girls as usual a crate of carrots for storage 2 crates of apples for storage a bag of windfall apples to bottle or dry beetroot greengages blackberries 3 red peppers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 Runner beans and yet more plums My corn is not ready yet but is starting to look good, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 More pears! more plums! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compostwoman Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 More pears! More plums! More damsons! More courgettes! More beans! More toms! I spent 5 hours this morning freezing, dehydrating etc and I can see I am going to spend all day tomorrow prepping stuff to freeze, bottle, jam, chutney or dehydrate.... it all seems to have come at once this year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 So, your kitchen looks like Harvest Festival at Church as well then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compostwoman Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 So, your kitchen looks like Harvest Festival at Church as well then Oh yes ...photos going up on blog when I get a moment... must go and freeze more plums, blanch courgettes and load up drier with more toms..... need tea I think! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaireG Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Just got back from my parents with a load of beans, toms and pears A fair exchange for hal;f a dozen eggs i think! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 An enormous tub trug full of apples - thanks to Laurmurf and her girls for helping! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compostwoman Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Why did we move to a smallholding, again? someone remind me I have SO MUCH stuff stacked up here it is not true and I now am a day behind because I took a day ( well an afternnon and evening) off yesterday to have some fun.... Arrrhgghhhh! Have finished with plums and pears, now continuing tomato and courgette glut and commencing Apple harvest...fortunately they get stored or rapidly turned into bottles of apple juice or potential cider..... Am a bit sick of doing all this , now...killing, plucking and dressing a chicken made a pleasant change...( what does that say about my life? I am SO sad I think.... ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Why did we move to a smallholding, again? someone remind me I thought that was me speaking for a minute We also took time off this weekend and will be paying for it now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compostwoman Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Why did we move to a smallholding, again? someone remind me I thought that was me speaking for a minute We also took time off this weekend and will be paying for it now Have you caught up with yourself yet? BUT...I got up this morning and listened to...silence! ( well, apart from bird song) and ate a home made ( bread, butter, ) Home grown ( eggs, jam) breakfast.... and collected eggs and have made a batch of chutney and some soap.... Now sitting down with a coffee, sorting out my work load for the next half term ( teaching children and adults and helping them to a more sustainable way of life.....) and remembering just why I am here..... Bet you feel the same really Lesley ooh a bit philosophical for a Monday morning......I need to go to the chat area I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Runner beans, last yellow courgette and some tomatoes. I fear that there will be a lot of green ones this year. Two days ago I picked the last of the hedgerow blackberries (there are loads to come but I think the weather will put an end to any more ripening) AND now I have two gallons of blackberry wine fizzing and bubbling in a bucket. The place smells like a winery It's a blackberry juice only recipe (NO added water) and I have had to pick 15 kilos of berries Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
