The Dogmother Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 That's interesting... my blueberry has never looked happy in its pot and I was thinking of transferring it to the garden or a bigger pot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJChick Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 Hi I think Blueberries need to be in Ericaceous compost in a big pot. Today I picked a sweetcorn from the polytunnel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 My blueberries are in a large pot, in ericaceous compost but the haven't been happy this year either. We're on to sweetcorn now as well - I didn't think it was going to do well but the recent rain has helped and we're picking about 6 cobs a day - we eat two and I freeze four. Beetroot is ready now - I was a bit late sowing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 How do you freeze your corn Lesley? Do you do it on the cob, if so how long do you blanch it for? With being away most of the next couple of weeks, we need to freeze some I think, and our plums which are just ripening Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 How do you freeze your corn Lesley? Do you do it on the cob, if so how long do you blanch it for? With being away most of the next couple of weeks, we need to freeze some I think, and our plums which are just ripening I cook whole cobs almost completely and then wrap and freeze. This year though I'm cooking the whole cobs, stripping the kernels off with a sharp knife and freezing in a layer in a large freezer bag on a tray - next morning I bash all the frozen kernals to separate them and put them into individual bags or containers. I've got an old freezer book from years ago when freezers were used more for freezing home-cooked and home-produced food rather than for freezing ready bought stuff - it has the blanching times for all vegetables in and has come in really handy. It also says you can freeze courgettes - I'm going to give them a go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 I have frozen roasted courgettes. We have frozen whole cobs eaten loads and brought quite a few with us, they would have gone over by the time we got home, we will lose a few tomatoes, but have told quite a few people to help themselves. When we came back yesterday for GCSE results we had to pick most of our plums, so we have brought some away with us for family and spent yesterday morning stoning and freezing the rest. Because we were coming back away with an empty car we have brought loads of fruit an veg away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 I always take excesses on holiday with me - I take the jam pan and jars and sugar and make jam It's lovely to have the time to really enjoy it. We were soaked by the time we'd picked today's offerings......more courgettes/marrows, beans, sweetcorn, damsons, pears, carrots, tomatoes. The rain has affected a lot of the potatoes and some of them won't be suitable for keeping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 I started pulling up some potatoes, but it looks like they are scabbed Loads of runner beans as have been at work all week and getting home too late to pick. Courgettes and a few carrots. More tomatoes and the first few handfuls of autumn raspberries. Where did summer go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 More runner beans, cherry toms and some sweet peas and Gladiolli Oh, and the boys picked an apple off the tree on the patio (truly scrumptious) - they do this each day now till they are all gone Yesterday found a HUGE crop of blackberries - all large and just ripe, so picked lots and made 12 jars of jam and will turn the rest into blackberry and apple for crumbles etc Keeping an eye on the Sloes - some are ready on the good bush that I know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted August 28, 2010 Share Posted August 28, 2010 At last runner beans - still not climbing like they should apart from 2 plants - which the slugs and snails are munching. Lazy Housewife has now kicked in and we had an armful of beans with lots still to come. I'll be able to freeze a fair few. And I have one diddy butternut squash - about the size of a tennis ball. Oh well. Toms are doing well - in spite of the weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted August 28, 2010 Share Posted August 28, 2010 We picked the first blackberries today - they seem to be later than everyone elses. Also....... Runner and french beans tomatoes aubergines chillies peppers potatoes courgettes peas sweetcorn damsons pears carrots beetroot ......and two Tom Putt apples......they're cider apples.....I don't think we'll be making much cider The butternuts are growing well and the pumpkin is even bigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted August 28, 2010 Share Posted August 28, 2010 OK I'm going to cry now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted August 29, 2010 Share Posted August 29, 2010 I've picked sloes and elderberries every day for the past three days. Latest pickings being washed as we speak. Have to say some are really ripe and others are green, so there might be pickings for a long time this year. Sloes are going in the freezer and elderberries being made into cordial, 2.5 litres so far with a huge bag of berries picked this morning. Also found some damson type fruits and apples, all foraged. Today I also picked a 10 litre black plastic plant pot off the side of the road, just what I need for my new mint plant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted August 29, 2010 Share Posted August 29, 2010 oooh, a wild plant pot I foraged 2 rosemary plants from the side of the bin yesterday there was a plant stall in town and these must have been what didnt sell - looked abandoned - so I un- abandoned them cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted August 29, 2010 Share Posted August 29, 2010 I am really annoyed. I visited a plant stall yesterday and bought two rosemary plants. I put them down for 2 seconds whilst I answered one of those annoying survey people and when I turned round, the plants were gone. Dug up my potatoes - quite disappointed by the amount, although they look ok. More runner beans, definitely the last of the blueberries and a handful of raspberries. The sweetcorn is not far off being ready Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted August 29, 2010 Share Posted August 29, 2010 I am really annoyed. I visited a plant stall yesterday and bought two rosemary plants. I put them down for 2 seconds whilst I answered one of those annoying survey people and when I turned round, the plants were gone. it wasnt me - honest cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted August 29, 2010 Share Posted August 29, 2010 Good one Christian. Oh Cathy - you bad girl! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted August 29, 2010 Share Posted August 29, 2010 but im not Ive got a poo to the person that stole Christians Rosemary cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krysia Posted August 29, 2010 Share Posted August 29, 2010 Runner beans courgettes the 1st aubergines!! (I had flowers last yr but no fruit!) peas mange Tout Tomatoes (plum and tumbing) Broad beans! All eaten for dinner with roast lamb! yum yum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted August 30, 2010 Author Share Posted August 30, 2010 Lucky you with the Aubergines - this is my third (& last) year of failure at growing them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 I have decided that they are pretty so will carry on growing them - even if they don't fruit which won't be too much of a problem because only I eat them! Blueberries from the Dorset Blueberry Co stall at the farmers market up the road. I'm not sure whether ours are ready yet - how do you know when they are? The plants also came from the DBC earlier on this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 I didn't get any blueberries - hope you feel better now Yesterday, we picked half the hops - they're drying now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 I have picked all my blueberries now. Several punnets and am quite chuffed with the amount I got this year. The netting to keep the birds off worked a treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 In spite of covering with nets, 2 didn't really do much, but the small pots had loads - one plant has lost all of the berries. I think it's the mouse. I mentioned it to OH and he said that he'd already tried a couple and they aren't ready yet! Well he kept that quiet didn't he?!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 We picked loads of courgettes and raspberries when we got back from our holiday yesterday and we still have some lovely ripe plums on our tree. We also picked some cox's apples and my big red cooking apples which I have not managed to identify, it was a tree from Lidl that was meant to be a Bramley, we have had it for 4 years now, it is a cooker, but quite dry and dark dusty red. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...