Grow Your Own

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@November you could always try growing mint. It takes over anywhere it is planted, so I would consider it invasive, but if you have an isolated spot where nothing else grows, it may be what you want.

@nightshade a lot of the nutritional value of the tomato is in the seeds. They concentrate zinc from the soil and most places (and diets) are deficient in zinc. We have beefsteak, roma and vine-ripened tomatoes regularly available and for ketchup, I would recommend vine-ripened as they keep the flavour and the seeds are not as obtrusive.
 
Ethan Reigns said:
@nightshade a lot of the nutritional value of the tomato is in the seeds. They concentrate zinc from the soil and most places (and diets) are deficient in zinc. We have beefsteak, roma and vine-ripened tomatoes regularly available and for ketchup, I would recommend vine-ripened as they keep the flavour and the seeds are not as obtrusive.
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I'm probably going to grow a variety of plum tomatoes, maybe Bellendine.

@TamsinValencia mine was £25 joining fee, and £14 yearly. I have half a plot, and it's priced on size of plot, but that's good value to me
 
TamsinValencia
TamsinValencia
Can you visit it 24/7?
Because we don't have any electricity set up there, it's only open dawn til dusk, but other sites might be open longer if they have more resources (no toilet there either) There's a communal shed with petrol mowers that we can use though
 
Ethan Reigns said:
@November you could always try growing mint. It takes over anywhere it is planted, so I would consider it invasive, but if you have an isolated spot where nothing else grows, it may be what you want.
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I think we have had the mint discussion before 🙂 it took a few years but I finally have it growing well! It has not started taking over yet but I will be glad when it does. I do have about a dozen seperate plants of it, so maybe in 10 years my garden will be completely mint! Haha. I use it a lot in my drinks.

I have some photos, but they are boring really. So wont post many.
Rosemary
Lemonbalm in my makeshift aquaponics lol

Spring onions

Pumpkin

Dogs
 
Took the plunge and ordered some seedling plugs, aubergine jackpot, tomatoes bellandine, kale candy crush, and strawberries. Mostly chosen for being on offer! Won't arrive until April/May, but with the seeds I have already that should give me a good mix this year.
 
My peaches are really big but very hard so not ready yet. I had a nashi from the tree the other morning. Was yum, so sweet, but not quite ripe. They could be picked now. Not as many apples, pears or nashies this year because I put all the effort into the new frame, so they got haphazardly clipped back at the wrong time of year, no fertilizer and limited water. They'll get better care for next year and new nets so the birds dont pinch any.

Grapes are all done, what I couldn't get off the vine are sun ripe raisins now lol. Blueberries are all done, wondering if I start a cutting over winter from the new one, but I failed at growing from a cutting last year so might not be worth it. I need some better soil and the compost isnt ready yet. If i have to buy new soil I might as well buy new plants while I am there...
 
I had to get the peaches off the tree today, bugs had gotten into half a dozen of them. The rest are picked and will hopefully ripen up in the bowl? Its the first year I have had any fruit off this tree.



Had another Nashi pear for breakfast and once again, absolutely delicious. They taste like honey in a juicey fruit! Took a couple apple and limes off too. It's been the worst year for fruit since I have been here. I regret spending so much on the frame, it was not worth the money or the loss in fruit.
 
Finally got back to the allotment today. The blueberry plants have a few buds on them so that's good, gave them a water. Cleared a bunch of leaves and weeds, lots more to do there. Dug up a few parsnips and leeks and will make soup later.
Hoping that the good weather lasts and I can drive up with the greenhouse and get that put up this week ready to start off some seeds soon
 
They were really yummy! I thought not ripe when picked, but after a day in a hot kitchen, some are definitely ready to eat. The skin is much thinner than store bought, and this breed is a yellow/white type inside, quite nice, very juicy! Comes off the seed easily. That tree has doubled in size since last year, so I hope that means double peaches next year!

I will try and get some over to the neighbour today and my bible teacher is coming this morning so I will give her some too. Far too many for me to eat when they are all pretty much ready now.

Ordered that multicooker/dehydrator machine so it should be here in time for the pears. It will be interesting to see how if I can do poached pears in it and see how they dehydrate, I've never used a dehydrator before.

Still hacking away at the trees along the back fence. I was whinging to mum about it and she offered to hire a gardener for me, she said this garden is far too big to expect one person to cope with it all. I said hiring a gardener is way harder for me than just chipping away at the plants myself haha. At least I dont have to be socially acceptable while I am swearing at the bushes.
 
I ate the last peach today 🙁 all done for the year now. Pears are next. I am getting a couple of nashis and apples but not nearly the bounty of previous years. They need some good fertilizer and soil top up, most people use pig poo but I think it will be over my budget. Bunny poo may have to do!

Found a dead rat out the back today and walked into a huge, strong, spiderweb on the way to get the shovel. Gardening can be annoying. There is a lot of stick and leaf mess that I need to clean up, I need to decide if I lug it out to the compost pile or chop it small when it is. Both are hard work. I need ryobi to sell a tiny battery powered wood chipper.
 
Pears are an underrated fruit, I think. Absolutely delightful, especially fresh! I hope your harvest is bountiful and delicious!
 
November
November
Thanks :) pears are shaping up to be the biggest load of fruit for the year.
Went up to the allotment today, the greenhouse I put up a few days ago had blown over, but I expected that as I hadn't put the patio slabs down yet to weigh it down. Done that now, and put tubs of strawberries in, wanted them in pots rather than in the ground as they do spread everywhere. Planning on going back up tomorrow to mostly tidy up.

If anyone is interested in pictures of the allotment, it's all on a separate Instagram here
 
Back up this morning, and got most of the strimming done until the battery died. Did some other tidying and had a chat to another new allotmenteer. Lots of us up there today making the most of the sunny weather, might try to get back there later today once the battery has recharged as it might be the only day I can this week.
 
Went to bunnings today. I was looking for some older seedlings on the budget rack, but they didnt have much to choose from. I probably could have got away with zucchini seedlings this late, but in the end I just got some Kale to baby along until winter. I would have liked to get more but there wasnt a very big range or choice and the section was super busy and hard to navigate with the trolly and puppy. They had a lot of herbs, but veg wise, the choice was poor and really the wrong time of year for anything. There is still 3 months of very hot weather to go, but the last will be super humid so anything fruiting then will rot anyway.

I am not sure if I want to do beans this year, broad beans are easier and nicer for snacks and I already have seeds from last year.

I got some strawberry seeds because all but one of mine were fried to death over summer. I am going to put them in the big terracotta pot near the front door again, they like it there!
 
Managed to get back up and finish the strimming on Friday, so that's done for now. I get paid next week, so next Sunday I plan to buy some compost to start some more seeds off. I want to stagger my lettuces so they're not all ready at the same time.
 
Anyone got any advice about fruit trees in pots? We're allowed to grow fruit trees, but I'm thinking more about having one in a pot so that if I decide in a few years to get a larger plot I can take it with me.
Fig or plum perhaps rather than apple or pear.
 
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