Polytunnel

[Clint]

Mine started as a twig my old man gave me when I first put the tunnel up a few years ago. I thought it had died but decided to wake up. It had loads of bunches on,10+ ,which for the size was quite good. I need to read up about grapes!
My dad grew some outside just along a fence and they were marvelous, both green and black. Not bad for North Wales!

 

[foxy]

Mine started as a twig my old man gave me when I first put the tunnel up a few years ago. I thought it had died but decided to wake up. It had loads of bunches on,10+ ,which for the size was quite good. I need to read up about grapes!
My dad grew some outside just along a fence and they were marvelous, both green and black. Not bad for North Wales!

I used to grow bananas, they only fruit once then, a sucker takes over. I read of a woman in the south of England who grew a banana plant and it fruited twice. I suppose with global warming there will be quite a few changes in the species that will grow in the UK.

 

[SMP Brewery]

Had a tour around Chatsworth recently and supposedly virtual all bananas that are eaten today are descended from theirs. Not sure if that was fact, fiction or a bit of poetic license.

 

[foxy]

Had a tour around Chatsworth recently and supposedly virtual all bananas that are eaten today are descended from theirs. Not sure if that was fact, fiction or a bit of poetic license.

Cavendish bananas were first grown at Chatsworth hence the name. And they are the most popular banana.

 

[Rodcx500z]

Bananas originate from Malaysia, the first bananas imported to the UK was in 1888 by Thomas Fyffe and are cavendish

 

[foxy]

Bananas originate from Malaysia, the first bananas imported to the UK was in 1888 by Thomas Fyffe and are cavendish

And the first man to weigh the earth was a Cavendish, Henry.

 

[SMP Brewery]

Who invented yheb

And the first man to weigh the earth was a Cavendish, Henry.

who invented the scales

 

[Clint]

Most mangoes in the shops are of the variety Tommy Atkins.
Wonder why they're named that?

 

[foxy]

Most mangoes in the shops are of the variety Tommy Atkins.
Wonder why they're named that?

I have no idea about Tommy Atkins, Kensington Pride is an Australian favourite. The mandarins I grow are Honey Murcott, I would imagine Murcott being the man, or woman who first cultivated it.

 

[foxy]

Some hard yakka today in the back paddock, neglected the garden a bit over Christmas 4 hours pinching out and tidying up the tomatoes. Who else doesn't pinch out growth tips on their tomatoes? I always do this time I am leaving some to see what happens. Hoping for a good crop of pumpkins, getting too many zucchini but they are great stuffed when they get oversized.

 

[MashBag]

Who else doesn't pinch out growth tips on their tomatoes?

Me (but that shouldn't surprise you )

Only plant 2 varieties.
We plant a bush variety makes about 2 foot and just keeping putting up fruit.

The also grow a vine Tom, that can be a bit of a ****. But produces marvellous fruit, about the size of a golf ball. Makes superb sun dried tomatoes.

 

[foxy]

Me (but that shouldn't surprise you )

Only plant 2 varieties.
We plant a bush variety makes about 2 foot and just keeping putting up fruit.

The also grow a vine Tom, that can be a bit of a ****. But produces marvellous fruit, about the size of a golf ball. Makes superb sun dried tomatoes.

I have 4 varieties, 3 are indeterminate and one is determinate I am letting a few side shoots go this year see what happens. I have far to many, 83 plants but what we don't eat will go into Pasata.

 

[MashBag]

83 I thought I got a metric **** load from 24!. They did eating, 100+ jpassata and 25+ jars of sundried.

 

[foxy]

83 I thought I got a metric **** load from 24!. They did eating, 100+ jpassata and 25+ jars of sundried.

How big are the jars? I have 8 mouths to feed including mine. I have enough land and enjoy the challenge of gardening. More so than brewing, stuff up in the garden and it's a year to wait to make amends. I probably give more away than we eat.

 

[MashBag]

Ditto. We too probably give more produce away than we eat. But we do eat fresh, real food.

I enjoy the veg & meat gardening

Prefer winemaking to brewing. Same reason.. Stuff up a ton of fresh grapes and it's a year to wait to make amends.

 

[foxy]

What a difference 20 days make.
Getting regular picking of the first tomatoes and cucumbers producing nicely. Growing 4 tomato plants laterally I just wonder how far I can get them to grow.

 

[MashBag]

Well it's chilli sprouting time here in the UK.
Next week I will steal an inkbird from the cellar and get them started.

 

[DuncR]

Well it's chilli sprouting time here in the UK.
Next week I will steal an inkbird from the cellar and get them started.

Thanks for the reminder

 

[foxy]

Lateral tomatoes going along just fine. My hydro toms took a hammering from rats! Found the run eventually, despite announcing vengeance and complete annihilation I have let them be. Obvious they were only after water, put some corn in traps which were totally ignored.

 

[MashBag]

Blimey that is a hammering.

Doing just 2 Tom varieties this year. Campari for sun dried and Russians for everything else, as they are such a good performer. Probably on 5/6th gen seeds now. Brilliant.