Never suffered with that problem thankfully, but will certainly be aware next time. I have heard that sap in combination with hot weather makes it worse - something to do with your skin being more sensitive or open pores or something, but that may be rubbish! When I worked on a nursery thousands of ...

Just got another KG off to press! What's this about taking tomatoes off the plant to ripen? That way lies madness! :lol: They'll ripen when they ripen, although like most I do take them off as the weather worsens in the autumn and grey mould and blight are rife. I have been known to hang a few banan...

Yes foxgloves are biennials or short-lived perennials best treated as biennials. In other words they grow one year, flower the next. Had a lovely show of white ones this year and hope to save seeds, but also want to try 'Suttons Apricot' which is lovely for a dark corner under trees and shrubs.

Good idea Johnboy, thank you! Yes you are right about pods hiding away - kept finding more even as I was putting the haulms into the compost bin!

Yes more closely related to leeks than onions (or garlic).

You can plant in spring or autumn, but you are right - I think the bulbs need a long growing period and cold conditions to form good cloves, otherwise you find that lots will form complete bulbs with no cloves - although these are still tasty. So to answer your question (eventually) Plumpudding I pl...

Like garlic, but milder. I think they are delicious, especially baked whole in the oven!

No matter how fast I harvest, mangetout peas always get away from me! Just harvested the last of my 'Shiraz'. Glad to say they make delicious peas as I'm sure you chaps already know. These are going into a salad tonight to sweeten things up.

You can grow them on Robo. In fact you may find that any bulbils left in the ground after harvesting the parents will sprout of their own accord and grow on for next year, but you can of course carefully separate them. I'd tend to plant them rather than store them as I think they might dry out, bein...

Yes maybe Westi although my friend wondered if it was just a trait of 'Tumbling Tom Red'. It will be interesting to see how the 'Ildi' perform.

Liking the idea of the stuffed marrow Westi. Anything involving cheese is alright by me! You might have the answer.

Do you know Primrose you could be right - I hadn't thought of that!

Not strictly marrows, but noticed this morning that my courgettes have started to produce lots of male flowers and very few females. Wonder if it could be the sudden big drop in temperatures? Anyone else noticed this?

I've had a very interesting response from a friend in the industry who is one of the UK's foremost tomato breeders and he says: Regarding the tomato ripening, I see no genetic reason why a yellow or orange should ripen before a red. In the case of the Tumbling Tom series I think it may be the poorer...

Of course what I need now is a good marrow recipe so I can do Mervin 2 justice and give him a good send off. Found one where you bake it in foil with freshly harvested sweetcorn and butter, but sadly my sweetcorn is a long way from ready! Any recommendations? (Apart from marrow rum!)

Yes I like 'Ildi' - grew them a few years back when we gave them away with the magazine. Good feedback from readers who grew them subsequently, too. Yes do let us know Primrose.