Long awaited Spring Bits and Bobs…

[Clive.]

I got the peas in yesterday evening, it was on the edge of wet especially in the shade of the fence at the south side of the garden but they're in

I've got a few more Jazzy potatoes to go in this afternoon, once I've given the Boston sausage, chips, leeks with stewed rhubarb pud a minute or two to settle a bit.

I also could do with spending some time cutting down the phygelius Winchester Fanfare that is romping through the front shrubbery here....and has some stems a third of the way up one of the holly trees.!


I saw the lone swallow whilst visiting work this morning it was first sighted at lunchtime on the 14th...sat on the electric wires having a good stretch of its wings and taking in the sights of the new compost bays



C.

[oldherbaceous]

Oh well said, Primrose, that is exactly how I work….at the end of the day, the bureaucrats are only making work for themselves, to justify their jobs.

I sowed my climbing french beans, (python) this week….it’s always a gamble, as we never know if we might get that late frost at the end of May, but if we wait till then, it makes for a late crop.

[oldherbaceous]

What a lovely post, Clive…..the Swallows are meant to be back at the stables, down the other end of the village…the ones this end of the village, are from far better breeding and seem to arrive a little later….

[tigerburnie]

I often grow a few French Beans in the greenhouse for an earlier, frost free crop, not many as only me eats them, I shall sow them next week.

[Westi]

Hi Stravaig! Would you mind posting your Seafood Pancake recipe on the cooking section & also the recipe for Japanese Spring Onion pancakes if you know it. I have tried both from a market & really liked them so looked them up & followed the recipes on their sites but they were too heavy, the batter mix was just wrong along with the flavour. x

Evening Primrose ! (Soz I've been waiting an opportunity to say that)! I will start mine off at the end of the month along with the runners with the plan to have them hardened off ready to go toward end May, but remember I am down south. I start mine off in deep pots with about 6 - 8 or so in them dependent on the width, each with their own wee sticks to start twining if they get the urge. I find they take off quicker when planted out, & find their twining around is much longer so only need a wee velcro strip at the top to support; & also I don't have pot on right when everything else is begging for my attention!

[Primrose]

Thanks Westi. That,a really helpful. And I like the idea of inserting the wee stick right from the start too aS I find they often go straggly and then it takes ages for them to develop a proper climbing habit. Maybe like humans the sooner they,re trained the more likely they are for the habit to stick! Our garden is somewhat bare of suitable sticks at the moment. I,ll have to out my thinking cap on for some substitutes.

[Stravaig]

Hi Westi,

I'm much more of a "bung it in" chef than someone who uses recipes, but John Torode has a pretty good one which I'd recommend. I'll go and post it in the cooking section.

[Geoff]

Watched Countryfile last night and was told yet again that slugs are friends. Went to check the greenhouse this morning and found one grazing its way across my pricked out Nicotiana Sylvestris so I had to replace some. It didn't survive to enjoy its ill gotten gains.

[Stravaig]

Slugs are friends? Yuk.

Husband's sister is so vile we call her "The Slug" (behind her back - don't talk to her anyway). Blimey, you can eat snails with garlic, and aren't they just slugs with a shell on their back? What use is a slug?

[tigerburnie]

Slugs make good fishing bait for Chub and hens seem to love eating them, though I can't help wonder what the eggs taste like.

[Stravaig]

Eurgh! Thanks, Tiger. You've just about convinced me to become vegan.

[oldherbaceous]

Think there are meant to be good and bad ones, like Geoff, I seem to get the bad ones….

[Primrose]

Free Chinese Slangen cucumber seeds just arrived today with latest magazine. Has anybody grown these? In what way do they varyb from iur normal "British" cucumber, apart from their long length? Do they have a vastly different flavour?

Don't have much spare growing room now but wondering if I should try one?

[oldherbaceous]

I haven’t grown them before, Primrose, but will be trying them this year, from my free seeds….

[Westi]

I bought some Japanese ones from Niwaki where I get my Japanese tools & little luxuries & had a bit left over on the Xmas gift card after I bought my new wooly hat. I don't recall the name (it's in Japanese); but have sown twice with no show. I thought they might be hardier seeing how nippy it gets in Japan. Still got some seeds left though so will sow one alongside my favourite Italian one, which is very prolific - it's called Torintino or something similar. I looked these up & just seem like thinner but longer normal cucumbers & OK outdoors.