Kitchen Garden Forum

A easy mistake to make.

A few of months ago i was given a small wooden carved plaque in a nice box, so i put in on the mantle piece over a roaring fire, only to find that when i opened it later, that it was actually chocolate...

No1 son brought me some italian soap from Kew Gardens, the orange one smelt so good I kept it in the office as a room freshner until I wanted to use it!
I'm an old fashioned girl and like to use soap, at the moment I've got an olive oil one on the go.

I've never had a rub down with a bar of chocolate though OH, but I hear some find it...interesting.

MW

OK, who's been talking.....

Its got to be better than a rustic brick

We picked two large feed buckets full of broad beans today (variety de Monica - highly recommended). They are really doing well this year , quite the opposite from the peas which are still struggling.
As we we were working on the allotment, the Tour de France helicopters clattered overhead, not surprising as the cyclists passed about 2 miles from the lottie. Everybody seems to have had a wonderful time with the sunny weather (after, at last, some heavy rain overnight) helping the jolly atmosphere. Shame about poor Mark Cavendish.

Dear Monika, regarding your Broad beans, well, with a name like that i'm not at all surprised they are little beauties....

I will try them next year, so can you tell me who stocks the seed, please.

You are such a flatterer, OH ......
But honestly, broad beans de Monica really seem to be a very good variety. They are stocked by Marshalls and I quote from their catalogue:

'This dual purpose, disease resistant variety can be sown to overwinter for your earliest spring crops. From a spring sowing De Monica is so fast growing and quick to mature, it will be amongst your earliest cropping broad beans too. Plants have a strong upright habit with 2 - 3 stems per plant. Pods contain 5 - 6 large white flavoursome beans and are held off the ground so are kept clean and easy to pick.'

I have grown Witkiem Manita as an early bean for many years, but as Marshalls offered two packets for the price of one last autumn (and the name, of course), I thought I would give these a try. And we have not been disappointed. Just for information, I sowed ours on 26 March in roottrainers and planted them out on 21 April.