Trev62-An intermittent gardening blog!

[Trev62]

I miss growing Jerusalem artichokes - they made excellent "chips" when sliced and deep fried. They grew well in less than ideal soil on the allotment but were prone to slug damage which is why they needed to be harvested as soon as the plants died back.

That is how we like them as well. I did not realize they were prone to slug damage, that is something to keep an eye out for this year.

Have you tried growing Oca?

Showing my ignorance here as I had never heard of Oca until now. Having looked it up it would be well worth trying to grow some. The main issue would be finding it here but stranger things have turned up so one never knows.

Learnt two things from your post, thanks, much appreciated.

[lancashire lass]

Learnt two things from your post, thanks, much appreciated.

In spring, you "chit" the oca tubers just like potatoes (sit them in an egg box on a bright but not sunny windowsill until the buds form) As they are smaller than potatoes, you can then plant them into a plant pot to grow on and then plant out (avoid disturbing the compost and roots) when ready. They do need fertile moist soil during the growing season - the plants look like they belong to a flower bed than the vegetable plot and produce pretty yellow flowers. As I mentioned, the plants must have completely died back as the tubers only develop afterwards so one of those crops which are harvested very late autumn / early winter. The downside is that they too are prone to slug damage but not as much as bad as Jerusalem artichokes and potatoes.

[Trev62]

Today I planted four more fruit trees, two peach and two apricot to replace the ones that where killed off by flood damage then managed to get four lines of spuds in the ground (@ 120 of them), lots more to go yet.

[Trev62]

That's it, last of the spuds planted today, relieved that job is done as we are forecast heavy rains now for a couple of days

[Mo]

Mine occasionally were found by rats. Then lately the little slugs made tunnels all over them, so they were like sponges. So I've given them up.

[lancashire lass]

Mine occasionally were found by rats. Then lately the little slugs made tunnels all over them, so they were like sponges. So I've given them up.

A lot really depends on the variety - some are more resistant to slug damage (flesh tend to be firm), and how long they remain in the soil (an early variety is less likely to succumb to damage than a late main crop which is harvested much later in the year giving slugs greater opportunity to damage the tubers) Weather during the growing season plays a big role too - the wetter the soil, the higher the risk for slug damage. That's why I preferred to grow second early potatoes - they are usually (admittedly not all) a waxy type rather than floury - for example, salad potatoes like Charlottes. I liked a variety called Juliette (long sausage-shape) which was very productive per plant, coped with both wet and dry growing seasons, absolutely no slug or other damage, versatile in the kitchen (tasty) and stored really well (that is, comparable to main crop potatoes) Alas, it seems to have dropped off the UK market which is such a shame. But then I discovered Vivaldi which became my all time favourite for flavour ...

[Trev62]

But then I discovered Vivaldi which became my all time favourite for flavour ...

Not sure about Vivaldi spuds but I thoroughly enjoy listening to Nigel Kennedy playing Vivaldi!

[lancashire lass]

Not sure about Vivaldi spuds but I thoroughly enjoy listening to Nigel Kennedy playing Vivaldi!

funny

Have you tried Vivaldi potatoes?

Lab studies have shown 'Vivaldi' to be lower in calories and carbohydrates than many other popular potato varieties

'Vivaldi' is a Second Early variety producing oval tubers with yellow skin and pale yellow flesh and which are resistant to scab. As well as being known as 'weight watcher's potato', it is also referred to as the 'butterless baker', as its creamy texture and flavour mean one does not necessarily need to add butter to improve a baked 'Vivaldi's taste.

... tastes even better with butter but perhaps not such a good idea if wanting a lower calorie potato

[Trev62]

Have you tried Vivaldi potatoes?

I will own up to having never heard of them let alone tried them!

Out here you have a choice of Kaufland or Lidl potatoes (the former grow extremely well) or what most people buy "the ones in the yellow netting". Types/varieties are rare to find and scarily expensive if you do find them.

[Trev62]

So, the first rows of carrots are now in, tomato plants coming on nicely in their pots along with the garlic and peas shooting up nicely outside. Picked our first rhubarb stems (and ate them, lovely).

We previously grew our herbs individually in small circular beds but we have now dug out and linked these circles up so we have two long strip beds which we are adding more and more herbs to. Hopefully we will end up with a two full beds with different herbs in though we are struggling to find certain herbs seeds here at present.

One thing I have not found growing wild where we are now is Yarrow, as my stocks are past their best I will have to go out on a Yarrow hunt then bring some back and plant up.

Lots of weeds for this time of year but making an effort to keep on top of them this year, so far.....so good!

[Mo]

What is the law about wild plants.
Thinking back we used to make collections of wild flowers (for a badge at GLB, which was like Guides), now illegal to pick them, never mind uproot. Can see why, though we learnt a lot from identifying the specimens

[Trev62]

What is the law about wild plants.
Thinking back we used to make collections of wild flowers (for a badge at GLB, which was like Guides), now illegal to pick them, never mind uproot. Can see why, though we learnt a lot from identifying the specimens

To be honest I do not know. We have always seen the locals going out to gather/harvest fruits and plants from the fields and hedgerows so have just followed their lead. Often picking their brains about what and why they are gathering certain fruit and plants.

We have learnt a lot from the "Baba's" or Grandmothers out here.

Their vast knowledge is gradually disappearing as the up and coming generations show no interest in learning preferring the Western way of life using supermarkets and staring at smartphones.

[Trev62]

So today I completed the new herb set up, we now have two long rows with a lot more space to start planting some extra herbs. Also, we sowed all the beetroot and aubergine seeds. Nice warm spell here at present that will hopefully stay with us for a while.

[manda]

I'll be interested how your Aubergines come out...I grew some this year and they had all the taste of an aubergine with black skin (because of the variety I used that we have here called black beauty)...they were the shape of a capsicum??! ...No idea why (if anyone has any ideas I'd love to know) ....but they still tasted nice so I'm not going to complain and I've got a few jars I preserved so we can have them through the winter.

[Trev62]

The last aubergines we grew were "purple fingers" or "little fingers"? something along them lines and they had a lovely taste to them. Not sure what variety went in this year I have lost the packet, still all the more fun when/if they start to grow