General Chat

Do you not have any runners Helen? Do you want some? I need a day away from here. any excuse.I will bring you some.

Hi Ann, no, definitely not over-watered. They're planted in the ground inside the greenhouse and last year we had lots of tomatoes. I have fed them once, I think I'm going to pull them up and look after the outside plants which have seeded themselves - at least they look healthy.

Sharron, at least I do have a few runners! Last year I was making runner bean and tomato soup.

As I have put on my other thread, we are overwhelmed by runner beans,great big ones. It seems the runners locally have taken off this year and everybody is trying to give you some.

Have you by chance overwatered the tomatoes Helen?: And are you feeding them?

Sharron, lol!! I have my eye on a tiny cucumber in the greenhouse, less than the size of my little finger and looks prickly. Yum!!! The tomato plants in there seem to have the wilt but the self-seeded ones in the garden are growing like mad. No sign of any fruit, though so that cucumber and tomato salad will have to wait a bit!

I've never made nettle soup, I was only asking as I heard they were edible.
I believe only the young tips should be used. The older ones must be a tad bitter :-0

Fred, thanks for the tip, I'll put it in my 'useful notes' should I ever be lucky enough to have a garden. Comfrey can be used in the same way - stinks enough to give your tubes a good defrag but very good for plants.

Bloomin' 'eck Sharron. Not another banquet! LOL

Everything seems to be coming on well except beans,Runners,ok.Kidneys ,OK. BUT I,m Buggered if I can get those that are in tins with sauce in with them to grow,Any Ideas? :-S :-D.**M**

Carry on with the nettles Susanne ,lol,they may be a waste of space as a food source but boiled up .and strained ,they make a smashing liquid feed for plants. Fred :-)

Substantial fruit salad for tomorrow. Three tiny wild strawberries and a blueberry, can't wait.

nettle soup is horrible.tried it last yr,loads of nettles in my veg patch,
so i thought i would do the new age stuff and make my own soup,
im warning you all now,dont make nettle soup,it tasts like c---, :-D :-D

Island. I have made the cucumber relish, tasted quite nice when I piched a bit. May be a little bit salty although I did two rinses of the cucumber after the salt. I will wait and see, made about 2 pounds.

Also just done some of the sweet and sour cucumber to eat with our salmon salad meal this evening.

We were given it with fish salad and it was really nice. Just a little bit spicy.

Nettle soup? Bleurgh........Could make some for OH though, serve him right.

Yes, ducks with plums in their beaks, waddling in a line! Really funny.

Cucumber recipe sounds nice, Ann.

Recipe pickled sweet and sour cucumber

Cucumber
Tsp salt
2tsp caster sugar
1 tsp rice vinegar
Half tsp red chilli oil
Few drops sesame oil (optional)

Halve unpeeled cucumber lengthways, scrape out seeds and cut into chunks.
In a bowl, sprinkle chunks with the salt and mix well. Leave for at least 20 minutes, longer if possible, then pour juice away
Mix cucumber with the sugar, vinegar and oil. Sprinkle with sesame oil (if using0 just before serving

Ducks nicking plums? That's a sight I'd like to see :-0

I have my eye on another courgette........ :-D I feel another ritual supper coming on.

Has anyone got an easy peasy mint jelly recipe? I'm not so keen on vinegar.

Helen, have you tried nettle soup?

Yes, Sharron, watch your weight!!!

I picked 2 adolescent beans to day. I would have picked a pea pod but the nettles defeated me.

And what's all this about blackberries??? It really isn't happening down here in the garden of England! The ducks, however, have discovered the fallen plums and are sneaking in to steal a couple every few hours. They look so furtive!

Just don't over eat Sharron!

Talking of butterflies, we have hardly seen any this year.

Dining regally tomorrow. Five asparagus peas and two blueberries.

Do you think I should, maybe,build a barn?

Ha ha! This thread s not only funny now but also informative.

Fred, there has been a butterfly watch going on around here, I think. We have a lot of Red Admirals and Painted Ladies, whizzing round our garden but mostly Cabbage Whites chomping their way through my winter supplies. And a few Kentish Blues which are tiny, delicate and **blue.**

I love to join these surveys because the idea of sitting in the garden doing nothing for several hours appeals to me, can't think why!!!

Sharron, lol, a blueberry each!

Think what all this fruit and veg will do for your insides....

I ventured out to strim today as the weeds were disguising whatever was growing in the veg plot.

First ,I got an electric shock from the mashed plug. Now who put it away in that state??? OH is looking very innocent.

Second, I got stung by no end of nettles. OH informs me loftily that there are many sorts of nettles, blah blah blah, and this from him on the settee watching the Grand Prix. It still hurts!!

Third, I got bored. Especially after weeding up and throwing away swede plants, again. They look just like weeds.