[Mo]

We're happy with our brassicas. First year we've had decent cauliflowers and the calabrese put on a good show and are still sprouting. But the best crop so far has been French Beans, although I think my borlottis might outdo them. The runners are 'running' late but looks as if they'll be in one of the top spots.

[supplies for smallholders]

Got to be Thistles!! Millions of them this year - anyone got any good recipes for thistle jam / soup / stew ?? 

[Daisys Mum]

My potatoes were pretty good this year and my peas too, unfortunately i have sown everything in the raised bed a bit too close together so some things are a bit hard to get to although everything looks ok, wont be able to get to the onions until the peas come out.

[piggy]

Well mine would have been my runner beans,i say would because my naughty lambs have been and gobbled the lot! they very kindly left the aubergine plants but had stripped the leaves from the pepper plants but left the peppers!

[Mo]

Got to be Thistles!! Millions of them this year - anyone got any good recipes for thistle jam / soup / stew ?? 

"The roots, stems, young leaves, flower buds and even the seeds can be eaten."

http://www.wildernessadventures.net/nl-thistle.htm

You try it and let us know? 

[supplies for smallholders]

You try it and let us know?  Wink

Errrrrm....

Interesting article - But I think I will give it a miss....

Thanks

[Greenerlife]

Not too many GREAT things, but some absolutely rotten results this year    Radishes that bolted without forming radishes.  Broad beans that flowered once and formed not nearly enough beans.  Cauliflower that got eaten by mice first followed (after netting) by something that's eaten the heads.  Squashes with all male flowers.  Very poor plum season.  Carrots that were planted in tubs to avoid carrot fly being eaten at ground level by something unknown.  Peas never getting to flower stage.

It's a good job I like potatoes!  (First year of growing in a slab clay field)  My blues are lovely mashed! 

[egbert]

Well this is my first year growing so its been a real learning experience.

Brassicas seem to be harder than anything else - I planted it all too close together, the broccoli heads are ok but cabbage and cauli failed so far. My carrots are all still tiny, may need to do some thinning. Onion sets have grown but I am not overly impressed - I need to get them out to dry now though. Peas did grow, but next year I know to plant lots more to have enough for a family! And the same for strawberries!

HOwever, my cucumbers have been great - loads of them and they taste lovely. And the tomatoes are now turning red and taste delicious! My squash are coming along well and my pepper and melon plants have some nice looking fruits ripening up.  And my 1st earlies were lovely, I am now itching to get my main crop potatoes out. 

[JD]

My best crop so far this year has been the soft fruit. Raspberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants and gooseberries have been great which I was surprised at considering the winter we had. The chickens had most of my strawberries and caused havoc in the onion bed. Cucumbers, toms and chillies have been good in the greenhouse. Didn't do spuds this year to give my small plot a rest.
JD

[BlueDaisy]

My best crop this year ( and every year) is my mange tout peas, we use the variety Delikett and they have never failed us (touch wood Great as mange tout and if you miss any they are also great as shelled peas!
Also good is the french bean Ferrari it's a dwarf plant that just keeps coming, you think you've finished cropping then, notice more long thin pods!

[northfifeduckling]

currants and rocket
and I'm really chuffed with my sweetcorn and gherkins in new greenhouse and poly tunnel, my daughter's got superb parsnips and peas

[Shovel]

Best have been peas, dwarf beans, runners, garlic.

Toms, lettuce, cauliflower, peppers, beetroot, all disastrous!

[Gordon M]

Weeds, and more weeds!! Apart from them (as I've been out of the country at work most of the year) my apple trees (the ones the deer didn't wreck) have produced a bumper crop, so it'll be out with my grans old jelly pan and a couple of days work in the kitchen making apple jelly and the odd apple and bramble pie.

[xillent]

best have been, potatoes, garlic, onions, courgettes, peas.

Apples look to be good too.

Worst has been plums. The tree is having a wee rest this year.

As usual the ground elder is doing very well.

[pikilily]

Oh lordy....where do you start!!
We have had a bumper year for everything. I have not had to buy fruit or veetables for four months....
Peaches, apricots, figs, asparagus, fennel, tayberries, logan berries, blueberries,
Huge crops of fruit- blackcurrents, whitecurrents, redcurrents, rasps, strawbs ah the strawbs were heavenly!
cabbages, onions, courgettes by the hundreds, enough tomatoes that i am using them for chutneys etc.
The sweet corn is coming out the roof of the polytunnel, I couldnt eat another lettuce!!! we are on beans and peas at the moment.
The apple trees are creaking amd the ground is covered in windfalls. The plum tree had never been so laden!

To be honest with you, and running the risk of being rude, we are eating so much veg just trying to keep up with the growth that my bowels are a bit 'thundery'
....... and then there is the lamb- just been butchered on Friday,  and I have spent the weekend making sausages. I think i am most proud of the animals actually.
Emma T