Saturday, 20 February 2010

The Bean Project - Introduction




I have been growing beans for a few years now. Originally I grew them for green beans, but I very quickly became obsessed with leaving them on the plant to pod up and dry out.

Last year I grew about 22 different types. I then offered a couple of up on the Grapevine and someone saw that I had a quite rare type and we swapped 8 beans of each of our types.

Since then I have also managed to obtain a few more types, so all in all I have about 70 different types of bean. I am of the opinion that it constitutes a 'collection'.

So, as many of these are rare and not obtainable elsewhere, and many do not seem to have images online - I thought I'd document them with either the notes sent to me on the above swap, or my own notes. I'll give a page to each bean and update with any additional information as more is found out about any of the types.

I really hope I get to the end of this project, and others see the beans and swap with me in the future. I do use many of these, but save ample amounts for re-growing or swapping. I'd love to hear from anyone who wants to do a 'mass swap' or wants to expand their collection once the 2010 harvest is in.

*Currently taking the photos - will start the posts tomorrow...

Sunday, 14 February 2010

Root Trainers


I love you my Root Trainers. Look at that root system! Shallots - Put in around November time; and only watered once or twice. Left in a cold greenhouse. Planted out today into final position.

Saturday, 9 January 2010

The Big Chill

Can't do much at the moment, what with all the snow and all; 3 weeks now and counting. I took this tonight, about half an hour ago [about 9:30 pm]....I feel for the ducks who are walking up and down the canal wondering what's going on.

Friday, 18 December 2009

HSL 2010 seeds

Mine have just arrived; first choices again.

I have:

Black Coco Dwarf French Bean
Gladstone Pea
London Market Carrot
Boothby's Blond Cucumber
Sheepnose Pepper
Lukovidsky Onion
and a lucky dip of
Mountaineer's White Half Runner Climbing French Bean

Woohoo!!!

Thursday, 10 December 2009

Update

Wow - can't believe that I haven't updated this for so long. Summer got a bit busy.

Well, we had a great growing year.

Successes were the Chilis and Beans

Onions were good, but as always, we could do with more so I have about 400 overwintering at the moment, with about 100 seeds sown in August that are in the greenhouse for the winter.

Tomatoes, we had good success in the Greenhouse but the Outdoor ones got blight, so I got plenty of green tomato chutney from them before they were all binned.

Raspberries; Joan Js - were still cropping heavily in November so I've left the rest of them to the birds

Courgettes - were still cropping in November but have died back now

Carrots; really minimal carrot fly damage as they were grown under nets

Parsnips - started harvesting in Oct but still plenty in the ground

Peas, the HSL tall peas were a great success - apart from Pea Moth after June [eugh]

Celery - I'm growing in the Greenhouse now, in pots in gravel trays full of water. It's just easier than in the ground and they are sweet and blanched.

Very very quick summary there - but back on track with regular updates now

Friday, 24 July 2009

Holga pics




Nothing related to growing fruit or veg at all....just some pics from my Holga 

Sunday, 12 July 2009

Chelsea 2009

Just realised I didn't post any photos of Chelsea. How silly of me