Does anyone grow them?

I was sent a little gift from a friend - a mix pack of seed for species pelargonium.

The pack said approx 10 mixed bag.

10 have popped up so far. Looks like I have another 2 to come. They are just breaking through. They have taken maybe a month.

I've never grown them before - I usually choose large tall plants. But I'm quite excited about these - even though I will have to give them windowsill space over the winter. 

I will post some photos when they are a little bigger. I'm looking forward to working out what they are!

I'm puzzled.  I have some random carrots amongst the onions, they were last year's self seeded Solar Yellow I think.   Why would these self seeded ones be flowering before maturity,  they aren't even finger sized yet but are trying to go to seed.  It's not a problem, these  carrots are a bit manky anyway but its curious.

I've mentioned raspberry vinegar a few times so looked up a recipe for you.

Put 450g/1lb raspberries or other fruit into a lidded container with 600ml/1 pint of cider vinegar.
Mash the fruit a little with a wooden spoon.
Leave covered for a fortnight.

Strain well and put in a  pan with 255g/8oz caster sugar for each 600ml/1 pint of vinegar.

Simmer for 10 minutes.
Leave to cool and bottle.  

I use the pulp leftover from jam making - after straining the fruit to make jelly preserves. 
If its already sweetened, just add vinegar and simmer for 10 minutes. 

I've used all sorts of fruit - raspberry, blackberry, mixed with elderberry.

Nice diluted with water as a drink too.

I love the baby beets just boiled or roasted as a veg and OH likes them pickled or just doused in vinegar.   As they get bigger I sometimes add a sauce, probably horseradish or a sweet one like in Harvard Beets.

I'm looking for recommendations from all of you as to your favourite way of preparing beetroot.
I expect we should eventually have a similar thread for courgette recipes when the glut comes

Mods if this should go under the relevant veg type  please move

I know it's an emotive question and maybe a bit too personal,  but are you organic.

To start off I'll confess.  I am until such time as I lose my rag at the pests then I resort to the least inorganic methods to get rid.
If you are organic,  and I can guess who might be , what do you do with a precious crop that the pests have invaded?

I have discussed this a while ago elsewhere but it's still a plan yet to become reality. We have a deep leylandii hedge (approx 7' deep and 9' high) which cuts my veg patch area of the garden from the rest of the lawn. The hedge also screens the garden which runs down the side of the house from the road. I would like to remove the hedge and replace it with fruit trees and bushes to keep the veg patch separate from our lawn. My wife is concerned re the loss of privacy and people being able to see in to our back garden. 

I'm wondering about doing some dwarf fruit trees, either trained or as standards maybe underplanted with fruit bushes. Does anyone have any thoughts on the best of both worlds re screening and producing something edible and also any suggestions of varieties for a garden on top of a hill 1 mile from the west coast in north lancashire.

Looking through the forum there's not a lot of posts so what's keeping folk busy  are you out in the garden or at the allotment or getting ready to do some actual shopping surely there's a question to be asked or a bit of gossip to be passed on and yes after posting this I will ask a question

I have had bitter cucumber- the white variety in the greenhouse.....but bitter courgettes?

I've got 5 plants. I started just 4 off and someone asked if I had any spare, I'm not keen on them so gave 2 away. Started off another few plants. 
So I have two varieties- and I'm not sure what they are!!

Two are huge plants - maybe 4 foot long! All male flowers.
The other 3 are more compact and one has 3 courgettes on. They are dark green. I thought I would have for lunch but I accidentally picked one and took a chunk! OMG! YUK - it is disgusting. I had to come to the house and brush my teeth. I'm not even sure I want to try it again.

This has never happened to me before?

So I pulled some autumn planted garlic a couple of weeks ago and popped them in to the log store as a temporary measure to start drying as i was in a rush and thought I'd go back and move them to my usual place in the garage when i had a minute. Suffice to say I forgot. Anyway, I've just got to them and the majority are fine but something has been at some, see the picture. 
Any idea which of our little friends would eat garlic bulbs?

   

I used to dream that my garden would be full of fruit trees and bushes producing a never ending supply of delicious and exotic fruits.
Dreams don't always come true, however!

Some of the trees I've planted have not lived up to my dream and, reluctantly, I'm giving them the chop!

Its Goodbye to most of the peaches and nectarines. Two  "Avalon Pride" peaches have had a stay of execution as it seems less prone to peach leaf curl than the others.

Most of the cherry trees have also gone. I've kept 3 small ones that I should be able to net and a large one that looks great in flower and autumn colour but is always stripped of its fruit by birds.
The apricots are on probation - they haven't fruited at all yet. Neither has the persimmon and mulberry but they'll be kept for novelty value.

The Quince has its first fruit forming this year and the medlar fruited last year but I didn't eat any. Again, they'll be kept as novelties!

I'm also pulling up the yellow raspberries (they taste of sugar water - not raspberries) and the Japanese wineberries and Worcesterberries have been demoted to the edible hedge.

Is there any fruit you've planted that you wouldn't grow again?