I grow a few toms outdoors and have found, for the first year ever, that birds have taken to pecking at the ripening fruit.  I have a feeling it's a female blackbird, as I've seen it scurrying about under the plants. I hope she's not teaching the skill to any others. One pecked  fruit was in the GH.   I've taken measures to shield the door there but am at a loss what to do about outdoor plants.  Any experience of this anyone?

My poor tomatoes
   

It is growing in the wild but it is so pretty it could be a garden escapee. it's a little larger than Virginian stock.

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I follow a few YouTube gardeners for inspiration and knowledge. One of the ones I like is Mark from Self Sufficient Me. He's just completed a three week trial of subsisting solely on food he has produced himself (other than coffee beans, oils, salt, and some condiments). He has a good-sized property and - in addition to loads of raised beds and fruit trees/bushes - has quite a few chickens, ducks and quail that are kept for both meat and eggs. However, it is Winter there (Australia), so they were getting fewer eggs than at other times of year and didn't want to eat any of their birds outside of breeding season. He and his wife ended up with serious protein cravings!

This all got me to thinking about how we can increase our homegrown protein stocks. I'm hoping to get to a point where I'm growing a large proportion of my fruit and veg (as opposed to now, where the things I grow are more of a tasty supplement to what I buy). I'd also like to have some poultry once I have my own garden, but just for eggs as I'm a vegetarian. I'll still be buying proteins in the form of dairy, nutritional yeast, pulses, nuts and seeds. However, it would be really nice to be able to grow a decent amount of protein in my own garden too and I wondered if anyone had any good thoughts about the best crops to maximise high protein garden crops. 

So far, I have been thinking about:

1. Peas and beans - some for eating fresh, some for freezing, and lots to dry. I've only eaten homegrown ones fresh before. Anyone have any favourite options for drying?
   
2. Seeds - I've thought about sunflowers, pumpkin/other squash seeds, and poppy seeds. What other edible seeds can we produce in our gardens?
   
3. Seeds as grains - for example, quinoa and amaranth which are both supposed to be relatively easy to grow (though in significant quantities?) Are there any others?
   
4. Nuts - chestnut and walnut trees are huge, but hazelnuts/cobnuts would go well in a hedgerow. Anyone have experience with growing nut-trees?
   
5. Underground things - I'm thinking peanuts and tiger nuts. Can peanuts be grown in the UK? Has anyone managed to grow tiger nuts in decent quantities?
   
6. Fungi - definitely something I want to try when I have a longer-term garden. Has anyone had good success with inoculating wood mulch or using dowels?
   
7. Other high protein fruit and veg. As a vegetarian, I have often seen lists of these, but you often have to eat a ridiculous quantity to get a decent amount of protein. Anyone have any favourites?
   

We are pleased to announce that G&G will be holding a Harvest Festival on the night of the Harvest Moon, 1st October. 
You are warmly invited to join us at this Virtual Event.
We hope that you will share with us the finest of your crops and produce (in photographic form) and we will soon be listing some items that we would like to receive to make this Festival a success. 
Meanwhile, take lots of photos of your veg, fruit and flower harvests and keep the best ones somewhere safe in anticipation.

Further details to follow.

In the past my tumbling tomatoes have always been in pots outdoors and whilst they've been reasonably productive I never needed to prune them.  This year  I've put the tubs in the GH and they're going berserk.   Do I need to prune, armpit or curtail them, apart from when they're trying to escape through the door, or do I leave them to their own devices?

I've grown Brussels for nine years and only had one decent harvest, but perhaps this will be the year? At least the tops never 'blow'! 

Florence fennel is always sad - we might get enough small heads for one risotto, but we also get swallowtail butterfly caterpillars on them, so they are worth the work & the culinary disappointment.

After buying or being given three rhubarb plants I have to accept my baking clay is never going to be their liking. But if somebody gave me a plant I'd try again!!
 
Is there anything you stubbornly refuse to give up on?

What worked for you this year and what didn't.   What are you definitely growing again after trying it, and what was a dead loss.  I know the season isn't over, so this thread might continue long into the year.

I interplanted iceberg lettuce around the edge of my sweetcorn block, and they seemed to really enjoy the semi shade.  I shall be doing that again.  Calendula succumbed to powdery mildew so perhaps not bother next year.  Dianthus from seed are  good and give a long display.  Raspberries this year were down on poundage but up on flavour.  I like the taste of yellow CFB Marvel of venice, a new one to me this year and will be growing again.   Although Coco blanc a rames is only ok as green beans, they say you can dry them, but I don't use dried beans much, so won't bother next year.  There will no doubt be more to report as the season progresses.

10 yards from my door is a little green with the tub/floral arrangement and a picture of Tub Row
   
   

 Does anyone have any tips on persuading our resident mole to go live somewhere else?!! Parts of the garden are sinking into his mole tunnels!!

Just seen this article about gardeners receiving unknown seeds in the post.

However tempting it is, don't plant them!

https://thecanadian.news/2020/07/18/hund...VBBWbSrzUQ