Lemon grass

[moggy]

I find that most things that are normally grown in greenhouses will flourish outside, if it is sunny/sheltered enough.
Up here in Yorkshire I have two vines that fruit every year (one red, one white), I have a fig tree that fruits, I grow tomatoes outside, all the herbs that I use, garlic - the only thing I grow indoors on the windowsill are chillis as I believe they need the heat and sun to get them hot enough.
We are trying sweetcorn for the first year this year.
I don't have a greenhouse and most of my seeds are sown directly into the soil.
My thoughts are - if you fancy trying to grow it, give it a go no matter how much someone will tell you it will never survive outside.

[Fallow Buck]

Moggy,

Sweetcorn are great. I grow mine in half barrels in the front of the house, about 5 to a barrel.

Keep in mind that you need to plant them in blocks rather than rows to get the best cob due to the way the pollinate. Nothing quite like a fresh cob picked and steamed within minutes with some nice butter.

I generally get about 3-4 cobs off of each plant, and most maize varieties need a fair bit of nitrogen so feed them weekly with some mirical gro or somesuch andyou can't go wrong.


Has anybody ever grown butternut shaushes? I have five plants on the go that I want to train up a trellis but have never grown them before. Any hints would be great.

Thanks,
FB

[moggy]

Moggy,

Keep in mind that you need to plant them in blocks rather than rows to get the best cob due to the way the pollinate. Nothing quite like a fresh cob picked and steamed within minutes with some nice butter.

I've got them in a block about 4ft x 4ft planted about 6 inches apart -it was just a guess as I had never grown them. I assumed that they would require shelter from each other (particularly where they are planted). They were a bit late going in, so I don't know if we will get much off them, although tbh it is probably a bit irrelevant as the house is now on the market and we would like to be out of it in 2-3 months if possible.

A question on spinach

Last year we had a glut - we didn't sow much, but it was so prolifict that we were still harvesting and eating throughout winter - frezing loads as well. This year I have moved the spinach a little further down the garden - about 10 ft and in the same border - and we have about 6 poxy plants come up. Now the beetroot I sowed where the spinach had been and it looks like we will have a glut of that instead.
I was wondering if there was any nutrient that could be lacking in that bit of the garden that particularly affects spinach - the rapa sown next to it is flourising also

[Patricia Thornton]

Moggy,

Don't worry about having a glut of beetroot, turn it all into chutney. Not only is it very simple to make, I think it tastes better than Branston but doesn't seem to taste like beetroot at all.

[moggy]

Not worried about the beetroot glut, I love making the two kinds of Barszcz and it freezes well - just be-moaning the lack of spinach

[saucisson]

Moggy,

Don't worry about having a glut of beetroot, turn it all into chutney. Not only is it very simple to make, I think it tastes better than Branston but doesn't seem to taste like beetroot at all.

I'll be after a recipe if my beetroot harvest comes off!

Dave

Moggy: could you dig in some fertiliser and replant or is it too late?

[moggy]

I am going to gentle dig around the current plants and re-sow. I picked up some very cheap reduced fertiliser specifically aimed at leaf vegetables, so I was going to add someof that in.
I am wondering if maybe that particular area has had some weed killer chucked on it in the past, it is only the second year of the veggie plot.
Thinking about it, the courgettes and cucumbers that were there the previous year didn't do much either.

I do a beetroot chutney, but I am afraid it is like most of my recipes - in my head and revolves rouns
a) what is to hand at the time
b) measurements consisting of " a dollup" and "till it looks right"

but the main components are
diced beetroot
chopped beetroot stalks - for each 3 beetroot use about the stalks from one of them
vinegar
cooking apple or crab apple
onion
salt
sugar

but the important thing is to flavour it with dill, you can use either the seeds or the leaves

It is also particularly nice if you make a beetroot jelly from it - it is a clear jelly with diced beetroot in - I can't remember the recipe I'm afraid. Again I like to add dill to it - the leaves this time.

[welsh wizard]

If youve got beetroot try roasting it like you do roast potatoes. It tastes really yummy and the kids love it.

Grated beetroot in salads is really good as well.

Cheers WW

[Patricia Thornton]

The recipe I use for beetroot chutney is an old one but really simple which has always worked for me:-

2lbs beetroot
1lb onions
1.5 lbs cooking apples
1lb raisins
3 tablespoons of ground ginger
2lbs of sugar
2 pints malt vinegar

I grate the beetroot, chop the onions finely, peel, core and chop the apples and put all the ingredients in a pan to simmer very, very slowly until it thickens to the correct consistency. I always find that chutney comes out best if cooked slowly for a (fairly) long time.

Although I make jars and jars of this one, I never seem able to keep it hidden long enough to see what it tastes like when mature.

If you try it, let me know what you think.

[jenny_haddow]

Just back from France where I had grilled lobster with a confit of red cabbage with cinnamon and jus de betterave(beetroot).

Very versatile vegetable.

Jen

[aris]

Did you find the fancy bread?

[georgebaker]

Hi
steam beetroot leaves, oil and vinagar serve warm. I think I saw it in Greece

George

[Wohoki]

The leaves from baby beetroots are nice in a salad, same with radish.

[jenny_haddow]

Did you find the fancy bread?

No I didn't, but we were out in the 'sticks' a bit. I found some beautiful seedy baguettes made with a rough dark brown flour, they were made with sharp points at either end, they could easily have run you through! Quite delicious though.

[saucisson]

Thanks for the chutney recipes! I've printed them off forsafe keeping.

Dave