Topic: Something new for 2014?

[Digeroo]

The seed catalogues have arrived.   No wonder the seeds are expensive.  I am quite happy looking through on line.

I like to try something new.  So this year Squash Gem Rollet and Crown Prince are on my list.   

What are other people going to try next year?.

[sparrow]

I've gone a bit bonkers on chillies and squashes. Next year will be the year of spicy pumpkin soup....:)

Marina di chioggia and black futsu are the ones I am most looking forward to. And I'm still tempted by the Whangaparoa Crown and Jarrahdale Pumpkin - mostly because of the names though!

[saddad]

Crown Prince are great... I haven't decided yet... 

[Jayb]

Only thinking the same thing the other day 

These are the ones I quite fancy so far;
Squash Buffy Ball F1, Fictor F1 and Walnut F1 Butternut,
Climbing bean Marga
Sweet pea Purple Pimpernel
Tomato Green Envy, Sweet Aperitif and Rosella
Carrot Jeanette F1
Sweet corn Medzi

[GrannieAnnie]

Still trying to figure out a new strawberry to try. Ours are tasteless.

[antipodes]

@sparrow
Jarrahdale pumpkin is eaten in Australia and it is delicious. Highly recommended.

Not sure what I would like to try next year. I actually managed to grow carrots this year so I am tempted to give them a go again!! I would also like to try New Zealand spinach and black radishes which are popular here in France;

[Floyds]

I never have enough peas because they take up so much room so next year I'm going to expand....upwards.
I'm going to try Champion of England pea seed that grow to over eight feet and are not F1 hybrids so I should be able to save the seed and grow the same the following year.

Also going to try an alternative to Lima beans which I really like but you can't grow them in the UK so the alternative is Gigantes which is a runner bean but you eat the seed and not the pod.

Also going to try Wizard field beans as I just like the idea of having a wizard in the garden and they sound tasty as well.

All available from
http://www.realseeds.co.uk/broadbeanseed.html

[ancellsfarmer]

I never have enough peas because they take up so much room so next year I'm going to expand....upwards.
I'm going to try Champion of England pea seed that grow to over eight feet and are not F1 hybrids so I should be able to save the seed and grow the same the following year.

Also going to try an alternative to Lima beans which I really like but you can't grow them in the UK so the alternative is Gigantes which is a runner bean but you eat the seed and not the pod.

Also going to try Wizard field beans as I just like the idea of having a wizard in the garden and they sound tasty as well.

All available from
http://www.realseeds.co.uk/broadbeanseed.html

I had Champion peas and Wizard beans ths year. Successful but the Champions grew out of reach and then collapsed under the weight of plant and crop. 3metre peas sticks soon to be cut!

The Wizards wwere overlooked at their peak and I now have considerable quantities of seed. Some spares from this years packet planted 03/08 , now flowering(a chance of a late crop maybe) and sowing some of this years seed next week to overwinter I find ALL of the Realseed is ultra reiable or should that be viable.

[Floyds]

I never have enough peas because they take up so much room so next year I'm going to expand....upwards.
I'm going to try Champion of England pea seed that grow to over eight feet and are not F1 hybrids so I should be able to save the seed and grow the same the following year.

Also going to try an alternative to Lima beans which I really like but you can't grow them in the UK so the alternative is Gigantes which is a runner bean but you eat the seed and not the pod.

Also going to try Wizard field beans as I just like the idea of having a wizard in the garden and they sound tasty as well.

All available from
http://www.realseeds.co.uk/broadbeanseed.html

I had Champion peas and Wizard beans ths year. Successful but the Champions grew out of reach and then collapsed under the weight of plant and crop. 3metre peas sticks soon to be cut!

The Wizards wwere overlooked at their peak and I now have considerable quantities of seed. Some spares from this years packet planted 03/08 , now flowering(a chance of a late crop maybe) and sowing some of this years seed next week to overwinter I find ALL of the Realseed is ultra reiable or should that be viable.

Thanks for that feedback. I am in the process of making a Munty frame for the peas so I can reach them when they grow horizontally. As they grow to about 10ft the weight when they start their horizontal journey will need a sturdy frame.

Did the Wizard beans taste like broad beans?

[ancellsfarmer]

"Did the Wizard beans taste like broad beans?"
Yes, First picking was of immature pods to get the "early taste".Then the main broad beans came onstream and theWizards got overlooked and quickly went past , hence a high seed production.
The Realseed mantra of "Dont buy from us, save your own" is an curious business model but at least one can.

[Jeannine]

I am going for bush not vining winter squash with small size fruit , several types. Cousa, Lebanese summer squash instead of courgette and I am growing a Lebanese marrow. I might grow 1 unusual and very large winter squash just for fun. More peas and beans, in fact my assorted runners fence will be done next year with a full range of different colored blossoms. it should look veru prettyy and as I am not saving the seeds next year I am going for an attractive display, some good indoor tomatoes in my spanking new greenhouse and a small selection of chillies. Going to have a good go at Okra too.  More potatoes, but the plan this next year is not to grow too much and nothing fancy or odd as I want an easy season.

Oh and I will grow my Rose de Roscoff onions as I need to keep them going for seed.

ZZ Jeannine

[Floyds]

"Did the Wizard beans taste like broad beans?"
Yes, First picking was of immature pods to get the "early taste".Then the main broad beans came onstream and theWizards got overlooked and quickly went past , hence a high seed production.
The Realseed mantra of "Dont buy from us, save your own" is an curious business model but at least one can.

You could save your Wizard bean seed for next year but as you have also grown another variety of broad bean any cross pollination would not keep you Wizards pure, so I'm told. They would probably turn out OZ like the following season so you'll be back to Real Seeds for another purchase!
Will you grow Wizards again next year, i.e. is it worth it?

Talking of business strategies Fothergills sent me some free 'Blue Belle' seed potatoes last year and they have been the most productive main crop spuds I've ever had the pleasure to grow. From about 20 seeds I got three wheel barrows full of the most beautiful large clean shiny spuds with a nice flavour. Shiny spuds are always free from disease. They look a bit like a bloke's bald head. So I'll be growing them again next year but this time I'll have to pay for them, crafty Fothergills eh?

[Biscombe]

Not so much seeds, but saying that I'm always on the look out for something new and exciting to grow. My new thing this year is growing espalier apples and plums and hops for beer!!!!!

[Deb P]

I'm trying hard neck garlic this year after a couple of years of poor soft neck crops..

[sparrow]

Thanks for the Jarrahdale recommendation Antipodes. That's another packet of seed on its way to me...now to think of how to crowbar it into the seedbox!

And capers. I want to grow capers this year, very much! :)

[squeezyjohn]

I never have enough peas because they take up so much room so next year I'm going to expand....upwards.
I'm going to try Champion of England pea seed that grow to over eight feet and are not F1 hybrids so I should be able to save the seed and grow the same the following year.

Also going to try an alternative to Lima beans which I really like but you can't grow them in the UK so the alternative is Gigantes which is a runner bean but you eat the seed and not the pod.

Also going to try Wizard field beans as I just like the idea of having a wizard in the garden and they sound tasty as well.

All available from
http://www.realseeds.co.uk/broadbeanseed.html

Great set of choices!  I grew champion, wizard and gigandes this year and they all did superbly well for me.

Gigandes were a revelation, quick to get going, strong vigorous growth (they were miles ahead of my runners!)  Decent cropping and very easy self-drying pods that are still hanging on the plant to finish off.

Wizard - I've done these for a couple of years - and what you lose in pod length and bean size - you make up easily in sheer numbers of densely packed pods.  They worked as an overwintered variety for me the year before last but didn't quite make it through the freeze this time.  The small beans are sweet, just like broad beans - but seem to stay young and sweet tasting for longer than with all the broad beans I've ever grown.  They seem to shake off blackfly a little better than some varieties.

Cheers

Squeezy

[Squashman]

This year was avery good year for pumpkin and squash, with the black futsu being the best ever yet.

[ancellsfarmer]

"Did the Wizard beans taste like broad beans?"
Yes, First picking was of immature pods to get the "early taste".Then the main broad beans came onstream and theWizards got overlooked and quickly went past , hence a high seed production.
The Realseed mantra of "Dont buy from us, save your own" is an curious business model but at least one can.

You could save your Wizard bean seed for next year but as you have also grown another variety of broad bean any cross pollination would not keep you Wizards pure, so I'm told. They would probably turn out OZ like the following season so you'll be back to Real Seeds for another purchase!
Will you grow Wizards again next year, i.e. is it worth it?

Talking of business strategies Fothergills sent me some free 'Blue Belle' seed potatoes last year and they have been the most productive main crop spuds I've ever had the pleasure to grow. From about 20 seeds I got three wheel barrows full of the most beautiful large clean shiny spuds with a nice flavour. Shiny spuds are always free from disease. They look a bit like a bloke's bald head. So I'll be growing them again next year but this time I'll have to pay for them, crafty Fothergills eh?

More than likely, but have also considered sowing them as a green manure, for nitrogen fixing and then dig them in  the cauliflower patch but not sure whether the nitro- fixing happens before or after flowering? Any help on that?

[Floyds]

I never have enough peas because they take up so much room so next year I'm going to expand....upwards.
I'm going to try Champion of England pea seed that grow to over eight feet and are not F1 hybrids so I should be able to save the seed and grow the same the following year.

Also going to try an alternative to Lima beans which I really like but you can't grow them in the UK so the alternative is Gigantes which is a runner bean but you eat the seed and not the pod.

Also going to try Wizard field beans as I just like the idea of having a wizard in the garden and they sound tasty as well.


All available from
http://www.realseeds.co.uk/broadbeanseed.html

Great set of choices!  I grew champion, wizard and gigandes this year and they all did superbly well for me.

Gigandes were a revelation, quick to get going, strong vigorous growth (they were miles ahead of my runners!)  Decent cropping and very easy self-drying pods that are still hanging on the plant to finish off.

Wizard - I've done these for a couple of years - and what you lose in pod length and bean size - you make up easily in sheer numbers of densely packed pods.  They worked as an overwintered variety for me the year before last but didn't quite make it through the freeze this time.  The small beans are sweet, just like broad beans - but seem to stay young and sweet tasting for longer than with all the broad beans I've ever grown.  They seem to shake off blackfly a little better than some varieties.

Cheers

Squeezy

Good to hear that, thanks.
How do you preserve your beans for eating out of interest?
The Gigantes have probably crossed with the other runner beans you grew unless they flowered at different times? So will you save the seed for next year?

[squeezyjohn]

I have some seeds left from the packet this year's grew from - but the gigandes flowered a lot earlier and the bottom ones set beans before the first runner flower was even in bud ... I marked the pods that had formed then and I was thinking of using those ones as seeds.

I suppose there may have been other runners on the allotment site flowering that early though ... apparently it's quite hard to save 100% true seed without tripping the flowers manually and bagging the ones you want to save in gauze bags.