James Wong - your thoughts

[BroadRipple]

Hello and hope you're not all snowed in...just wondered if any of you have actually grown/are planning to grow some of the more unusual crops from his Homegrown Revolution book. It's much better than I expected, and hooray for the idea that it doesn't all have to be swede and cauliflower, but I wonder how realistic you actual gardeners think he's being. So...any recommendations or warnings for those exciting cucamelons, chrysanthemum greens, electric daisies or callalloo, please send them my way...

[chris]

I think for the majority of the 'exotics' we're going to have to have a good, hot summer. The JW seed collection is expensive, imo - but I've bought a pack of those cucamelons to try, will be giving VC half of the packet - think there's only 10 odd seeds in there mind, so I hope they bladdy germinate!

[veggiechicken]

Just a couple will do me Chris - as an experiment!! Ta!!
I keep thinking of the Electric Buttons video in here somewhere http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ight=homegrown and that make me dubious about some of the other things James Wong promotes as edible I'll have another look at the book

[scarletrunner]

Have got some cucamelon seeds to try also.

[Garvey]

I agree. I would love to experiment with the exotic options but another poor Summer will not allow us the luxury. What's really great about James Wong is his approach is attracting a new, younger audience to the world of "Grow Your Own". Top marks!!!

[VirginVegGrower]

I think he's probably got quite a healthy bank balance

[Tripmeup]

I have cucamelons to try too... We can start a separate thread later on so we can all compare experiences...

[FROSTYFRECKLE]

Got the book, which is an interesting read but yeah we need a good summer. I'm going to try Cucamelon, Calalloo and Inca Berry (Cape Gooseberry - Mr Frosty wants to try these, when I've tried growing Cape Goosberries all I got was ballbearings smaller than a 5p). So fingers crossed for a warm summer.

[Tripmeup]

Frosty
Have some Inca Berry too, so might try them too this year... Greenhouse is best for both I think?

[veggiechicken]

I've been growing Physalis/Cape Gooseberries for years - as a perennial in the GH. Having said that, I don't have any at the moment so must start some more this year.

[sammy_roser]

I bought quite a few! I'm the sort of gardener where I try everything, if it works great! If it doesn't oh well that's a shame.

I decided to try growing some electric daises and they are currently germinating on my window sill inside my 'mini greenhouse'

[FROSTYFRECKLE]

Yeah, Cape Gooseberries and Cucamelons inside the GH. VC, do you cut back your Cape Gooseberries (the same way as you do when over wintering chillies?). I am thinking of putting a Cucamelon outside next to the Achocha (I'm really hoping for a warm summer)

[veggiechicken]

No, FF, I only cut off the dead bits! I had one plant for about 5 years, in an open bottomed pot, resting on a bed about 3" deep. It was as tall as the GH and needed tying in to stop it flopping everywhere. When it eventually died, the base of the plant looked more like a tree - really hard and woody, totally wedged in the pot and the roots ran several feet through the bed. It also self seeded, dropping fruits, that I would miss and a cluster of tiny seedlings would appear. Best of all, I grew it from a supermarket fruit so no expensive seed packets BTW the GH isn't heated or insulated.

[FROSTYFRECKLE]

Just found Red Strawberry Popcorn seeds and Tomatillo seeds - both from seed circles. So a couple more to try this year

[Herbsandveg]

James Wong: Is it OK to like him, and what are the general thoughts?

Now, my own current 'gardening revolution' - which began in earnest last season - was sparked and further vivified (heck, that's a posh word for me!) by seeing James Wong on Breakfast TV last summer where he was waxing lyrical about his cucamelons and electric daisies and all sorts of other things like that. So, I've been here (on the Forum) for a couple of weeks now, and I've not heard too many mentions of his books or his 'beliefs'. Just out of curiosity, then, what's the general feeling about his books and about his methods? If he's enthused lots of people in trying gardening for the first time, then that's surely a good thing, and I found - and am still finding - his 'Homegrown Revolution' book a delight to look at and read, but what are the thoughts of everyone else on here?