Update - Eating beans and growing tea

[thecornflake]

I haven't been here for a while - very busy with other things, but I haven't neglected my garden.

We had our first homegrown food the other day - french beans, which tasted fantastic!

As far as other plants are concerned -

Spring onions - not seeming to get anywhere
Carrots - coming along slowly
Giant sweetcorn - Now 2ft high, purely for novelty value as I doubt we'll get any cobs on this.
Radishes - Nothing, gave up on these. I think they didn't get enough light.
Potatoes - Three patio planters full of various size potatoes, some should be big enough to eat soon.
Tea - See pic. All three have now germinated, this is the biggest.


I'm now busy planning what to do for next year. Has to be planned carefully as I'm quite into Bonsai at the moment, so little trees everywhere.

Being able to plan and start early is great, we didn't start growing this year until May/June.

[SueA]

Hi Cornflake, quick put the kettle on you might just have enough for a brew there! Glad you're still looking forward to growing your own even though not everything has worked this year. As you said you made a bit of a late start & the weather has been awful this summer, last year I grew lots of goodies in my garden but this year have been hit by everything going, blight, pests diseases etc. Good luck for next season & keep the tea plantation going!

[thecornflake]

Hi Cornflake, quick put the kettle on you might just have enough for a brew there! Glad you're still looking forward to growing your own even though not everything has worked this year. As you said you made a bit of a late start & the weather has been awful this summer, last year I grew lots of goodies in my garden but this year have been hit by everything going, blight, pests diseases etc. Good luck for next season & keep the tea plantation going!

Unfortunately you're supposed to wait until the third year before taking any leaves off to make tea. Hopefully it will be worth the wait!

Look out for Cornflake Tips tea in the shops in a few years!

I have had some issues this year, especially with slugs, but it's been good fun and I've learnt a lot. It was worth it just for the beans and I should get some potatoes and carrots soon, so I'm happy.

[lesley cooper]

we started a new garden this year in a new house. Had what seemed like millions of slugs and I found that a nightly visit with a large torch and a larger boot did the trick

[veg4681]

Hi Cornflake,

Love looking at the pic. They look like PG tips already.

[thecornflake]

we started a new garden this year in a new house. Had what seemed like millions of slugs and I found that a nightly visit with a large torch and a larger boot did the trick

The only way to deal with them really - nightly slug patrol and no mercy.

Hi Cornflake,

Love looking at the pic. They look like PG tips already.

Thanks, I'll post a better one soon. Two of them look completely different.

[Dobby]

Tea did I hear someone say Tea
I'm a Tea aholic how do you grow it
is it Lady greay or Earl greay

[SueA]

You & Mrs D. will have to start growing your own tea plantation on your 'lottie' Dobby. I was reading about someone trying to grow them in Yorkshire so we should be able to grow them round here. They grow them in Devon & Cornwall too but it's a lot milder down there.

[Dobby]

I was born and draged up in Yorkshire
where do you get the seeds for tea? wont a brew now

[thecornflake]

I'm a Tea aholic how do you grow it

http://www.jungleseeds.co.uk/SeedOrders/enter.html

Under the novelty section. Took ages to germinate, but going really well now. The one in the pic germinated about 2 months ago.

[SueA]

This is where 'Thecornflake' got the seeds from. They also do coffee but I think you've not got much of a chance of getting a brew off any of them for a few years, you'd better go & put the kettle on & settle for 'Tesco's Finest' for now!
http://www.jungleseeds.co.uk/SeedOrders/enter.html
The tea seeds are Camellia sinensis. Just put 'tea' in the search box if it doesn't come up.

[SueA]

Beat me to it Cornflake. You've started something now, we'll all be trying to grow our own drinks as well as food!

[Dobby]

you can grow coffe as well have to show Mrs D that
but might have to heat the green house

[Dobby]

it can take 3 years to get a brew and I thought Tesco was bad making us drivers wate 6 hours before we get a break
think Ill put the kettle on for a brew before I have to go to work

[vegnut]

Yes, but can you grow McVities Chocolate Buscuits to dunk with