Tips for filling the hunger gap!

[Nikki Arnold]

As the GYO edit team get stuck into writing the May issue we are reminded of all the glorious crops that are coming along well this month but aren't quite ready to harvest which can leave some of us gyo-ers with rumbling stomachs! On that note we were wondering what your tried and tested methods are for filling the great 'hunger gap' and what plans you have made this year to ensure that you're not without homegrown goodies in May?



Please note your comments may be edited and published in the May issue of Grow Your Own
How to avoid the hunger gap during May

[DGoulston]

My Cayenne Apache's have not stopped growing, they have been constant! So I am still with nice fresh chilli's but other than that, Its a game of watching the pretty plants grow and looking forward to the prizes of my efforts in the months to come!

Darren.

[Thelma Sanders]

I'm glad I planted Tundra cabbage, Red Russian Kale and leeks on the plot

and in the garden - Tokyo bunching onions have come through the snow and Ice quite happily for my stirfries

[oldie]

I'm still harvesting leeks, winter cabbage and kale and chard. The first of my spring greens will be ready in two or three weeks.

[Nicos]

We freeze and jar a lot of our crops during the summer glut- we've got loads left so I never feel there is a hunger gap!
We too are still harvesting sprouts, savoy cabbage and leeks, and our stored potatoes will last another couple of weeks.
We even have one more months supply of stored apples!
so....what hunger gap!????

[Alison]

I'm actually looking forward to there being less stuff to harvest as I have a tonne of stored stuff which needs eating up before then next season springs into action. Having said that the spring cabbages and brocolli in the polytunnel are very advanced (always plant some in and some out to extend the season) and the PSB won't be that long now!

[binley100]

I've still got leeks, savoy cabbages and celeriac to harvest. I had my first pick off one of the PSB last week and the spring cabbage is waiting in the wings.
Just had to start buying potatoes but still have a huge squash stored and produce in the freezer so fingers crossed there'll be no real hungry gap here.

[Snadger]

Milky Way..............the sweet you CAN eat between meals!

[binley100]

Blimey Snadge that is impressive .......any spare seeds on offer ?

[Snadger]

Blimey Snadge that is impressive .......any spare seeds on offer ?

I'm over the Moon cos I'm Saturn a galaxy of em...................

[binley100]

well hope you pick the right moon phase for sowing them then ........

[solway cropper]

We had to defrost the chest freezer last week and I was amazed at the amount of last year's produce that was left in there. Probably enough assorted fruit and veg to last a month without buying anything but we had to give lots of it away as the back up freezer is only small.

On the plot I still have plenty of leeks plus some kale and chard and in the greenhouse there's lettuce and spring onions. Obviously there's a lot less fresh during the hungry gap but we are never without home-grown food.

[zazen999]

Let me see:
broadies, peas, tomato passata, pesto - all in the freezer
Chillis, courgettes, relishes, chutneys, jams all in jars or bottled of some sort
Dried beans all in a box in the car [yes, I need to put them into jars and bring them in] - 2.5kg of them [I halved them with the school]
And
Carrots, parsnips, root parsley, leeks [some have strangely enough not been got by leaf miner - yay], beetroot and plenty of it, claytonia, winter lettuce, spring onions, cabbages, kohl rabi, kale, swiss chard, sprouting broccoli, all at the plot...I'm sure there is more but that's what I spotted at the weekend.
And
still got 1/4 of a sack of spuds and one squash indoors.

[Two_Sheds]

Yep, my freezer has the hungry gap sorted. We're still eating last summer's tomatoes and courgettes, French beans and assorted soups, curries & stews.

[Potstubsdustbins]

In the freezer runner beans, last years tomato puree, calabrese and a little cauliflower.

Outside a few leaks, PSB and spring cabbage also used as spring greens. Last years late planted spring onions will be ready in a couple of weeks.

New potaoes Swift are in their buckets in the green house should be ready early May.

Going in this weekend to be ready for May, lettuce Lollo Rossa, Tom Thumb and Salad Bowl. Radish French Breakfast and with a bit of luck maybe, just maybe a few toms middle to late May.

Colin