The 2015 One to Five a Week Challenge!

[Penellype]

Hmmm. Eating 5 things is dead easy - already this week I've eaten carrots, onions, potatoes, 5 different varieties of tomato, courgette, cucumber, peas, blueberries, raspberries and apples. Ok its the height of the harvesting season but I would expect to be able to eat quite a few of those (if only from the freezer) any week of the year.

Sowing is much harder. This week I have sown some spinach and some spring cabbage. I've planted out more spring cabbage, so that doesn't count, and I've pricked out some cauliflowers. I've enough winter brassica to fill every space I'm likely to have available before its too late, and I've plenty of lettuces (more than I can sensibly eat). I'm highly unlikely to sow much else in the next few weeks, and even things like sprouting seeds are no good because I'm up to my eyes in fresh stuff and don't want any more! This is only going to get worse over winter, so I think I am going to have to decline this one.

[Alison]

I misread it and thought you had to do it every day! Easy for the eating bit, do far more than that most weeks but the sowing would never happen and wouldn't fit in with my free time. Interesting idea though

[veggiechicken]

Revised challenge

Never let it be said that I don't listen to you all Too many thumbs down for this to be a workable challenge so, I'm going to change the rules (again!).
We each choose our own weekly target for sowing and eating - it could be one a week, two, three, four or even, if you're completely mad, five.
You pick a number that you can achieve, with a bit of effort, and stick to it (as a minimum) throughout the year - telling us what it is at the outset.
The only Rule is that you sow/plant and eat summat you've grown every week of 2015.
Would that work - and is anyone game to accept the challenge?

[noviceveggrower]

Go on then you've got a taker. Will work out on paper what to plant and what I'm doing then let you know where, when and how I'm doing.

[noviceveggrower]

Hi.
Was wondering what day or week are we to start it?
Does cress count as a crop?

[veggiechicken]

Thanks for keeping me company NVG - nobody else has been confident (or crazy) enough to do so Come on, there must be somebody else on here!!
Officially, it was going to start in January, but we can start now if you want to get in practice
Yes, cress counts - anything you sow or plant counts - and, if you sow it one week, and plant it out 2 weeks later, it counts for a 2nd time
You can choose your own target too - so one a week is fine.

[Penellype]

I keep meaning to have a look at what I think I could manage but I'm swamped at work just now and haven't really time. Will have a think when the chaos calms down a little...

[maytreefrannie]

Good for you, VG. I think it's a great idea and would consider setting seeds/planting out seedlings as separate actions, also I think planting out 2 courgette plants would be two days/ 2 veggies covered for that week.
Also, setting our own targets is a good suggestion.
I have to say, I don't always keep up to my good intentions, but I'm planning to give it a go.

[Penellype]

Ok to make it a bit of a challenge for me, I will eat at least 5 different things I've grown each week, and sow/plant at least 2 (that is the challenge - 2 is going to be hard in winter). I can start now:

This week (Saturday to Friday) I have eaten:
Tomato (Sungold, Chocolate Cherry, Shirley, Totem, Tumbling Tom)
Courgette (Green Bush)
Lettuce (Lollo Rossa)
Runner beans (Stardust)
Calabrese (Sakura)
Carrot (Nantes Frubund, Autumn King)
Cucumber (Vega) - the last one
Spinach beet
Potato (Charlotte, Sarpo Mira)
Onion (Red Baron)
Parsley
Blueberries
Yellow raspberries (Allgold)
Strawberries (unnamed everbearer)
Apple (James Grieve + unknown cooker)

This week I have potted on:
Cabbage Duncan (3 plants)
Calabrese Sakura (2 plants)

[poly]

It's a fun challenge, the eating bit will be easier, unless away on hols! But sowing/planting wise I'm a bit hit and miss and tend to sow/plant in fits and bursts. I'll give it a go though

Eating 5
Sowing/planting 1, but if averaged for the month I'd up it to 20

[veggiechicken]

Welcome aboard, poly.

I'm going for broke
Eat 5 & Sow/plant 5 a week
I know I'm doomed to failure some weeks, but I do like a challenge and I'll give it my best shot

[poly]

Cheers

Go for it VeggieChicken
Is fruit included as I've been having a good munch around the plot today?

[veggiechicken]

Fruit & veg included - I've been munching too. Perfect weather for raspberries

[veggiechicken]

This week, I've eaten:-
Raspberries (yellow and red)
Courgettes - Atena, round ones and stripy green ones
Tomatoes - Smurfs, Black Icicle, Marmande and more
Cucumbers- Bangkok and a little ridge one
Onions
Beans - Firestorm & Cosse Violette
Apples - unknown

I've sown:-
Broad beans x 2 - Aquadulce Claudia & Bunyard's Exhibition
Borecole - Dwarf Green Curled
Kale - Russian/Hungry Gap (not sure of real name!)
Salad leaves - Crunchy lettuce mix.

[poly]

Eaten so far this week,
Alderman peas (lots), Shiraz mangetout,
Pink Fir Apple, Violetta and Blue Belle potatoes,
Red Rum Runners,
courgette - bush type,
Mexican Tree Spinach
tomatoes by the handful, including Ambrosia Gold, Ambrosia Red, Black Opal. Medovaya Kaplya, Sungold, Sunsugar, Pink and Purple Bumble bees, Camone F3s mixed, Floridity, Irish Pink, Savananas.
Breakfast around the plot; Apple, raspberries, Cape Gooseberries, and a bunch of Black Grapes,

Sown- Coriander and Kohlrabi, kale on Sunday, which is almost this week!
I potted up Aquiles calabrese.