Anyone with an allotment?

i grew what were supposed to be sweet romano peppers this year and have loads. They have all just turned red, so at the weekend picked one and started munching one. they are not romanos. my head nearly exploded. i already have far too many little chillis, so what do i do with all these big ones as well...???

they should dry out ok
you can thread and store them i guess

my tomoato's have failed to go red ? what should i do ? pick and bring indoors ?

Same as what m.f. says - make some chutney. I did this last year with my 'left over' green tomatoes. Still eating it now (a year later) - it certainly improves with age.

Do it in smaller jars and it makes nice Xmas presents too.

i grew what were supposed to be sweet romano peppers this year and have loads. They have all just turned red, so at the weekend picked one and started munching one. they are not romanos. my head nearly exploded. i already have far too many little chillis, so what do i do with all these big ones as well...???

as well as storing them you can make chilli jam with the fresjh ones, which is really nice. (I'm into preserving at the moment - you should try my melon and pear jam - actually don't it's shit).

So i know off topic but anyone got any recipes for pumpkin pies or soup that the use. Google gives loads but I would prefer ones that people use.

Ta

So. I have a lot of artichokes. the cooking kind, not the dripping in butter.
Kilos available, but you'll need to cook it soon.

PM me, and pick up Brixton over the weekend. Or I'll deliver to bright times disco funk at artichoke heaven, care of Look Mum No Hands, Saturday night. $

Jerusalem Artichokes? Globe artichokes? Another kind of Artichoke?

I'm not allowed to bring home fartychokes anymore. First time I'd heard the girlfriend do a fart in four years. Revenge is sweet.

If they are Jerusalem ones they are so fantastic. A really unique taste. I reccomend slcign them finely sautee them until golden , throw in some oyster mushrooms for a little bit and then add some spinach at the end. Delicious!

If they are Jerusalem ones they are so fantastic. A really unique taste. I reccomend slcign them finely sautee them until golden , throw in some oyster mushrooms for a little bit and then add some spinach at the end. Delicious!

+1 this is tasty.

dug up my first artichoke plant a day or two back seems like a decent crop this year will be making soup in the next day or two
if anybody wants some bulbs to plant pm me can deliver in london
really nice uniqely flavoured tubers great for making soups or parboiled and deep fried they make about the tastiest snack ever

Do any of you allotment holders have a good source for the following;

30 x scaffolding boards for raised beds
50 x stakes to secure the beds to the ground
well rotted horse manure

@andy you might want to ask 14bike co. Mission bought a ton of them, i understood there was some forsale after.

Scaffolders have to get rid of boards pretty regular, any defect e.t.c and they are not up to regs. Phone round and you'll find one getting rid of some stock. ~£5-6 ish I think per board.

Southern Railway stables on St James's Road were offering free manure all though summer (haven't been past in a few months), you just need something to put it in.

We now have stakes and scaffolding boards. We still need well rotted horse manure - anyone know of a good supplier (and if someone says 'a horse' I'll sigh loudly).

^^ Stop horsing around Senior!

Andy, I think the stables at Dulwich riding school sell manure

Yup, they do. There's also one in Loughborough Junction, but I suspect the one on the south circular is closest. There must be somewhere further south than you though? Hayes Farm etc.?

i am going all out on the chilies this year. i am predicting a long, consistent summer, so i have put sarah in charge of all the other crops, so that i may concentrate on the chili and m*******a.

there will be a good range of them, too, not just the bum stingers.

once they're up, i'll distribute seedlings, in exchange for other stuff.

Trolley jack??...... :0)

hehe.

Anyone planning planting stuff this month? Planning to start my chilli plants this month. Will try some Bhut Jolokia this year but with a few milder varieties too.

Any suggestions for other stuff I might plant soonish?

all the herbs are due for planting right now
thyme / basil / oregano / dill / tarragon / parsley window sill somewhere and put them out when spring has sprung
also garlic can go out in the ground
while you are messing about with a window sill put in a few tomato plants

sorry have amended slightly above

Thanks - forgot all about the herbs. Planted a few outside last year and the snow killed a few so need to replenish.

Planted garlic in autumn so could do with a second crop.

That's me weekend sorted.

the stables at Dulwich riding school sell manure

They give it away free, but it is not rotted at all really, so use sparely and only if you've got a month or so to allow the bed to settle.