Hello . . .

[CliffS]

A new member, introduced by Steve R . . . you and he may regret that Like Steve, I'm new to gardening, first year a few Toms outside plus a row of runner beans, last year, salads and I cleared my 20ft 'glass shed' . . . I know, its a greenhouse, but I had been using it as a 2nd shed what a wast. I grew aubergines, peppers and 'a' melon. No idea what I was doing, but we had so much produce it was embarising knowing what to do with it all? . . . discover we dont like aubergines
Early spring in the greenhouse, poor soil, unused for at least 10 years, hense the rings.

We discovered we dont like aubergine, we had dozens, this one is a smaller one!

Superb flavoured peppers, doing long red ones this year.

SunGold tomatoes, the best flavour . . . IMHO


I have a few wacky ideas, dont I Steve . . . ? not much into flowers, so I grew salad, beans and tomatoes in the boarders instead last year. 62 years old and this is my first serious effort, all that time wasted!

Dug a 1m x 6m strip in the lawn at the weekend, not enough flower borders for my aspirations this year. Thats me in a nutshell, and the long suffering Hazel who puts up with my wacky notions

CliffS

[wiseoldowl]

Hi Cliffs A very warm welcome to Gardeners Corner,Wacky ideas are good,and you haven't wasted any of your time,as you have learnt from it.,lovely greenhouse and Garden.

[capney]

Hi to CliffS
Welcome to GC
Enjoy your stay and lets hope we all benifit from some whacky gardening.

Robert

[youngdaisydee]

Hi Cliffs Welcome To GC its great to have new members, My greenhouse is used as a shed in winter, I can't help it .. Dee..

[daitheplant]

Good evening Cliff and welcome to the site.

[penny in ontario]

Hi there and Welcome,

What a great garden you have.

[Periwinkle]

Hi Cliff

Welcome to GC

Great veggies in your garden. Look forward to hearing about your techniques in your Greenhouse.

Regards
Kathy
x

[CliffS]

Originally Posted by Periwinkle

Hi Cliff

Welcome to GC

Great veggies in your garden. Look forward to hearing about your techniques in your Greenhouse.

Regards
Kathy
x

Technique Periwinkle, whats that? . . . I make it up as I go along Sometimes learning the hard way it must be said The toms ended up on the floor the day before the pic was taken, very strong winds and all, hence the rough looking A frame type support structure, to much fruitSo this year, I will start that way, bought extra canes at the weekend to do the job.

Cliff

[Steve R]

Glad you made it over here Cliff, they are a knowledgable bunch here always ready to help and advise in a friendly way. I have learnt much in the two years I have been here and continue to do so. One important thing to remember is that many questions have already been asked and answered...so dont forget the "search tool"

Have fun Cliff.

Steve...

PS..If you ever give up Gardening...can I have your greenhouse?...

[NatalieB]

Hi Cliff and welcome. For a 'new to gardening' guy your stuff looks absolutely terrific! I love your greenhouse (glass shed) setup. Sorry you didn't like your aubergines - we use quite a few though my plants last year just didn't work out - not enough sun in the greenhouse I put them in - will have to do them in the one in the back garden this year I think.
If you want to try aubergines again, try sprinkling the cut fruit with salt and then rinse to take off the bitterness. About the only way we have them is in a big pan of roasted veges - aubergines, courgettes, peppers, mushrooms and some artichoke hearts - a little olive oil, a big splash of white wine and the flavours that come out are fantastic. I'll sometimes add a litle good quality chicken stock and then throw in some cooked pasta - kids love it as well.

[CliffS]

Originally Posted by NatalieB

Hi Cliff and welcome. For a 'new to gardening' guy your stuff looks absolutely terrific! I love your greenhouse (glass shed) setup. Sorry you didn't like your aubergines - we use quite a few though my plants last year just didn't work out - not enough sun in the greenhouse I put them in - will have to do them in the one in the back garden this year I think.
If you want to try aubergines again, try sprinkling the cut fruit with salt and then rinse to take off the bitterness. About the only way we have them is in a big pan of roasted veges - aubergines, courgettes, peppers, mushrooms and some artichoke hearts - a little olive oil, a big splash of white wine and the flavours that come out are fantastic. I'll sometimes add a litle good quality chicken stock and then throw in some cooked pasta - kids love it as well.

Aubergines . . . like the favour, but the texture is what we baulk at. If we flash fry them as oxo size chunks, caramelize the edges, thats OK, but over all, I prefer parsnips . . . Courgettes are the same, de seeded, chopped up raw in a salad, a little olive oil, fine, cooked, the texture is squidgy French beans are better. In fact I prefer all my veg raw or only just cooked, very andante! not sure of that spelling or if thats the right word . . . 'crunchy' thats better, good old English word.

I copy what my Grandad and Dad used to do, Grandad had a big veggie garden, 'digging for Victory' in those days, and Auntie Ivy with here tomatoes? perhaps something did rub off? Big disappointment to my Father, I never became a doctor, took to gardening or football, pity he is not around to see and advise me on the veggies, bit of a slow developer

I still have and use some of his garden tools, fork, rake, hoe, secateurs. Football . . . there is no way 22 grown men chasing a pigs bladder and some guy chasing them blowing a whistle . . . no, I'm not into football.

CliffS

[CliffS]

Originally Posted by Steve R

Steve...
PS..If you ever give up Gardening...can I have your greenhouse?...

You know what Steve, 4 years ago, that greenhouse nearly went on fleBay, 'buyer dismantles and collects', its a 'Robertson', which I'm told is an OK make? Then Hazel got unwell and it never happened. A close one

Cliff

[Steve R]

Originally Posted by CliffS

Big disappointment to my Father, I never became a doctor, took to gardening or football
CliffS

So now you play football, perform full frontal lobotomies at half time then retire to the greenhouse after the game?

Steve...