Down on the Allotment

Matron grows vegetables and fruit in a Hampshire garden. I've been growing veggies since I was knee high to a grasshopper. Some traditional varieties and old favourites as well as new ideas. I share my garden with my allotment assistant Daisy the Labrador. On Twitter as @MatronsVeggies

Friday, August 08, 2014

Unusual varieties

 Many veggies are really starting to swell and ripen.  These Indigo Rose black tomatoes are gradually ripening to black.  The bottom half of the tomato is still green, but I am assured by the seed company Suttons that with bright sunshine the rest of the tomato will eventually ripen to black.  I have taken some of the lower leaves on the plant so that the fruit has direct sunlight. Looks dramatic, but taste is more important to me. Waiting to find out.
 I picked the first of my Italian melon cucumbers yesterday. This lovely, round cucumber is from Seeds of Italy.
 Just a hint of sweetness to taste, definitely still a cucumber with a lovely crisp, refreshing texture. I love this one!
 I've not grown Oca before,  I have several different colours growing, yellow, white and red tubers were planted.  I'm not sure when they are ready, I am assuming they are a late crop in the same way that artichokes are.  Has anyone grown Oca?  When is it harvested?
 I'm picking lots and lots of these lovely yellow flat beans at the moment. Again from seeds of Italy these are Meraviglia di Venezia.  Tender flat beans that are really tasty with no strings at all.
Cucumbers are doing well too.  These small cucumbers are called Delizia, from Medwyns of Anglesey.  Again, lovely refreshing and crisp cucumbers. Very prolific and I love the small size.

7 Comments:

At 9:39 AM, Anonymous anne said...

oca is harvested when it gets frosty, the tubers swell in response to temperatures dropping

 
At 11:03 AM, Anonymous Carla said...

I too am growing oca (or New Zealand Yams as they are known where I hail from). You don't harvest them until after the shortest day - they have a long way to go yet!

 
At 11:34 AM, Blogger Mark Willis said...

Those cucumbers look very nice. Are they all as pale as that?

 
At 7:24 PM, Blogger Robert Brenchley said...

Lift oca after the top growth dies back. Tubers swell significantly as it does so. The longer the topgrowth lasts, the more crop you get, so protect it from early frosts.

 
At 4:04 AM, Blogger Tira said...

Your veggies all look lovely and delicious, those tomatoes are really unusual and photogenic,

 
At 6:58 PM, Blogger ~TastyTravels~ said...

Love all the unusual varieties! That black tomato is stunning!

 
At 9:59 PM, Blogger Jay said...

Dear Matron,

Your Tondo Barese cucumbers look delicious!

 

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