My online name is Alcina, I live in South East London. I have a small garden and I'm on the waiting list for an allotment. My friends classify me as a "keen gardener", and I've always dreamed of homesteading and self sufficiency, but the reality of it is rather too much! Selfsufficient-ish suits me rather well! Small, realistic steps. However, I have one big stumbling block...
I've read a lot of books about growing your own 12 month, organic harvest and being self-sufficient and they all hint obliquely at this, but only one website has ever categorically statated this fact: Self-sufficiency begins in the kitchen. The others all seem to assume that it goes without saying that one of your overriding reasons for beshmerking the local supermarket in favour of home-grown goodies is that you can't wait to get your mouth around the succulent goodness known only to organic, home-produced produce. The problem is...that never entered my head. I don't like to cook. I mean, I can cook - give me a slab of raw meat and some vegetables and I will neither starve nor posion myself; it's just that I don't particularly like doing it or eating the end result. And I'm not that keen on vegetables. I like Chinese takeaway!
Anyway...this year I'm trying soya for the first time because I'm very fond of Edamame Japanese style. T&M are selling soya beans that have been specially bred to grow in the cold, dark UK climate: they're probably just extra hairy! However I'm having major germination problems: the initial planting all rotted in their pots; the second attempt - chitting on a plate first - has resulted in just two little plants. It's going to be a steep learning curve! Other veggies this year are potatoes in a barrel (actually a plastic bin with holes drilled in), carrots, peas, lettuce, onions, garlic, courgettes, cucumber, tomatoes, sweet peppers, chilli peppers, squash and a pumpkin (at the behest of my lodger - I don't really have space for it!). Most of these are being grown in containers as vertically as possible because I don't have much horizontal space. Someday I'll get me a greenhouse...
Alcina
Hello from South East London
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Muddypause
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Welcome Alcina. I had to look that name up - it seems you are a sorceress, who has a habit of turning former lovers into animals and rocks (an opera by Handel).
Interesting to hear that you are trying out soya. I've always thought that it sounds good in theory, but turning it into anything useful (and there are a great many useful things you can turn soya into) is quite a lot of work. Maybe others will correct me on that. But good luck with it.
Anyway, I'm going to add 'beshmerking' to my list of Extremely Useful Words (that nobody is quite sure what they mean).
Interesting to hear that you are trying out soya. I've always thought that it sounds good in theory, but turning it into anything useful (and there are a great many useful things you can turn soya into) is quite a lot of work. Maybe others will correct me on that. But good luck with it.
Anyway, I'm going to add 'beshmerking' to my list of Extremely Useful Words (that nobody is quite sure what they mean).
Stew
Ignorance is essential
Ignorance is essential
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shiney
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Hi Alcina,
Welcome to this board. You seem to have got a lot of stuff going on in the garden. Well done! I am wondering where I shall put my pumpkin seeds once they have sprouted out of the 'nursery tray'.
I do love to cook anything and like to make my recipes up sometimes depending what's in the cupboard. (I call it creative cooking!)
Believe me, the kids and the OM are still alive and they seem to like what I serve up, as the plates are left clean.
Welcome to this board. You seem to have got a lot of stuff going on in the garden. Well done! I am wondering where I shall put my pumpkin seeds once they have sprouted out of the 'nursery tray'.
I do love to cook anything and like to make my recipes up sometimes depending what's in the cupboard. (I call it creative cooking!)
Believe me, the kids and the OM are still alive and they seem to like what I serve up, as the plates are left clean.
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Andy Hamilton
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First of all, welcome to the forum alcina
Someone once argued that they did not like this site as they wanted to be self sufficient but not grow things or cook them. Not really sure what they wanted
I think there is a point to say that self sufficiency starts in the kitchen as we all have to eat and to be self sufficient you have to supply all your needs for survival ie food, shealter. However, this does not mean you have to spend every waking hour in the kitchen, most of have the odd takeaway thats especially here, hence self sufficinet 'ish'. So don't worry you are in good company.
Sounds like you are growing lots, nice one. About the soya, I am wondering if you have to start them off in some water as you do with other sprouting beans? Someone on the allotment reccomended that I do this with normal runner beans.
Someone once argued that they did not like this site as they wanted to be self sufficient but not grow things or cook them. Not really sure what they wanted
I think there is a point to say that self sufficiency starts in the kitchen as we all have to eat and to be self sufficient you have to supply all your needs for survival ie food, shealter. However, this does not mean you have to spend every waking hour in the kitchen, most of have the odd takeaway thats especially here, hence self sufficinet 'ish'. So don't worry you are in good company.
Sounds like you are growing lots, nice one. About the soya, I am wondering if you have to start them off in some water as you do with other sprouting beans? Someone on the allotment reccomended that I do this with normal runner beans.
First we sow the seeds, nature grows the seeds then we eat the seeds. Neil Pye
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The Other Andy Hamilton - Drinks & Foraging
My best selling Homebrew book Booze for Free
and...... Twitter
The Other Andy Hamilton - Drinks & Foraging
Thank you all for the welcome. Indeed I chose the name from Handel's opera - I originally trained as an opera singer, and always loved the opera and the role (not that I was ever good enough to sing it!). I too live in sunny L'ham! Small world. 
With the second lot of soya I soaked them in camomile tea for a few hours and then chitted them in damp kitchen towel for a few days. About 50% of them germinated. Of that germinated 50% that then got planted only 40% have so far grown! With the next lot I reckon I'm going to let them chit longer so that they're practically full grown plants before I sow them!
My lodger wants the pumpkin to carve, but I rather fancy pumpkin pie! I'm working on a deal with my neighbours who really like cooking: I grow the food, they cook the food, we all eat the food! Then we all drink the elderflower wine
Alcina
With the second lot of soya I soaked them in camomile tea for a few hours and then chitted them in damp kitchen towel for a few days. About 50% of them germinated. Of that germinated 50% that then got planted only 40% have so far grown! With the next lot I reckon I'm going to let them chit longer so that they're practically full grown plants before I sow them!
My lodger wants the pumpkin to carve, but I rather fancy pumpkin pie! I'm working on a deal with my neighbours who really like cooking: I grow the food, they cook the food, we all eat the food! Then we all drink the elderflower wine
Alcina
G'day Alcina,
Welcome to the site!
If it's any consolation to you, Ive had a go at growing soy beans and even here in sunny Aus, haven't had much luck. I bought a bag (25kg) or roganic soy beans and used to make ny own tofu quite a bit. Yes it is a fair bit of mucking around but I am one of those "like to cook people" and found it great fun to do. I think the "Book of Tofu" has been reprinted and it is a great resource for making tofu, if you are interested.
Nev
Welcome to the site!
If it's any consolation to you, Ive had a go at growing soy beans and even here in sunny Aus, haven't had much luck. I bought a bag (25kg) or roganic soy beans and used to make ny own tofu quite a bit. Yes it is a fair bit of mucking around but I am one of those "like to cook people" and found it great fun to do. I think the "Book of Tofu" has been reprinted and it is a great resource for making tofu, if you are interested.
Nev
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wulf
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I was struggling with getting some tomatoes growing earlier in the year, apparently with very low germination rates (and then I didn't deal with most of those that did germinate so they got all leggy and then died).alcina wrote:With the second lot of soya I soaked them in camomile tea for a few hours and then chitted them in damp kitchen towel for a few days. About 50% of them germinated. Of that germinated 50% that then got planted only 40% have so far grown! With the next lot I reckon I'm going to let them chit longer so that they're practically full grown plants before I sow them!
In frustration, I chitted another batch from the same packet on a damp kitchen towel (just water - what benefit is the camomile tea meant to give?). I've actually now got about 30 decent seedlings coming along planted out in pots (a bush variety - since you're also in Lewisham, give me a shout if you want any of them).
What struck me (and was probably the cause of my earlier failures) was that they took a long time to start germinating (well over a week anyway... perhaps I'm just impatient!) and also that the germination rate was very varied. Since starting them off on 24 April, I've been pricking out small batches into newspaper pots at several intervals (starting on 4 May and most recently earlier this week) and finally discarded the last few seeds, some of which seemed totally inert and some of which were just beginning to sprout.
No wonder the results seemed disappointing when the growth was covered by earth! Still, I'm back to hoping for a good crop now!
Wulf
Welcome Alcina
Your germinating problems could just be because it's been a particularly cold, wet Spring. I always used to have problems getting beans to germinate (although I've never tried soya) until somesome told me to sow them on their sides, never upright, and voila, the problem was solved.
Try another sowing now it's a bit warmer (ha ha) and see what happens.
Your germinating problems could just be because it's been a particularly cold, wet Spring. I always used to have problems getting beans to germinate (although I've never tried soya) until somesome told me to sow them on their sides, never upright, and voila, the problem was solved.
Try another sowing now it's a bit warmer (ha ha) and see what happens.
Lanie
Live better for less
Live better for less
Tomatoes usually take about a week to germinate at 20-23C and most will come up within two weeks. Peppers tale a lot longer and like it warmer. The odd tomato will take longer, but in my experience they usually end up smaller and weaker plants as well. I surface sow my tomatoes and peppers, then you can see what's going on! Cooler temperatures will increase germination times.
I use camomile tea (without milk!) because it contains a natural fungicide which helps prevent damp off. Ever since I've used it instead of plain water on seeds and seedlings, I've not lost a single plant to damp off. Other causes yes, but not damp off! It's particularly useful for seeds that take a looooooong time to germinate as keeping them in a propagator without getting some sort of mould is really tricky! Some people claim the tannins etc. also help the seedlings - I don't know anything about that but hey...it works for me!
A variable germination rate sounds like old or badly stored seeds (seeds are often stored in appalling conditions in shops!). With the soya I don't know if it's just that soya is difficult (interesting that Wombat has also had problems, and he has ideal soya growing weather!), or if I have bad seeds or if it's just this 'specially bred' variety that is difficult! I've communicated with a number of American gardeners (where soya is often grown) on the subject and they all say that soya is a "cast iron, guaranteed crop!". I figure if I keep trying (I have a packet of 400 seeds!) I'll eventually work out the best way of starting the plants off! I'll be chitting more this weekend. I want sucessional crops anyway because the whole bush matures at the same time.
Hmm....tofu sounds like a lot of trouble - though as you can probably guess from my fondness of Chinese Takeaway, I'm actually quite a fan of tofu! I like soya beans cooked edamame style - pick them just before they're fully ripe. Boil them in their pods for 10 mins or so (never eat them raw!), put them in a dish and sprinkle on some salt, sit back with your favourite beverage and pop open the pods into your mouth. Yum yum. They can be frozen straight off the bush, and then cooked from frozen. I believe that not all soya beans are the edamame variety but fortunately I've been told this this 'British' variety (it's called 'Ustie') is indeed an edamame bean. This is the first year these soya beans have been sold and the Vegan Society is asking people to send in their experiences (I did a web search for 'ustie')...I'd be interested to know how other people have got on...hmmm...
Speaking of tomatoes and old seed....you can never tell! This Spring I dug out an old, half used packet of B&Q Value Seeds (39p) variety: Gardener's Delight (my favourite!). It was a couple of years past its sow by date. I thought "What the hell!" and just shoved the remains of the packet into a seed tray, expecting a somewhat reduced germination rate. I think I got 100% germination!
I have tomato plants coming out of my ears! I've been giving them away to friends and colleagues for the last few weeks! I still have loads - they're now in their pots on the patio and looking a little cramped. What ho!
Alcina
I use camomile tea (without milk!) because it contains a natural fungicide which helps prevent damp off. Ever since I've used it instead of plain water on seeds and seedlings, I've not lost a single plant to damp off. Other causes yes, but not damp off!
It's particularly useful for seeds that take a looooooong time to germinate as keeping them in a propagator without getting some sort of mould is really tricky! Some people claim the tannins etc. also help the seedlings - I don't know anything about that but hey...it works for me!A variable germination rate sounds like old or badly stored seeds (seeds are often stored in appalling conditions in shops!). With the soya I don't know if it's just that soya is difficult (interesting that Wombat has also had problems, and he has ideal soya growing weather!), or if I have bad seeds or if it's just this 'specially bred' variety that is difficult! I've communicated with a number of American gardeners (where soya is often grown) on the subject and they all say that soya is a "cast iron, guaranteed crop!". I figure if I keep trying (I have a packet of 400 seeds!) I'll eventually work out the best way of starting the plants off! I'll be chitting more this weekend. I want sucessional crops anyway because the whole bush matures at the same time.
Hmm....tofu sounds like a lot of trouble - though as you can probably guess from my fondness of Chinese Takeaway, I'm actually quite a fan of tofu! I like soya beans cooked edamame style - pick them just before they're fully ripe. Boil them in their pods for 10 mins or so (never eat them raw!), put them in a dish and sprinkle on some salt, sit back with your favourite beverage and pop open the pods into your mouth. Yum yum. They can be frozen straight off the bush, and then cooked from frozen. I believe that not all soya beans are the edamame variety but fortunately I've been told this this 'British' variety (it's called 'Ustie') is indeed an edamame bean. This is the first year these soya beans have been sold and the Vegan Society is asking people to send in their experiences (I did a web search for 'ustie')...I'd be interested to know how other people have got on...hmmm...
Speaking of tomatoes and old seed....you can never tell! This Spring I dug out an old, half used packet of B&Q Value Seeds (39p) variety: Gardener's Delight (my favourite!). It was a couple of years past its sow by date. I thought "What the hell!" and just shoved the remains of the packet into a seed tray, expecting a somewhat reduced germination rate. I think I got 100% germination!
I have tomato plants coming out of my ears! I've been giving them away to friends and colleagues for the last few weeks! I still have loads - they're now in their pots on the patio and looking a little cramped. What ho!Alcina
Ah..thanks for this. It's not the weather because I start them off indoors...but...I believe I have sown them upright - even the ones that I chitted first. This next batch I'm considering doing the kiddie way - blotting paper (actually can you still get that?) inside an old jar, with the beans wedged between the paper and the glass. If I put them in on their sides, hopefully the root will grow down and the shoot will grow up (if you chit them flat on a plate you're not quite sure which way the bean thinks is up!) and all will be well!! Good tip!couscous wrote:Welcome Alcina
Your germinating problems could just be because it's been a particularly cold, wet Spring. I always used to have problems getting beans to germinate (although I've never tried soya) until somesome told me to sow them on their sides, never upright, and voila, the problem was solved.
Try another sowing now it's a bit warmer (ha ha) and see what happens.
Alcina
I don't see why not! I used Sainsbury's tea bags as I don't have any camomile plants...but now you mention this idea, I think I'll get some! Cool! Very self-sufficient! Nothing "ish" about that!wulf wrote:So, self-sufficiently speaking, I wonder if I could make an infusion from my chamomile lawn? It's in a fledgling state this year but I'm hoping it will be abundantly verdant next year!
I think you trim the flowers off the plants and dry them, and then put a couple of tea spoons of the heads into a jug and add boiling water. Drink it hot, or let it go cold for use on seedlings!Alcina