I've been quite interested in James Wong's "Home Grown Revolution" range from Sutton seeds. Lots of interesting and usual fruit and veg to try and grow. The other day I was feeling a little rash and ordered some things they had on special offer, one was 6 Chilean Guava plants for £10 (reduced down from £47.86).
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| Well packaged delivery |
They're meant to taste like a cross between a blueberry and a strawberry and grow much like a blueberry bush with berries that are meant to be good for eating fresh as well as drying and preserving. The plants turned up looking healthy and strong (although the delivery driver had left them in full sun so it was lucky I wasn't out for too long as they'd all be dead).
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| Already the potential for berries this autumn. |
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| How to ruin a perfectly good bucket... Er I mean pot |
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| Drainage holes drilled |
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| My mix for the plants 50-50 soil and compost with some wood ash and blood, fish and bone added for good measure |
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| Rocks and pebbles in the bottom of each "pot" for drainage |
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| Six "pots" ready to go |
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| Instructions |
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| Good roots on each plant, a little teasing of the roots out before they were planted, but I'm never sure if it makes much difference. |
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| Placed at the front of the house where there's a slight micro climate due to the south facing wall. |
I decided to plant them in pots as after dong some research on the plants, Suttons claim of them being tolerant down to minus 10 might be a little optimistic, so for the first few years they will over winter in the greenhouse to give them a little more protection, although I might leave one plant out and see how it fairs.
And as for the buckets rather than pots, it works out much cheaper than big pots (these were only one pound each) and they seem to last much longer than some pots you buy, as well as having carrying handles (compost womans suggestion from a while ago and it seems like a good idea).
Anyone else been trying new fruit or veg this year? There seems to be lots of interesting things about at the moment and I'm keen to try as many as possible.
