Thursday 28 June 2007

Runaway broad beans

We have a case of runaway broad beans. They are currently hiding under the three seat sofa and, ironically, I think there are three of them. At least there were when they escaped yesterday, by now they may be bred up their numbers, begun a colony and started accepting immigrants. Perhaps I should move the sofa and clean.

I was sat innocently shelling said beans at the coffee table while reading some back-blog (which always seem vaguely voyeuristic to me, but there are a few gems out there which I simply cannot resist) when a few sprightly ones made a break for it. Maybe I should pay more attention to the beans than the blogs, on the other hand, at least it did not involve sharp knives.

The ones that did not get away were delicious. I mean the beans of course, not the blogs

Meanwhile the tomatoes in the greenhouse have not yet turned red. We've had a couple of yellow ones but no reds yet. I was discussing this with my neighbour which whom I swap tomato seedlings every spring. We always grow different varieties and trade. Typically we always have too many and try to give each other more than we take, but such is gardening. Anyway, Sue informed me that the stripey green variety

stays.... you guessed it...green.

Oh.



So how on earth do I tell when it's ripe?
Help please.

4 comments:

Nazila Merati said...

It will get bigger and yield to the touch.

Funny thing, we have a rash of thefts in our allotments and one of the suggestions is to plant these types of green tomatoes and yellow tomatoes. I suppose they assume the thiefs are not heirloom tomato hounds and only go after typical varieties.

I like the zebras ect, but they don't beat a san marzano when it comes time for an insalata caprese.

No runner beans here (too stringy)! Just little bush filet beans. I need to plant another crop.

It is just getting nasty humid here. Very strange.

I'm actually thinking of coming to London in August, I hate it then, but I'm in the mood for some torture and cheese.

nm

Nazila Merati said...

God, that first sentence can be taken a lot of different ways.

Take it in the tomato way, please.

Kerrio said...

nm... thank you. I've had a shite week at work and that had me crying with laughter.

Especially when you consider it's read from email and then slightly out of context.....

PMSL.

Katherine and Pippa said...

erm Adrian is sh!t at gardening and even he knows the answer to this one....

Kate