Comments on: Growing Fruit in England http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/growing-fruit-in-england Cooking - Photography & More Thu, 04 Dec 2008 06:41:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: miles http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/growing-fruit-in-england#comment-4983 Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:10:57 +0000 http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/growing-fruit-in-england#comment-4983 Cid, I heared about this lad a few weeks ago, good for him for doing it. I am quite a fan of urban gardening and self sufficiency even though I live in a village in the middle of the countryside! Miles Cid,
I heared about this lad a few weeks ago, good for him for doing it. I am quite a fan of urban gardening and self sufficiency even though I live in a village in the middle of the countryside!

Miles

]]> by: miles http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/growing-fruit-in-england#comment-4982 Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:08:47 +0000 http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/growing-fruit-in-england#comment-4982 Christine, An interesting point, I only remarked yesterday as to the shortage of bees this year and wasps though the latter is hardly a tradgedy. We can but plant bee attracting plants and herbs in the hope of attracting them. Miles Christine,
An interesting point, I only remarked yesterday as to the shortage of bees this year and wasps though the latter is hardly a tradgedy.
We can but plant bee attracting plants and herbs in the hope of attracting them.

Miles

]]> by: Cid http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/growing-fruit-in-england#comment-4972 Sun, 13 Jul 2008 09:57:54 +0000 http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/growing-fruit-in-england#comment-4972 Miles, I remember a few years back looking out of the window to see a swarm of bees swirling around the garden like a storm. They settled on my holly tree and there they stayed for a couple of hours. They looked and sounded like a menacing lot so I phoned a local bee association to ask for advice. The queen decided to leave but a few workers were left behind and the man told me after a couple of days they would die without the rest of the swarm. All in all I imagine bee keeping is not for the feint hearted and isn't as easy as it looks. Pity though because the bee hives look fabulous in any garden and are an essential part of pollination. A tv programme recently showed a young lad keeping bees on the roof terrace of his urban flat and they thrived so perhaps any of us could try. Cid p.s. I would be instantly recognisable with a multi crinolined affair from top to toe, draped with net curtain and hands protected with welding gloves :) Miles,

I remember a few years back looking out of the window to see a swarm of bees swirling around the garden like a storm. They settled on my holly tree and there they stayed for a couple of hours. They looked and sounded like a menacing lot so I phoned a local bee association to ask for advice. The queen decided to leave but a few workers were left behind and the man told me after a couple of days they would die without the rest of the swarm. All in all I imagine bee keeping is not for the feint hearted and isn’t as easy as it looks. Pity though because the bee hives look fabulous in any garden and are an essential part of pollination. A tv programme recently showed a young lad keeping bees on the roof terrace of his urban flat and they thrived so perhaps any of us could try.

Cid

p.s. I would be instantly recognisable with a multi crinolined affair from top to toe, draped with net curtain and hands protected with welding gloves :)

]]> by: Christine http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/growing-fruit-in-england#comment-4971 Sun, 13 Jul 2008 08:41:57 +0000 http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/growing-fruit-in-england#comment-4971 Miles My strawberries have not had much fruit so far. I have just heard from someone on the radio that they think it is all due to the cold and wet weeks and that the bees do not come out to pollinate in the wet. I recall that you mentioned the bees on an earlier blog and how important they are to us. Perhaps we need to think about having our own bee hives? Christine Miles
My strawberries have not had much fruit so far. I have just heard from someone on the radio that they think it is all due to the cold and wet weeks and that the bees do not come out to pollinate in the wet.
I recall that you mentioned the bees on an earlier blog and how important they are to us. Perhaps we need to think about having our own bee hives?

Christine

]]> by: miles http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/growing-fruit-in-england#comment-4967 Sat, 12 Jul 2008 22:16:36 +0000 http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/growing-fruit-in-england#comment-4967 Elsie, I've tried to identify it myself but cannot be certain as to the variety. I know it is still only mid-summer but my point is that without a prolonged period of sunshine the fruits will not develop their flavour. I don't doubt that the colour will change in due course but what will they taste like? Miles Elsie,
I’ve tried to identify it myself but cannot be certain as to the variety. I know it is still only mid-summer but my point is that without a prolonged period of sunshine the fruits will not develop their flavour. I don’t doubt that the colour will change in due course but what will they taste like?

Miles

]]> by: Elsie Nean http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/growing-fruit-in-england#comment-4965 Sat, 12 Jul 2008 18:56:38 +0000 http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/growing-fruit-in-england#comment-4965 Miles, I love cherries but find them incredibly expensive here. It will be interesting to hear how your cherries develop as I always feared of being too far north here. Do you know which cherry it is? Looking at your photo I am wondering if it is a Piedmont Cherry which, of course, is a light coloured one. Perhaps I am just hoping for you :). Elsie Miles,
I love cherries but find them incredibly expensive here. It will be interesting to hear how your cherries develop as I always feared of being too far north here. Do you know which cherry it is? Looking at your photo I am wondering if it is a Piedmont Cherry which, of course, is a light coloured one. Perhaps I am just hoping for you :) .
Elsie

]]> by: miles http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/growing-fruit-in-england#comment-4962 Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:10:26 +0000 http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/growing-fruit-in-england#comment-4962 Cid, You should taste the ones that have been delivered to my kitchen today-pass the sugar! Miles Cid,
You should taste the ones that have been delivered to my kitchen today-pass the sugar!

Miles

]]> by: Cid http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/growing-fruit-in-england#comment-4956 Sat, 12 Jul 2008 08:42:16 +0000 http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/growing-fruit-in-england#comment-4956 Miles, I don't know what sort of cherry tree I have here but it's more likely to be on the wild side. Nothing much seems to bother it and the birds take all the ripe cherries as soon as they appear and that's fine with me. I have cropped it in recent years and made jam, the flavour was good but there was more pip than fruit which was it's downfall in the end. Since I love mackerel and samphire (it's in my local shop now) and gooseberries, I shall look forward to that recipe. Cid p.s. my own recipe for stuffed gooseberries with mackerel and samphire is tedious but passes the time during the long, damp British summer :) Miles,

I don’t know what sort of cherry tree I have here but it’s more likely to be on the wild side. Nothing much seems to bother it and the birds take all the ripe cherries as soon as they appear and that’s fine with me. I have cropped it in recent years and made jam, the flavour was good but there was more pip than fruit which was it’s downfall in the end.

Since I love mackerel and samphire (it’s in my local shop now) and gooseberries, I shall look forward to that recipe.

Cid

p.s. my own recipe for stuffed gooseberries with mackerel and samphire is tedious but passes the time during the long, damp British summer :)

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