I took some cuttings from an old shop-bought sweet potato a few weeks ago. They all seem to have rooted perfectly. Now I am not sure how to get them through the Winter. I think they will be coming into a cool conservatory to protect from frost, but not too warm so they get leggy. 
Q. What is the difference between brussels sprouts and bogeys?
I have a perfect selection of spicy salad leaves at the moment. This seems to be a mixture of mizuna, rocket, and mustard. All I need to do is hold a bunch and cut off at the base with a pair of scissors. There are no critters this time of year and most of the time they are so delicious that they do not make it all the way indoors and I have to cut a second lot.
I am so pleased with these Winter Density lettuce. Lovely dark green colour and as hardy as you like. So far it is too cold for slugs.
I strung up my chilllis this afternoon. Just a strong needle and some thread is needed. These are the Numex Twilight and Joes Long that I grew this Summer. They need to be dried off completely otherwise they will go mouldy. They need to be somewhere warm like an airing cupboard or over a radiator until they are completely dry, then they will keep forever. Very attractive - may hang up as Christmas decorations!
They say that horseradish roots go down about 6 feet! I'm not so sure that is far off the mark. It is fine to leave a patch of the stuff in a forgotten corner, it does not die - really! Abuse it all you like IT DOES NOT DIE. Having said that, it is wonderful stuff. My Mother told me that back in the 192os... when she was a little girl she used to have to grate the horseradish with a grater! Can you imagine the pain? Thank heavens for food processors.
I was thrilled today to see a decent sized parsnip. I waited till the first frost, after which the starch turns to sugar and they are much sweeter. I was so pleased because during the hot, dry Summer there were huge, deep cracks in the ground and I did not think they would do well. I think the secret must have been the big hole I forced with an iron bar into which to plant the seed. Lots and lots of mulch and tender loving care. Roast leg of lamb with roast veg tomorrow. Yum!
I dug up the remaining 4 sweet potato plants this morning. The tops had completely died back and I did not know how they would respond to this under the ground. The variety, Beauregard is a wonderful rich salmon colour inside and out. The taste is also superb.
I didn't have to go up as far North as New England to see the glorious Fall colors (aka Autumn Colours!) Stunning colour changes all over Virginia and Maryland.
Now where else in the world could I open the lid of a worm compost bin, stick my digital camera inside and take a photo? This is fantastic stuff! Almost good enough to eat. A few little critters lurking in the bottom left hand corner are coming up to say hello. I lead a sheltered life - I know, but this really lights my candle.
Does anyone have an idea what this is? Many were found lying on the ground under several trees in the Washington DC city centre. They are not fungus, they have a short stem and must have fallen from a tree. Inside looks rather like a breadfruit. Outside looks like a brain....
Yes! even the founder of the nation had a veggie garden. At Mount Vernon, 16 miles South of Washington DC GW was experimenting way back in the 1790s with soil fertility, and took a keen interest in fruit and vegetable growing.
My Sister has a loofah trailing all round the back of her house in Chesapeake Virginia. It is a member of the curcurbit family and the vines are self clinging - winding its way up the back of the house and all over the balcony. You can eat the little ones as a veggie, but if they grow up to be bath sized... You are supposed to wait until they turn yellow then leave them immersed in a bucket of water till all the flesh drops off and you are left with the scratchy thing for your back.
