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Talkback: Lost crop of the Incas
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I have just joined the Heritage Seed Library and have received some Achocha seeds. Too late for sowing this year so I'm intrigued to read about what I can expect next year. My Lancashre Lad peas and Brighstone beans from HDRA are doing well :-)
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The melons seem to like it, but it was too much for the tomatoes which got totally swamped whilst I was away for a couple of weeks. I hope they are yummy, or I will be very sorry I planted them among other veg! Next year I may let them battle it out with the brambles, or iscolate them on the other side of the garden!
kill the lawn then till it in. Cover lawn with black plastic to rot grass, then till it in. scrape the grass off then till it.
It is true that just 2 plants will produce--if properly nurtured and given the right support and sunlight--over 200 units! I planted this year such amount, and it climbed from a supporting wall, to my arborvitae trees, hanging gracefully, spreading at least 20'.
It takes a very long growing season (started inside in March, planted in late April, developed until August, and started producing fruit up to late October) when I cut all of them, as a frost was coming.
The plant likes warm sunny days(24-28C), LOTS of water, compost and mulch; and can stand cool nights(down to 8C, but below 5C it collapses.
This schedule is for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The fruits grow up to 6" long and 3" wide, when they are best to eat and cook. Smaller units, may taste bitter. Generally, they are prepared as stuffed peppers, cut and cleaned as explained by Adam, and placed in a large pot, with little water (or better yet, tomato juice form the filling)and simmered slowly for 20 minutes until soft. Another way, is to place them similarly on a flat Pyrex casserole container, and add some mozarella cheese on top and baked them open for 25 minutes at 325F.
I have used onion, ground meat, herbs, raisins and lots of chopped fresh tomatoes to cook the stuffing on a pan. Then I place it on each raw caigua half until I stuff them all. They are delicious, as the skin is less dense than a pepper and have a special taste.
Caiguas are good to lower cholesterol among other benefits.
I got some seeds from Carrie Thomas at Touchwoodseeds email: [email protected]
i grown veg last year, i grown beans carrots and peas.i hope to grow lots more this year. do you have any advice for me on growing plants.
Your beans, carrots and peas were probably sown directly into the soil, but some crops are better started earlier indoors by sowing into small pots on a windowsill. Do you like tomatoes, sweetcorn, or marrows and courgettes? All of these can be raised indoors to plant out later in spring when the weather is warmer (usually towards the end of May).
Also Ben, do have a go growing potatoes in pots. You'll find lots of advice on how to do this on web sites.
Enjoy yourself, and have a productive year.
Haven't eaten any yet - here's hoping they are delish!