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British farmers turning to exotic crops

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  • #1

    British farmers turning to exotic crops

    From bananas to tea to chillies, many UK producers have turned to plants commonly grown in warmer climates
    The British farmers growing exotic crops | Life and style | The Guardian

    It's about time. Things like tea are fully hardy can be easily grown in our climate. I'm curious about the bananas though, what species they're trialling and how they're growing them - under cover, with or without heating, as diebacks or keeping the trunks perennial?
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  • #2
    I notice all the farms growing 'Exotic crops' are in Devon and Cornwall - hardly the average UK climate is it.

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    • #3
      And using polytunnels

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      • #4
        I have a coffee plant in my kitchen. Not holding my breath waiting for beans, but its a nice houseplant

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        • #5
          We could do with growing melon boats
          Its Grand to be Daft...

          https://www.youtube.com/user/beauchief1?feature=mhee

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          • #6
            Originally posted by otorongo View Post
            Things like tea are fully hardy can be easily grown in our climate.
            If it was that easy, we'd all be doing it.

            tea grows best in regions which enjoy a warm, humid climate with rainfall of at least 100-200 cm a year. Ideally, it likes deep, light, acidic and well-drained soil.
            All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by otorongo View Post
              Things like tea are fully hardy can be easily grown in our climate.
              If it was that easy, we'd all be doing it.

              tea grows best in regions which enjoy a warm, humid climate with rainfall of at least 100-200 cm a year. Ideally, it likes deep, light, acidic and well-drained soil.
              All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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              • #8
                I remember seeing a program some time ago may have been Countryfile where they visited a tea plantation down south. They didn't say whether it was commercially viable though.

                Colin
                Potty by name Potty by nature.

                By appointment of VeggieChicken Member of the Nutters club.


                We hang petty thieves and appoint great ones to public office.

                Aesop 620BC-560BC

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                • #9
                  Yep its the Tregothnan Estate commercial tea plantation in Cornwall.

                  First production 2005.

                  Colin
                  Potty by name Potty by nature.

                  By appointment of VeggieChicken Member of the Nutters club.


                  We hang petty thieves and appoint great ones to public office.

                  Aesop 620BC-560BC

                  sigpic

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                  • #10
                    I used to have a tea plant...really nice evergreen shrub. Grew it in a pot, it did really well and was fine outside all year, I gave it to a friend when I moved house.
                    Nestled somewhere in the Cambridgeshire Fens. Good soil, strong winds and 4 Giant Puffballs! https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...lies/smile.gif
                    Always aim for the best result possible not the best possible result                     https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ilies/wink.gif
                    Forever indebted to Potstubsdustbins https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...lies/smile.gif

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                    • #11
                      Most of us could grow a tea plant in a pot, which can be moved around to suit conditions but ... it's really only Devon & Cornwall that have enough warmth & rain for commercial scale growing (and the Cornish tea is VERY expensive).
                      All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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                      • #12
                        Well it's fully hardy in most of the UK and you only use the leaves; I would assume heat is not as crucial as it is for fruit crops but I may be wrong.

                        Cornwall gets mild winters, but rather cool summers. SE England summers (= growing season) are warmer, and the winters (= dormant season) are still warm enough not to kill tea plants. So it would seem SE England is better for tea production than Cornwall.

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                        • #13
                          i want to grow rice ... gotta love a rice pudding ....
                          http://MeAndMyVeggies.blogspot.com

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