Grow Your Own Magazine

We pulled a number of carrotts late Friday afternoon (our first of the season) in preperation for a family meal today.We went to the cupdoard where we were storing them this morning and they feel very rubbery and look very limp.Has anyone any idea in what we may have done wrong? We had hoped that they might last a little longer.Any suggestions out there?

Whenever I pick any veg (carrots, lettuce, chard, peas etc) I wash it straight away and put in the fridge. With the carrots I would have chopped off the big leafy bits leaving a couple of centimetres green then put into either a plastic tupperware type container with a lid or a pyrex glass dish with a lid.

Pyrex dish with lid keeps lettuce really fresh and is a good tip!!!!

Don't forget your lovely veggies are not pumped full of chemicals and gases and pesticides etc etc so will not keep as well as supermarket stuff

Many thanks.We will pick daily from now on and enjoy the freshness with no nasty chemicals.I better get back down there and pull a few more!

Hi LL! Its a super feeling to be able to go and pick your "own grown" veg just before a meal isn't it? I went round the veg section in Tesco yesterday saying to myself "don't need that, can pick my own, don't need that, can pick my own, don't need that, can pick my own......."! dexterdog

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

Lamb is nearly ready,made our own mint sauce,cooking own spuds,leeks,carrotts,french beans, peas and courgettes flavouring with our own garlic. Planted a vine earlier this year so maybe our own wine one day!

Hello Limbury Lad,for things like your carrot, tunip, peas, leek and beans, prepare them for use, spread them on a tray, pop them in the freezer and cook from frozen - garden fresh. Or for longer term storage , once frozen, put them in a bag or box in the freezer. They will keep for several months no problem.

I did that but wanted to tell someone in the shop! Was worried when I got the cash desk that folk thought I was very unhealthy with no greens etc. Is there a badge we can wear ?

I know..it's the looks you get too when you buy the gin and vodka in several 1.5 litre bottles! Esp when it's the second or third time you've done it. I need badge saying something like "rhubarb schnapps factory"

We had lunch from the garden yesterday - all except the Lamb - cauliflower cheese, peas, pots and rather 'rude' carrots! - you can't buy rude carrots at the supermarket, shopping is suddenly looking very boring!!

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How can a woman be expected to be happy with a man who insists on treating her as if she were a perfectly normal human being.”

Hi Limbury Lad, you can store carrots in a tray of damp sand & they will stay quite fresh, I did this a couple of years ago & they lasted for a few weeks, not got any to store at all this year though as mine were rubbish!

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Into every life a little rain must fall.

Thanks for all the tips and hints.Nicos it might be best if you use a few shops to buy your alcohol from in future as you won't get the knowing looks from the checkout staff.Trust me it works! (hic)