Sharing the lurve with the VSP :)

[Hazel at the Hill]

It was like carrying a small child up from the bottom of the garden. I nearly dropped it at one point.

Bit worried about your parenting skills, NVG!!

[noviceveggrower]

Bit worried about your parenting skills, NVG!!

I have quite a good grip. Once I lock my fingers together around something I don't let go. Ask my kids when they are throwing a wobbly at me for what ever reason. Even if they are on the floor I just bend down, scoop them up and just walk with them.

[nellie-m]

Agree, NVG, much easier to carry a kid, as they've got two handles while a pumpkin has only one

Zelenina, I don't know the YP but I'd say simply give Beam's YP a try if you want a small yellow one. If you want one with really spectacular flavour I'd recommend "Vesennij Mieurinski", IIRC I sent some in for the VSP. Long trusses of small cocktail type red round fruit, really great flavour, addictive.

Info on Sarico's Italian varieties is available on the web but it helps if you can read Italian
The small ones are winter toms, grown without extra irrigation so they stay small, with a thick skin, and they are kept in a cool place for fresh use over winter. The Grappoli have a nice fruity flavour with some acidity, which I like. Their names indicate their regions of origin, which differ in soil conditions, climate etc so it's worth trying out several until you find the one that best fits your plot.

[Sarico]

i'm sorry to everyone... this year as been a lot of stuff going on at home so not much done in my first year at the allotment... i' have not been around for almost all summer on forum considered that my laptop had few problem and when was working was busy for my little princess watching thinker bell movie lol.... im happy that you had a good result with my friends seeds....not doing a lot on my plot i didnt manage to get any seeds from what i grew but i had a nice big courgette striato pugliese that overgrown and i try to get some seeds from it...

[Zelenina]

I don't know the YP but I'd say simply give Beam's YP a try if you want a small yellow one. If you want one with really spectacular flavour I'd recommend "Vesennij Mieurinski", IIRC I sent some in for the VSP. Long trusses of small cocktail type red round fruit, really great flavour, addictive.

Thanks nellie-m. I already had my eye on the VM because I read about them elsewhere but you've made me even more keen to try them. And I might try the Beam's YP as well to compare them with the ordinary YP.

Info on Sarico's Italian varieties is available on the web but it helps if you can read Italian

No, unfortunately I can read French and Slovak seed info reasonably well, Czech less well, but Italian has to be Garble translated.

The small ones are winter toms, grown without extra irrigation so they stay small, with a thick skin, and they are kept in a cool place for fresh use over winter. The Grappoli have a nice fruity flavour with some acidity, which I like. Their names indicate their regions of origin, which differ in soil conditions, climate etc so it's worth trying out several until you find the one that best fits your plot.

The winter toms could be very useful for me because I don't like them cooked in any form, which is the usual way of keeping them for the winter. I like some acidity combined with the sweetness too.

[Zelenina]

Hi Sarico. Did you hear your name mentioned? I'm glad that you're still around. Hope you have better luck with the garden next year. I'm looking forward to getting some of your interesting seeds from the VSP.

[Sarico]

Well next year will be better considered that the first one was like a trial but now I have a green house a netted cage for cabbage and family. 3 water butt (no water in there before and I have to bring big cans fron home) 3 compost bins ( now full so compost for next year ) and 12 4.8 beds. A lot of work for setting them up but worth it.

[nellie-m]

Well - now that the voting is over for this year's Vine Show, I feel I can post this picture here, too. Two really great courgette varieties from Sarico's friends that I got via the VSP. The "white" one's skin is so tender that you can hardly pick it without it getting scratched even if you're careful. San Pasquale is simply beautiful to look at, I'm considering both for next year's garden plan again.
Top: San Pasquale
Bottom: Lungo bianco

[Scarlet]

Scarlet rushes off to check the vsp.....

[nellie-m]

Do you like to eat bean pods? Stringless ones with good flavour?
Or do you like to eat fresh bean seeds?

If you ticked both boxes, then this might be a bean for you. I have grown it for at least fifteen years now, and I don't get tired of it.
Dwarf French bean "Hinrichs Riesen", a traditional East Friesian variety. No support needed. Stringless pods even when the seeds have already formed (I love them like that), so can be picked from very young and tender until they are just starting to turn yellow and develop their beautiful red speckles. Long flowering for an extended harvesting period so ideal for the gardener. I sow three batches in succession, starting at the end of April, and I actually picked the last pods today.

Edit: to avoid confusion, I didn't meant to say it's a shelling bean, but rather that the pods are nice even with large seeds inside, kind of more substantial...

Traditionally they are dried on strings inside the house for use in winter. Pods are then cut into small pieces, soaked, and cooked.
http://www.chefkoch.de/rezepte/18185...gt-Bohnen.html

[Zelenina]

Yes nellie, I ticked both boxes . I noticed those in the VSP and was curious about them. I've done my qualifying month now, and more than 50 posts, so I might try them.

You grow a lot of interesting varieties. Are you in Germany or Denmark? Rumtopfland could be either of them according to Wikipedia.

[nellie-m]

Germany. So I was a Germinator here at first but it didn't take long until I acclimatised somewhat...

[veggiechicken]

You should move to Brussels, now that you're a Sprouter

[Zelenina]

Germany. So I was a Germinator here at first but it didn't take long until I acclimatised somewhat...

I'll be doing some germinating next weekend in Frankfurt I wonder if there are any good seed shops there. I'm going to sample some Frankfurt apple wine for sure

[skeggijon]

I'd sample some frankfurters too