"Sue & Bob Hobden" wrote in message news:b7nb5h$2nvnn$1@ID-

.. They
must have plenty of water especially in the fortnight leading up to picking
or they will be mild tasting no matter what the variety.


Now thats something I didn't know - thanks for the tip. The generally
known stuff about watering suggests that holding back on the water now
and then will increase the heat, along with temperature increases etc.
Obviously up here can't compare to most other places in terms of
temperature (bar the last few weeks ), but my last-years plants
didn't start flowering till mid september, never mind harvesting them!

The greenhouse was full of ash this morning, and I've been out
fighting the biggest fire in Ayrshire today, near Darvel, so I'm tired
and going to bed.

Later

Dave