In article , wrote:

We have had the best broad-bean tops ever (no blackfly!) and the best
spinach ever (cold and wet) and have had some strawberries. I don't
count rhubarb, as the deal is that I don't get given it :-)

You're not a fan? Shame. It's much more interesting than stewed apple.

Interesting and pleasant are orthogonal concepts!

I couldn't convince the boys that we should take the tops off the broad
beans (they have some on their own raised bed as well as the main ones)
as they wanted them to keep growing. We definitely have black fly on
some, but most of them are clear. It's always struck me as quite odd
how you get a patch of clean ones and then 1 or 2 coated in black in
the middle.

I take them off primarily to keep them shortish to reduce breakages
and encourage setting - despite belief, it doesn't help with blackfly.
The reason that they are so patchy is that the (flying adult) lands
or lays eggs (I am not sure which) and then they reproduce like mad
parthenogenically in a wingless form.

I really ought to grow spinach, I'm quite fond of it (much nicer than
lettuce, and I don't get complained at when I cook it, like I do with
lettuce - apparently frying lettuce in butter is a no-no!).

I succeed only one year in three - it can't stand dry weather.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.