How are the veggies coming along?

[ARV]

2 hours ago, sime42 said:

Good crop of Szechuan peppercorns here this year.

Did you buy a bush, or grow from seed? I've got 6 or so plants in pots, grown from seed. Wondering how long it might be until they start fruiting?

[sime42]

Do your peppercorns need any more preparation than drying out and putting in a grinder 
think I would give them a go 
thanks 
 

I'm drying them out now, then I'll separate the husks from the shiny black seeds inside. It's only the husks that have the flavour apparently. I'll grind it all at once to make powder or otherwise just put them in a pepper grinder as you say.
It's probably an acquired taste but very moreish once you've got it!

[sime42]

Did you buy a bush, or grow from seed? I've got 6 or so plants in pots, grown from seed. Wondering how long it might be until they start fruiting?

I was given a very small plant, only about 6" high. My brother ordered it online somewhere. That was six or seven years ago, it's now grown into an 8 or 9 foot tree. Grows like stink! I think it first fruited 3 years ago, not many, but this year it was covered. They have large vicious thorns so picking is a bit perilous!

Where did you get your seeds from?

[ARV]

8 minutes ago, sime42 said:

I was given a very small plant, only about 6" high. My brother ordered it online somewhere. That was six or seven years ago, it's now grown into an 8 or 9 foot tree. Grows like stink! I think it first fruited 3 years ago, not many, but this year it was covered. They have large vicious thorns so picking is a bit perilous!

Where did you get your seeds from?

A friend has quite a few bushes on their farm (heron farm nr Honiton). I saved some seeds from them. Stuck them in the fridge for a month or so then potted them up.

The plants are 2yrs old and about 1.5ft tall.  

[sime42]

I'd not heard of Heron Farm, though I'm from down that way. Just looked them up. So they're making Szechuan Gin; interesting.

[ARV]

7 minutes ago, sime42 said:

I'd not heard of Heron Farm, though I'm from down that way. Just looked them up. So they're making Szechuan Gin; interesting.

It used to be Otter farm.

[Paul in the woods]

10 hours ago, sime42 said:

I'm drying them out now, then I'll separate the husks from the shiny black seeds inside. It's only the husks that have the flavour apparently. I'll grind it all at once to make powder or otherwise just put them in a pepper grinder as you say.
It's probably an acquired taste but very moreish once you've got it!

Do you use the powder much? I've grew a plant from seed about 10 years ago, it's been left in a small pot so has stayed small and fruits every year. (Probably flowered about 4 years after growing).

 

However, the fresh husks have always been a bit too stange for me to use, not just in flavour but in sensation. Must try them cooked.

 

I got my seeds from here but there's several different Zanthoxylums about :

Zanthoxylum schinifolium – The Agroforestry Research Trust

WWW.AGROFORESTRY.CO.UK

 

[sime42]

Do you use the powder much? I've grew a plant from seed about 10 years ago, it's been left in a small pot so has stayed small and fruits every year. (Probably flowered about 4 years after growing).
 
However, the fresh husks have always been a bit too stange for me to use, not just in flavour but in sensation. Must try them cooked.
 
I got my seeds from here but there's several different Zanthoxylums about :

Zanthoxylum schinifolium – The Agroforestry Research Trust

WWW.AGROFORESTRY.CO.UK  

I do use Szechuan quite a bit. We cook a lot of stir fry type dishes so normally chuck some in those. You can buy it in a liquid form; an oil infusion. We've always used that as never had enough homegrown seeds until now.

I know what you mean about the sensation, it is weird. It's all about the "Ma - La". I remember not liking it initially, but was encouraged to try again by my Mrs. I love it now. I think it's less harsh when cooked.

That Agroforestry place looks to be doing some good work. We need more of that kind of thing.

[Stere]

Just planted potatoes, 4 rows of charlotte as  they   normally seem to do well an taste better than some others.....

 

Might do 2 more rows of some different types as have space in the plot....

 

 

[David Cropper]

Planted three rows of red onions, Red Baron, this morning. Three rows of whites going in later this week, plus a few rows of red spuds, Dolmen de Bretagne,  Brittany red potatoes. Week or so later 3 rows of whites, Alouettes.