Henry Jabel

I had no idea they were edible. However it looks like this is the edible one https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahlia_coccinea
as it says it was 'used as a food source by the Aztecs'. So as most garden dahlias are hybrids that might explain why they are a bit hit and miss. I shall have to borrow a few from my customers to try.

I have bumped up the amount of artifacts I can pay for. However it was low because there was lots of uncertainty as I hadn't used Patreon before. There is 20% VAT (sales tax) on letting them fondle the money (which I really hope you can claw back somehow!). Plus I had some extra charges (from my bank) due to a Kickstarter, so I was overly cautious despite Patreon using Paypal.

I thought it was euphorbia too. If it bleeds a milky white sap when cut it definately is, though try not to get it on your skin as it can be irritating.

Its a little hard to tell from the photo but I think that is apple scab which is fungal issue. The best solution for apple scab is to grow a resistant variety. You can spray but something you want to do early on in the season. Ensuring good airflow and sunlight via pruning is also useful in preventing it.

Amiran Ó Floinn wrote:I hope they're visible.

That looks like its mainly ground elder , with some dandelion and possibly some daisy. Ground elder is a little.....persistant. It is edible but I can't say I have tried it. Unless you want to live with it I would work on removing that before you do anything else perhaps by covering the area, sheet mulching or even continous mowing until it gives up. As it spreads by rhizomes its quite difficult to remove from around plants you might want to establish at a later date.

Good news about buckwheat is once you have some established it self seeds again very easily.

Nicole Alderman wrote:
I've read it spreads a lot, and flowers a lot, but doesn't make much fruit. It's used more as an ornamental ground cover than as an edible, though it is edible.

Thats the problem when people buy plants for you and they have no idea what it is either, I though it was just not getting pollinated. Thank you

Depends who you know! My dad used to sell them to almost everyone at his office for £5 a go in the early 90's. He gave up as it was turning into a job!

We also used to have people come to our field and to shoot/ferret the wild ones. So I am sure some of those were being sold.

I think places that already serve other game and not rabbit would be worth asking to see if there is a potential local market for them. Maybe game is more popular down south?!

https://justseed.com

Have a good range of organic seeds, never had a problem with them and they are good value too.

I have Mary and Sunny as well as Lord (male). I also have conventional sea buckthorn which to be honest is pretty bad by comparison. Mary and sunny are quite sweet like a slightly sour orange juice. I have also noticed the named cultivars are ready way before the 'wild' version as well as being eaier to pick and tasting better.

I have heavy clay soil and they are growing just fine here! Perhaps the problem is the lack of moisture rather than the soil type?

This is still my favourite 'unusual' fruit but these are pretty good too:

Honeyberry:Blueberry like without the need for very acid soil
Japanese Wineberry:Raspberry like but sweeter.
Chuckleberry: A very productive large blackcurrant like fruit. Its a cross of several Ribes species.
Cultivated sea buckthorn varieties: Mary and Sunny are good, kind of like a sour orange juice. Much more palatable than the wild version.
Cornus Kousa:I think it tastes v good but the fruit is on the small side. I tried a customer's tree so wether my Chinesis variety will have larger fruit remains to be seen.
Aronia:Tastes nice to begin with but v astringent, goes well with other fruits and cream though. My Polish partner says the ones I have are much nicer than the wild ones in Poland so I would make sure to get a cultivar.

Here are some more I am looking into or waiting for them to fruit in my garden:

Luma apiculata: Chilean/Argentine Myrtle
Myrteola nummularia:Another Chilean/Argentine Myrtle
Serviceberry