I can’t believe how quickly this year seems to be speeding along, it doesn’t seem five minutes since we were planning our vegetable garden for this year, what seeds, where, which ones? Of course time doesn’t go any quicker, it just seems that way, an inevitability when you spend your entire spring, summer and autumn in the garden watching every plant do it’s thing, egging it on to grow, flower and fruit. Before you know it, it’s time to clear the ground and prepare for next season. I’ve concluded that if time is going to pass me by at a faster rate, then as long as it’s because I’m enjoying my garden then I’m happy!
Done and dusted are the garlic bulbs and peas, sowing early has certainly worked really well for us this planting season. We were determined not to come unstuck this year, water is really difficult to come by during the summer and inevitably the longer you leave before sowing then the longer into the hot summer it will be before harvesting and that’s where the problems come in. If we’re lucky then simple lack of water pressure is actually a positive for us, at least it means we still have some available water at the lowest point in the garden, thank goodness we placed a tap there. It’s a long slog up and down the garden using a watering can but as long as the plants are getting an adequate drink then we can survive sprinkler-less for a few weeks in the hottest months and, logically, the less vegetables we have to water come that time, the better.
We’ve lifted some potatoes already just to be nosy (I’m an impatient gardener just in case you hadn’t already worked that out!) and they’re looking and tasting really great, even Bessie can vouch for them! I can feel a caption for an advert coming on…! We’re relieved that the Colorado Beetle were fewer in numbers this year, they caused us very few problems. Our concerns were raised though when potato blight appeared to rear it’s ugly head but thankfully there have been few issues with this and the potatoes are good and big so perhaps it wasn’t that after all and just something similar. The early heavy rains that fell this spring have made a huge difference to the size and quality of the potatoes, a relief after last years sorry effort.
At long last I was able to make my gooseberry crumble, I was beginning to think that they would never ripen! They weren’t huge in number but when teamed with some white raspberries (which were incredibly sweet by the way) and red currants, we had more than enough for an adequately scrummy crumble, yum!
The beans have been plentiful and our gamble to plant them early has really paid off. One more picking mid-week and the French beans will be finished. We’re particularly pleased with the runner beans this year, again it won’t be long and they’ll all be out of the garden and into the freezer, it’s filling up fast!
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Wow, you really do have green fingers. Congrats on your fresh produce
So what have you made with all that so far?
The beans and peas have all been frozen for the winter months we prefer them with mashed potatoes and gravy in the colder weather, I’m a true Brit as far as that is concerned!
The garlic is drying and I just love it, we have it in pretty much everything. I’ve recently found some thick yoghurt so I’ll be having a go at making a Greek Tzatziki dip, I’m hoping the Bulgarian yoghurt will be good enough for the recipe. We have made lots of fruit pies and jams, all the fruits have pretty much finished now apart from the choke berries, but I’m now experimenting with relishes and zucchini jam!
I am so jealous. I miss the picking and eating of food that I have personally grown. I know I have to bide my time and that option will come back to me, but for now I’m relying on good friends who grow their own food.
So pleased that early planting paid off for you. Certainly potatoes and beans love the wetter weather and really rely on that to put on size. Hopefully this will be an option to you again next year.
Enjoying your garden with you.
Kate
Thank you Kate. It must be difficult for you to adapt when you have been used to having a garden of your own, it’s great that you have friends who let you sample their homegrown fare though. We will definitely use the same planting methods next year, they have worked really well, of course the early rain did us enormous favours this year, however we still think that planting early is the best option. The beans are finished and we’ll be lifting all the potatoes soon, I can’t wait to see if they have increased in size any more!
They all look so healthy
Thank you, we’re so pleased with everything this year, the peppers are a little slow but otherwise it’s all an improvement on last year. We’re learning!
yes they look like happy plants