Archive for July, 2006

Yes - we have some vegetables

July 30, 2006 at 9:38 pm · Filed under Beans, Brassicas, Greenhouse, Uncategorized

Still pretty sunny, though we’ve had some showers and the temperature has dropped during the last couple of days. The showers meant that I didn’t have to use the hosepipe every night though.

Today was a big harvest day for our meal tonight, so this is what we collected:

Peas - supposed to be mangetout, but most  had been left too long so had to be podded

French Beans - some getting rather too big, but about a pound or so of these

Runner Beans - again, some which were quite old and so a bit stringy, at least a pound of these probably close to 2 lbs

Carrots - several, only about3 or 4 inches long for the longest and a bit affected by carrot root fly I think.

Broccoli - several heads, not very big though (how do commercial growers get such big heads of broccoli?)

Most of the above wnet into a stir-fry with noodles and chicken. Some of the beans are left over - probably to be frozen.

In addition to all the above, the brambles (blackberries to you southerners), are ripening fast and I picked around a pound from our hedges without even having to stretch much.

And of course the tomato plants are producing several ripe tomatoes every day as well - mostly from the greenhouse plants. Soon there will be a massive number ripening - even the plants outside are producing now as a result of the sunshine - but I shouldn’t complain….

The rows of mixed leaves and rocket that were planted first have been pulled up and added to the compost - the newer rows are just about ready but are being attacked by something - probably caterpillars.

Also, I’ve started to clear the weeds from the patch where the broad beans were now, so hopefully can get something planted there soon.

Some of the brassicas are being attacked by caterpillars I suspect, mostly the brussels sprouts curiously, but they should survive.

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Broad Beans - for you the growing is over!

July 23, 2006 at 11:17 pm · Filed under Beans, Brassicas, Greenhouse

Yes - the last harvest from the broad beans today and they have all been pulled up now. The beans harvested weren’t all in the best of conditions though and many have had to be ’shelled’ post-cooking as the skins are so tough.

The end of the broad beasn

The end of the broad beans - waiting for the compost bin

The next question is what to plant in place of the beans? I have some spinach and beetroot that may be worth trying, and some more salad leaves but I’m still considering the situation.

Meanwhile, the weather has been hot and sunny, apart from yesterday when we had some serious thundery rain, so no need for the hosepipe in the garden tonight.

We all had to pitch in to harvest the blackcurrants during the last couple of days - and they are already being used to make ‘yoghurt ice-cream’. I guess we must have had several pounds from 5 bushes (they are reaching the end of their productive life though).

Blackcurrant harvest

The last batch of blackcurrants harvested today

More harvesting - tomatoes (mostly olive type), french beans, runner beans and some broccoli today.

Brocolli and beans harvest

Broccoli and runner beans harvest

The cabbage look like they are nearly ready, some broccoli (see above) and the brussels plants are big but no sign of sprouts yet.

Meanwhile, almost all of the lettuce are bolting but there are still leaves that can be used and the new seedlings are nearly ready to be planted out so there shouldn’t be much of a hiatus (and the guinea pigs are still enjoying lots of lettuce).

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Harvesting & The Heatwave

July 18, 2006 at 11:55 pm · Filed under Beans, Greenhouse

Phew what a scorcher! we had 32degC today and more predicted for tomorrow. All this means watering - gallons each night just for the tomatoes in the growbags, which seem to just about run dry each day no matter how much I give them. Still it’s fun to see how many startled frogs and toads appear out of the holes each night, and one smooth newt tonight - they think the nice damp spots in the growbags are wonderful until suddenly they get watered!

Some tomatoes are now ripe enough to eat - we had three in our salad the other day and we had four miniature carrots! However, lots of the lettuces have decided it’s a good time to flower, which is fine for the guinea pigs who like the tops but not so good for our consumption. The lollo rosso seem the most resistant. New seedlings are already well up in the greenhouse so should be ready for planting out in a week or so. We are still finishing off the cold broad beans in our salads and there is still a good harvest to go - though some of the plants are looking a bit sad now. It’s almost time to consider what I grow in the place of the broad beans.

French beans and broad beans prepared

Prepared french and broad beans ready for cooking last weekend - very tasty!

The runners are flowering like mad and there are already beans ready to pick, but soon it will be a real glut, provided I can keep them supplied with water.

The peas I planted a week or so ago are well up now and almost ready to go in. The radishes are well up (outside) as well but I really must plant some more rocket and salad leaves as all the rest are flowering now - though there are still leaves suitable for harvesting.

We will all have to pitch in for a session of blackcurrant picking this week - they are ready (see garden map for location) and we need to get them picked before the birds find them. Usually they go to make blackcurrant ice-cream - very nice it is too.

There are now recognisable peppers in the greenhouse - they are chilli variety, the bell peppers are still rather minute.

And the hedges still need cutting (again)….

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We aren’t the only ones enjoying the produce….

July 12, 2006 at 11:42 pm · Filed under Beans, Brassicas, Greenhouse

Well - now we are back to hot sunshine again so it needs a few gallons of watering each evening to keep the greenhouse and growbag plants (and hanging baskets) going.

We are still working our way through the lettuce - though one or two are ‘bolting’ now - still they provide extra greens for the guinea pigs so they aren’t wasted.

 

Lollo Rosso lettuce

Lollo Rosso Lettuce - eaten shortly later….

The radishes are producing - well some of them at least and the rocket and ‘mixed leaves’ have come on so much that they are flowering now - so a new row of mixed leaves has been planted and I’ll plant some more rocket as soon as I can.

Radishes

Some of the radishes - two are ok, but one certainly isn’t!

The broad beans are producing tasty beans which we eat hot with hot dinners and cold with salads - though I’m still fighting off the aphids.

Broad beans and pods

Our first picking of broad beans - about 10 days ago actually

However, a couple of weeks ago I noticed some holes in the leaves of tomatoes and peppers in the greenhouse which puzzled me. Then a couple days later I noticed that the remaining brassicas in the greenhouse were extremely ‘chewed’ and on closer examination I found the culprits - caterpillars (see below). So after examination of the ‘butterfly’ book they have been identified as from ’small white’ (sometimes called ‘cabbage white’ because of their fondness for brassicas). Up to now, I have found and removed about twenty from the greenhouse. They haven’t affected the peppers much though and small peppers are already to be seen on the plants.

Caterpillar

‘Small white’ caterpillar from greenhouse

More lettuces and peas have been planted in the greenhouse so we’ll see how they come on.

Meanwhile the hedges are growing……

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