Sunday 12 June 2011

Vegged Out



Well, it's been blowing a gale here all afternoon, its been raining non-stop most of the day and we've turned the lights on already.

But it's good for the garden if not for our spirits.

And it's especially good for our vegetables.

I have noticed that on quite a few blogs that I follow there is a bit of show and tell going on regarding home grown produce, where some clever green-fingered bloggers are already tasting the fruits of their labours.

I've seen Courgettes.
Raspberries.
Redcurrants.
Strawberries mentioned.
Talk of beans even.

And I'm very impressed.
And a bit jealous I must admit.

There is nothing quite like growing your own fruit and veg and then having the thrill and satisfaction of picking and eating them.


We still have some way to go here for most things, although we have been happily chomping our way through homegrown spinach, swiss chard and two types of winter lettuce for the last few months.





But that is all coming to an end now, with the last of the bolted lettuce pulled up and strewn on the compost, and the same fate is shortly due for the now bolting spinach and swiss chard.

But we have had so much from them, and the last few leaves will not be wasted. We will definetely be growing them again next autumn.

Still, looking on the bright side,  we do have some shallots - I dug up lots of shallots a couple of days ago - a little early I think, as I read somewhere recently that they go in on the shortest day of the year and come out on the longest.

Anyway, as its been such a horrid wet day here, and I have neglected to update our veggie progress on my usual posts up until now,  I have had a play with Picasa and have put together a few photos.










So, even though at the moment there is nothing to eat from our garden except the last of the spinach, swiss chard, and the shallots, we do have high hopes of the following:

Tomatoes, now flowering, 4 varieties -  Golden Sunrise,Moneymaker,Oxheart,Red Cherry
Sweet Peppers, 2 varieties - Romano Mixed, Colour Spectrum
Chilli (Jalopeno) Pepper, flowering (sadly bought in, mine did not germinate)
Courgettes, lot of flowers/courgettes forming
Runner beans
Dwarf beans, flowering
Climbing French beans
Broad Beans, flowering
Cabbages - planted late autumn, hearting up nicely
Curly kale
Beetroot
Spring Onions
Peas - have tasted the first ones, more to come!
Sweet Corn
Rhubarb
Cucumbers - again, bought in, as didn't get round to sowing seed
Strawberries - but not really enough to even get a decent pudding from sadly - have been  totally neglected




We are also are now picking Basil and Coriander - must remember to sow some more, and to sow some more lettuce






But if this weather carries on, I think it will be a while before I sow those seeds, and a while before we'll be using our cheerful striped new directors chairs in the garden :(






Hope the weather has been better where you are.
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24 comments:

  1. Hi Gill, the weather has been truly awful here, too! Thanks for sharing those photos and information about your garden produce - it looks like you'll soon be enjoying the Good Life!

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  2. Homegrown produce?....I might have enough strawberries to fill one bowl!!! You, on the other hand have been highly productive! :) Liking those stripey chairs! Cx

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  3. Hello Gill:
    The UK does seem to be suffering some very bad weather at the moment and this does mean that making progress in the garden or vegetable plot is not so easy. Nevertheless, you do appear to us to have had an impressive range of produce already and there look to be plenty more goodies to come.

    Oh, the pots of fresh basil and early rhubarb. Absolutely wonderful. We are fortunate here in Budapest to have the most marvellous tomatoes but, if we had a vegetable garden, we should certainly wish to have our own tomato plants in England as the shop bought ones are generally without any taste.

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  4. You know, after a constant battle with slugs and snails last year I felt like I saw very little fruit for my labour so vowed to 'do' only flowers this year. I relented in a teeny way and planted some chilli seeds but they are struggling.

    I shall vicariously enjoy yours instead!! ;-)

    Hx

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  5. Thanks for your comments!
    That Fuzzy Feeling - Sorry to heat you've had this horrid weather too - I think it will be a few years yet before we achieve anything close to the Good Life, but its lovely to have a few homegrown veg!
    Catherine - that's a lot more than we have!!!
    Jane and Lance Hattatt - thank you for your kind words! The fresh basil and coriander are to die for! I love them! So far this week we've had foil baked salmon parcels sprinkled with lemon juice (from our own indoor lemon tree!)and fresh coriander; and Chicken in lemon sauce heavily laced with coriander again! The basil is awaiting some good tomatoes from the farm shop, but imported still probably - you are very lucky to have good ones to enjoy in Budapest!
    Gill x

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  6. Pink Milk - yes, we are fighting that same battle here, I understand how you feel - so far we are winning despite sometimes eating lacy swiss chard and spinach - famous last words I expect - that'll be the kiss of death for something I'm sure!
    Gill x

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  7. Well we should have known that the weather was just too good to be true. A few weeks ago we were marvelling that it was hotter here than in Spain! How quickly it can all change!
    You have been busy in the garden! Love those directors chairs!
    Have a good week - rain or no rain!
    June

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  8. Very wet wet wet in our neck of the woods too but to be honest I have enjoyed staying in watching the rain fall outside while being cosy inside.

    Love all the stuff you are growing!

    Leah x

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  9. My two waterbutts were all but dry until the downpour today which has successfully filled them both up, so, yes, just a little rain here in Cornwall too!
    Like you, veggies growing nicely but nothing quite ready to harvest yet, apart from Lulu's radish, she certainly has greenfingers! My strawberries flowered beautifully but I think the lack of rain has stunted the fruit growth, maybe today will make a difference.
    Loving those director's chairs, gorgeous stripes.
    Becky x

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  10. No, dreadful weather here too all day!!!
    Not much produce here either but it's on it's way.
    Love the new chairs let's hope there is some good weather for them to get used soon.
    Vivienne x

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  11. Thats a lot of veggies ! we just planted ours and hopefully it will be a good harvest.

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  12. Wow I love your chairs....thats a lot of lovely veggies! I hope they all grow well for your family!

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  13. You may not be able to enjoy the chairs once the veggies get producing, you'll be too busy picking and cooking!
    Enjoy the sun when it comes back.
    Lisa x

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  14. You are going to have a massive harvest if all your vegies grow! What a great amount of vegies. I'm very impressed. It's too cold here for much at the moment, I just have brocolli and brussell sprouts. In a month or two I'll get beans and peas going. It's so rewarding :)

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  15. OOOhh you make me feel like rushing out with a spade to immediately start digging over a plot. I think 'taste' is the key isn't it? So fed up of buying tasteless fruits and veg, although I'll hold off booking the lorries for when I harvest my potatoes!

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  16. The weather hasn't been any better here. I was hoping to get to the allotment yesterday but it rained none stop all day, and it was heavy too, so it will have done the allotment good, it really needed it. Looks like you'll be eating like a queen when you start harvesting. Our strawberries are producing steadily, Eleanor is having them with her breakfast every morning. Daniel has Extra Maths exam today (which he's not very confident about, there's only five people taking the exam as all the rest have dropped out), then he's only got Geography left which is a week on Friday. Good luck to Bella for this week's onslaught.

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  17. Hi Gill, I am so very jealous! Our winter garden is looking a little sad just now but hopefully with some sun forecast this week we might see some growth. I miss my summer garden - so much more variety. Enjoy all your lovely fresh goodies!! Love your new chairs too - gorgeous stripes. Take care.

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  18. Wowee Gill, you must have put hours and hours of work in to be growing all those! My apple tree is as far as I get with growing food.
    I'm fed up with the rain too. My poor roses hate it! Soggy blooms. :( Oh well, that's why the North West is so green I suppose!
    Love your stripey chairs.
    Jane x

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  19. Hi Gill,

    We had rain in Holland as well, but I was very happy with it. The ground in our garden felt like concrete and could really use some water.

    You have so much in your garden! I look forward to see what will come of it all. I have never tried cabbages before. Perhaps I should next year.

    Have a happy new week!

    Lieve groet, Madelief x

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  20. OMG, Gill, I CAN FINALLY COMMENT!!!Thanks to you ! I am oh so happy! I did what you said, clicked the keep signed in to no!
    Your so right on, how does that make sense!
    Oh your garden look awesome! Love the happy chairs too!
    xo
    gi gi

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  21. Hi Gill,
    Like you, I am still at the waiting stage with nothing much ready yet apart from a few lettuce and some rhubarb. Love the photo collages, they are very effective and the stripey chairs are perfect for summer.
    I have returned the compliment and given you an award over at my blog, I know you have had a few already so only if you would like it!

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  22. Wow Gill, that's an impressive list of veg! Love the new chairs and your veg collages, very nice! Put your feet up and have a cuppa. Love Linda x

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  23. Please can you tell me where you got those lovely stripe deckchairs from

    Thank you
    Rosa

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    Replies
    1. Hi Rosa, they came from good old B & Q a couple of years ago!

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Thanks for visiting and for taking the time to leave a comment - I love to read them!
Gill x