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Showing posts from June, 2009

Red Sun Shallots ....

I planted 50 Shallots (Red Sun) on the 22nd February and I decided to harvest them today. I was going to wait but 1. I needed the room & 2. they looked ready! Just what to do with all these shallots. I might pickle some for presents. As the weather is dry and sunny tomorrow I can leave them outside to dry out. I'll then count them up!
I have managed to eat one courgette this week and lots more look promising for the next few day. This was from the plant my sister gave me as mine are still growing. I've been watering them like mad to get them going and it seems to be working! But sadly I think one bag of spuds has blight. I noticed a few leaves tonight had brown spots so I ran inside to check this out. I removed the leaves and hopefully the spores haven't reached the tubers. Damn, this was my best bag and just about to flower. Lets hope I got it wrong and they will survive, somehow I think not. Last night we had some baby carrots with dinner and fresh spinach. It bolted so I pulled the lot up and we managed to have enough for dinner, just! So I need to sow some more but it might get too hot and it will bolt again. Just have to take the chance I guess. Have a good weekend. Amanda x

Happy Fathers Day

I am a little later this year with my courgettes. Mainly because my first batch didn't germinate which was odd. Anyway my sister Danielle gave me this one until mine were ready but they are now catching up. So it looks like I'll be eating my first courgettes next week. Yesterday's strawberry fair in the village hall was good fun. I went along with Paula & Pat (her mum) and we had a cream tea and chatted to some friends. We bought lots of stuff from the gardening club stall and lots of bargains from the others including home made strawberry jam that Jack has just opened for his toast. He said it was delicious. And a Happy Fathers Day to Ian, Mike (my dad) and Derek (Ian's dad) x

What's for dinner?

After being in the office all day it was lovely walking around the garden this evening. I love this time of year when everything is growing in the veg patch. I decided to pull up a bunch of carrots to go with dinner. They were so sweet and fresh and some didn't make it into the pan. You may think it's not worth growing them as they take so long to mature and they are relatively cheap to buy in the supermarket. But you would be wrong and I think it is worth the wait! Once you have grown your own you will realise they taste like carrots and not bland like the ones in shops. I've added a photo of my new compost bin that I now use in the kitchen. I think it looks better on the work top than the blue plastic one!

It must be all the rain

The peas have gone mad! Whilst hobbling round the garden this morning I noticed they had grown so much and needed an extra support. Last year being new to all this I only grew 4 plants and this year I have two rows of about 20 plants. So should be a nice amount of peas in return. I haven't been out there for almost a week as I managed to twist my knee whilst weeding last Sunday night and tore a ligament! So I've been taking it easy and resting all week and I think it's now on the mend. So today I can admire the garden but not do anything to it. Have a great day. Amanda x

Sunday 7th June 2009 - first carrots

It's raining today so I popped into the garden in my pjs to dig up some fresh carrots to go with dinner! I sowed them on the 21st Feb and had thinned them out a couple of weeks ago. A couple have forked but I'm not looking for perfection just tasty fresh food for the kitchen. It's Iwade farmers market today so I'm going to pop round before 10am to get some lovely cakes and to catchup with a few people. No gardening today unless the rain stops.

Saturday

I thought I was going to have a nice relaxing day then remembered I had pre-booked my car service! An expensive morning so I won't dwell on that. I haven't done anything in the garden today as I felt like having an afternoon nap after the shock of the serivce bill and woke up at 4:30pm missing all of the afternoon! I haven't got much to do out there as I spent a lot of time last weekend weeding and sowing some more veggies. My peas are now flowering and I put in some more pea sticks for my second sowing. I hope to be eating them in a few weeks time. We have eaten all the raddishes and some salad and tomorrow we are going to eat my first carrots from this year with a home-made beef & ale casserole. The first two sacks of potatoes on the patio are about to flower with two more smaller bags started off now and sprouting. All the rain did the garden the world of good and saved me watering for a few days. Last weekend we had our first BBQ after cleaning it and painting the w