Tiny vegetable patch.

Jersey Royals

Today the weather was slightly warmer so i put my wellies on and planted a few Jersey Royals.

Sweetcorn

Sweetcorn

I would like to grow these again but unfortunately my little veg patch is not deep enough approx 10'' not allowing them enough room to grow. They reached a certain height then stopped growing.

Possibly it was the fact I was away for a week and they were not watered.

Next year I will re-think about what to plant.

The taste was lovely it very sweet and soft. Sadly I only picked two.

Tiny vegetable patch

Tiny vegetable patch.

In this patch I am waiting on 5 sweetcorn plants but unfortunately I do not think my soil is deep enough. They started well but seem to have stopped growing. The lettuce spring onions and beetroot and still growing as are the tomatoes.


Container veg garden.

Updated photo looking down the garden. I am now waiting on the peppers chillies and aubergines.

Tiny vegetable patch

Tiny vegetable patch

update on my vegetable patch. I would say this piece of ground is approx 5' x 9'

I have four sweetcorn growing to the right hand side of the photo.

three curly kale remain, I did have four.

The spinach has nearly gone I had four perpetual spinach and was able to supply two friends with this.

I have replanted lettuce and still have spring onions, a second lot of beetroot some rocket and tomatoes

In the pots I have some fig growing from seed.

Red onions

Red onions

Clodagh wants to say that she dug and lifted this onion all by herself.

Red onions.

Chris joins in.

I'll be leaving the red and white onions to dry in the sun for as long as possible weather permitting 7 - 10 days.

Red and white onions

Red and white onions

Planted 7 th October 2008. Taylor onion sets.

A few of the onions had gone brown at the tops were bending over and have been for a while. I had a go at pulling one, then next thing I knew I had pulled the whole lot of the white onions.

I read you can wait for the stems to go yellow then push over and leave the onions in the ground for a week or two, but then I have also read this could harbour disease.

I am going to leave these dry out for a week, weather permitting if the weather changes I will move the onions into the shed.

Later today when Clodagh comes we can pull the red onions.

Click on red and white onions photo link to see the sets that were used.

Mange tout

Mange tout

I thought I should post the photos of Mange tout that are growing in the back of my square foot garden.

They really are worth growing. You can pick and eat cold which I like doing while pottering in the garden I just wander over and pick and eat fresh.

Tonight I had this little lot stir fried with the spinach.

Tiny vegetable patch update.

Tiny vegetable patch

The onions seem to have been in for ages. I'm waiting for the stems to turn yellow. Click on photos to see clearer the mixed variety lettuce I have grown which turned out better than expected. It looks as good as in the supermarket only this is so much better.

Tiny vegetable patch

Perpetual spinach which I have not tasted, yet. I did try the kale, sauteed and was pleasantly surprised and will definitely be eating and growing again. It's quick to cook if you saute, tastes great and has to be good for you.

You may also make out the four sweet corn growing at the back right of the photo. I have Lisbon Spring onions which are in the separate photo with different varieties growing in containers.

The red and yellow onions are finally looking more like a regular onion rather than leeks.

I didn't think they were going to bulb out it seemed like they were getting thicker and fatter.

Today I pulled the beetroot and although smaller than I was initially expecting looking at pics on the Internet I realise they are fine.

Tomorrow I will make a beetroot and orange chutney. I need to buy two oranges and ONION (I could of planned this to use my own onions.) and some red wine vinegar.

I believe beetroot is good for cleansing the liver.

Curly Kale

Curly kale

I have just picked some of this Curly Kale which I have never tasted.

Mary a friend of mine who's Irish said she would have this, traditionally on Halloween. The Kale would be shredded into mashed potato then gifts would be buried or hidden in the mash.

Well, there is no point growing it, if I am not going to eat it, so tonight is the night. What an exciting life I lead.

Basically reading on the Internet it seems you can saute in butter and oil for 3-4 Min's adding garlic if you wish.

For tea tonight Chris is cooking Our home grown new potatoes, lamb steak, peas and gravy for him and lamb steak potatoes and Curly Kale for me.

I only have four of these Kale plants growing. If I like it I am going to make some potato cakes with kale added and freeze them. Similar to a fish cake.

My garden

A few photos to try and show the over all layout of our garden.


Container veg garden

A view up the garden path. To the right of the steps is where I have put the mini greenhouse. My square foot garden is just behind the free standing trellis you can see to the far right of this photo.


Container veg garden

The View up the lawn. With the Japanese Acer in the middle of the lawn.


Container veg garden

Looking down the lawn from my patio area. (the bottom of the lawn drops down a level) where I have the dwarf fruit trees and some container flowers and fruit bushes. I am thinking of moving the kiwi down here as I did not consider how quick it would grow and am loath to cut it at the moment. The problem will be how to go about lifting and carrying it without damaging the plant.


Tiny vegetable patch

Our first attempt at Jersey Royals.

Tiny vegetable patch

Chris doing his Percy Thrower impression lifting the Jersey Royals with Clodagh

Tiny vegetable patch

Tiny vegetable patch
In the pots I have alpine strawberries.

The onions to the left, were planted last year and I am waiting for the stalks to go yellow, then I will bend the stalk to the ground and leave before lifting.

To the back right are the potatoes I also have brocoli, beetroot, spring onion, perpetual spinach and something else of which I can't quite remember at the moment.

Square foot garden 4' x 2'

Square foot garden

Update on my square foot garden.

Front left are beetroot which appear to be doing great next to them are the lettuce then radish which have been lifted and replaced with the same and front right are spring onions.

Back left I have 1 x calabrese, in the next square I have 1 pepper and extra raddish, in the next square more lettuce, and far right I have Paris silverskin onions. small white pickling type.

Along the back I have mange tout.

I have pre-cut a larger 6 x 2' square foot garden to go in this spot next year

To see earlier posts click tag.

Chris has been dying to dig up the Jersey royals (the only interest he has taken in the veg) It must be a man thing, digging the spuds.

For a first attempt I am more than happy.

Had he of told me he was going to dig them I would of asked him to mind the spring onions that are just coming through, Yes he flattened them with his size 7 steel toecaps.

Fingers crossed they are resilient and wont suffer too much. The problem being the veg garden is so small we have no walking room.

Herbs

2 x mint

1 x french parsley

1 x curly parsley

1 x garlic chives

1 x golden thyme

1 x bayleaf.

1 x cress in the larger pot front left.

Container herbs

shop purchased herbs which I repotted.

Four cuttings taken from the parsley, chives and mint in the black pots on the steps.

Cucumber garden support trellis

CUCUMBER

Cucino F1 Hybrid

Container cucumber.

The challenge begins.

Cucumber support

I made the support using two lengths of wood purchased at B & Q which I was able to get cut in half, free of charge. (the first four cuts free)

Two hinges, three lengths for the supports which were each cut into three. I need to buy one more to add to the top of each side, if cucumbers reach the top!.

Cucumber trellis

Coloured with food dye I couldnt be bothered to paint and this idea was much quicker. Job to be completed.

I plan to plant soon into this container.

I should of got the smooth wood rather than rough.

In my opinion gardening is not cheap. I am on the hunt for pots and container freebies.

Container carrots.

Container carrots

I hope this attempt is better than my previous try.

Clodagh has great expectations.!

Click on tiny vegetable patch under the photos to see previous carrot attempt.