This is a very happy vegetable patch. It’s been thirsty for days although it’s been watered regularly. It’s been thirsting for real water straight from the sky. The clouds have happily obliged today which to be honest has been a relief all round.
The dry spell and sunshine is wonderful but it is tough on nature and brings back memories of our water shortages earlier this year. The time when we were running so low in our tank that we needed to get water delivered by tanker.
It’s an exciting experiment to be growing my vegetables to test things out before we make the leap to a full blown kitchen garden. So far so good. Well, except for the cucumber plants which to be frank I think should have been kept on the window sill for a while.
Anyway, I’m pleased with how things are starting to perk up and grow – the peas have sprouted, the tomatoes are on the rise and the cabbages and cauliflowers are looking well established. It’s hard to caputure all the plants so here’s a few different views!
Here’s looking north. I planted lettuces next to the beetroot on the left but they don’t seem to have taken which is a shame. I’ll probably try again.
To the left of this view the red cabbages are doing well. Might try pickling some as well as the red cabbage braised with apple and onion (delicious with duck!).
Looking south – you can see the carrots to the left and the peas in the middle. Leeks, cauliflowers and tomatoes look good from this direction.
The kiwi hedge is growing well although it has struggled against the grass and weeds recently so I’m sure that those minature trees were delighted to have be released after my marathon weeding and tidying up this week.
There’s a revival in vegetable growing going on. You don’t seem to be able to turn on the radio or TV without someone waxing lyrical. The NZ Gardener Magazine is really pushing grow your own. I like to think that I’m highly fashionable – which I’m not – but pleased to be joining the wave of people starting to go back to nature and grow your own food.
Now I wonder how my blog friends are going with their vegetable growing? Please do tell!
Looking fabulous! We’re watching our peas, tomatoes, strawberries, lettuces and spring onions grow by the day – with plenty of liberal hand watering! Just about to have our first ripe strawberry and better be quick before the birds get in! We’ve also go a ‘Swan Plant’ attracting lots of Monarch Butterflies and even saw a baby one today! However, if I see a white cabbage butterfly I send the girls out with their butterfly nets and a message to keep clear of the lettuces! Sarah x
Growing vegtables is such an exciting thing to do and you have a very interesting selection there. I gave up growing vegetables after the first few years beause legions of slugs would invade from the surrounding fields and munch their way through everything. Neighbours who are sucsessful with vegetables use slug pellets by the bucket load. Also having very little top soil made it a bit challenging. We did grow a good crop of marrows (that were meant to be courgettes) on a heap of well rotted manure given to me by a friend but there is a limit to the amount of marrow bake and marrow jam you can eat. A little more sucessful with fruit – apples, redcurrant, blackcurrants and raspberries. Chives, marjoram, sage, thyme, dill and rosemary also thrive.
We too love red cabbage cooked with apples and onions, I also add bacon pieces and cook it all in cider/wine vinegar with a spoonful of honey. I always cook loads because it freezes really well.
Julie your ‘patch’ it truly awesome. It makes me sooo jealous! You are going to have some of the most amazing produce xx