Dee Haigh - Part 2

too darn hot

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

for any work down at my plot.

The grassy areas need strimming, though I did manage to do a little weeding before I collapsed with heat stroke while trying to avoid falling through the huge cracks that have appeared in my heavy clay soil through lack of rain.. Lol. Funny how this heat hasn’t stopped the weeds !

I have some casualties too.. My lettuce has bolted. There were only four left which succumbed to the heat over the weekend despite my efforts to try and shade them. Some of my second sowing of peas has pea moth – not sure how that happened as I usually manage to avoid them, it’s never been a problem in the past.. Also.. My plot has been invaded by black ants, zillions of the little sods.. I can cope with black fly even slugs but ants crawling over my veg really gives me the willies. My plot is one big ant hill at the moment..

And on a brighter note. Ta Da..

I have finally managed to grow fennel. Third time lucky!

This is colossus a bolt resistant variety from real seeds..

Yep.. I would agree with that, its doing really well despite the heat and lack of rain were having at the moment. I’m not counting the two minutes of drizzle we had yesterday..

I started these off in pots in April then planted out in June. In the past I sowed direct as per instructions and got nothing, zilch..

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I’m having a senior moment…

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Or two…

I thought I had 2 Mini Pumpkin plants growing away nicely at my plot , though, one is now looking suspiciously like a courgette plant. I planted them around the base of my sweetcorn where I thought they would sprawl gracefully along the ground. One of these is getting taller and wider by the day !

Hmm. Ok who switched labels ? Not guilty came the reply!

I grow verde di milano courgettes every year, only one, as they are so prolific.. This year my one and only courgette was killed by a beastie trampling on it and breaking the stem, though now I’m more inclined to think it was a size 10 boot taking a short cut over my plot.. Only time will tell just what I have planted next to my sweetcorn , did I sow two courgettes or could it be a Patti pan. I vaguely remember getting the seeds out then changing my mind..

I’m ignoring the fact that my Roma tomatoes that are growing up the black pole probably think its a bit too close for comfort..

Senior moment number two!

What the hell is this?

I’ve grown romanesco cauliflowers before so this year I thought I would try a new variety – Only three, then if they got the thumbs up from my family I would grow more next year..

Grown in 2007/2008

I’ve scrutinised the seed packet looked through my gardening books and googled images. Its supposed to be similar in size to a normal cauliflower low growing with similar planting distances – just like the one in the photo. So.. how come I’m growing a triffid ! They are planted with my cauliflowers with netting to keep the cabbage whites off – towering over my cauliflower’s and are at risk of breaking through the netting. Whatever they are, they will have to stay confined as I’m not risking having cauli’s infested with caterpillars – lord knows what I’ve sown

Senior moment number three

I haven’t grown these for a few years. I used to grow a couple of plants in hanging baskets at home. So why on earth did I sow and plant these out on my plot.? They are tumbler. Yep, they tumble down, they are not interested in climbing up the pole I put in for them. Hubs is not impressed as he was looking forward to the sweet million cherry tomatoes. He pointed out while watering that they were sprawling across the ground and not climbing the pole – whoops..

I’m off for a lay down now !!

Edited…

Doh..silly me… blushing… of course they are sunflowers..

My brain just didn’t make the connection. Sunflowers in my brassica bed was the last place I’d expect to see them. I’ve moved them to the back of my plot next to the two I have growing, though I’m not sure they will survive being transplanted. I usually pop a seed in the ground and water like Jack and the beanstalk – these now have a major sulk on after being moved..

Still.. its a mystery how they got there in the first place ?

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last of the rhubarb

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

This years rhubarb picking has come to a close .. I love my rhubarb its so versatile… early in the season I bake the first picking gently, with a little dark brown sugar – delish with yogurt..

Schnapps is excellent – if you use the small stems from champagne rhubarb, even better..

It’s super easy – fill a Kilner or similar a third full of chopped young pink rhubarb, add a couple of tablespoons of sugar and top up with vodka; leave 3 months or longer, giving it a good shake every so often.[A nice gift to give around crimbo time] I also make pies, yogurts crumbles.. etc.. and freeze some stalks for later in the year. This year I’m trying my hand at some rhubarb wine – more on that later!

When the stalks get older it’s time for jam and chutney. Rhubarb and ginger is a good one.. For the past few weeks I’ve been pulling and freezing in readiness for some jam making

The time to stop pulling it is when the first gooseberries are ready, around the end of June/July, this is when the acid is beginning to concentrate in the plant, leaving it bitter and unpalatable.
I use the leaves too – boil them up in water, strain, and use as a spray against black fly on broad beans and nasturtiums. Of coarse, they’re put on my compost heap too.

If your in need of some inspiration for recipes – Look here The frozen yoghurt’s divine!

See… such a versatile plant!