Winter plantings

The winter veggies are coming along briliantly. I’ve been MIA this week because P has been overseas, so I’ve been flying solo with the kids. Today I took some time to wander about and take some photos of the developing garden.

Checking the progress in the morning light

The edamame (soybeans) were planted a little bit too late, but they are just about to crop now. They are slowly filling their little pods, so I’m keeping the water up to them generously, and I love to head out early in the morning to check on their progress while the bright morning sun renders them almost transparent. Next year I hope to put in much more of these, because they are fabulous for freezing. You just blanch them briefly in boiling salted water, then chill in a water bath and freeze. J loves to eat them by popping them out of their shells methodically, then eating all the beans at once – shoving them all into her mouth at the same time like a little piggy.

Emerging broad beans

Most of the summer plantings are finishing now. The weather has turned, so I’ve pulled out the tomatoes and the broad beans have taken their place. I sowed these a week ago, and they’ve just popped up their heads, and I hold great hopes for abundant crops in a few months time. Broad beans are just the most delicious things, and they keep J entertained for the longest time, shelling them for me while I prepare the rest of dinner.

Greenfeast pea seedling

The front garden bed continues to confound the neighbourhood, but it is absolutely roaring ahead. The winter veggies love the complete full sun from dawn till dusk. The greenfeast peas have shot up through the soil, and I love the way that the dew shimmers on the leaves in the early morning. I planted quite a number of these, and I hope we get enough pods to freeze a reasonable amount. I’m thinking I might have to make a successive planting of these in another week or so.

Marigold seedling

I scattered a whole packet of marigold seeds along the front bed, not expecting many to germinate because of the thick mulch. Surprisingly, quite a number of them have, and I have heaps (probably at least 100) of the little guys randomly scattered thoughout the veggies. I think I’m going to have to thin them – after all – marigolds don’t taste real nice 🙂

Garlic under the roses

I called the Diggers Club about my missing garlic and seeds. Thankfully they believed me that they hadn’t arrived, so they said that they would re-send them. In the meantime I have planted some of the organic garlic that I ordered from Lettuce Deliver. I’ve planted these under the roses, and they’ve sprung up really well. Once my proper delivery arrives I’ll probably have just enough to go under all of the roses, and I look forward to making garlic braids and hanging them to dry.

munched cabbage

I’ve been quite busy hunting cabbage moth caterpillars. They have been monstering my cabbages, broccoli and cauliflower, but I’ve managed to keep them at bay simply by the hunt and squash method. It seems that whenever I peer out at the garden bed I see the little flutter of white wings mocking me, but I’ll tell you, sweetheart – I’m winning this battle! In the photo on the right you can see the most savaged cabbage specimen. I think this one is actually the victim of snails, because I haven’t been able to find any caterpillars on it. I’m loathe to use snail pellets though, so I’ll see how it goes.

Mini wombok cabbages

My mini wombok cabbages are just amazing! They are very attractive to the cabbage moth, but I’ve kept on top of it, and these things grow like the wind! They are hearting up really really nicely, and I imagine I’ll be picking them in a few weeks, which will give the broccoli and cauliflowers either side of them a bit more room to spread out. I’ve put heaps of them in, so I think I’ll have to find a really good kimchi recipe to use it and preserve it. Maybe also some cabbage dumplings and sauerkraut – can you use chinese cabbage for sauerkraut?