Monday, September 18

Harvesting when we can

At the moment we are not able to get to the plot and so any harvests are a bonus.

The only day we managed a visit was Monday and being unaware how the rest of the week was going to pan out we only harvested vegetables that we wanted to use and things that were likely to spoil if left another day or so.
Having had a similar problem getting to the plot last week meant that there were masses of sweet peas to pick. Vases of sweet smelling flowers were scattered in almost every room of the house. 

The apples in our harvest box were ones that had fallen off the trees.
The alpine strawberries had produced some decent sized fruits. These plants usually continue to produce a steady crop until the first frosts which in recent years has arrived at the beginning of November.

The rest of the harvest was from the garden. I haven't photographed the bits and pieces that were picked to eat straight away. 
The bunches of Himrod grapes growing in the garden greenhouse are never the perfect bunch shape as they are left to grow as nature intended and this is in no way detrimental to the taste.
We haven't photographed all the small harvests freshly picked to be eaten in lunchtime sandwiches but most days we pick something similar.

The aubergine is from Jackpot - a small growing variety. The fruits can either be harvested small or left to grow into a full sized fruit. Our plants are grown in our garden greenhouse.

We still have plenty of watercress. It's hard to believe that the mass of watercress in our pond was a tiny sprig only a few months ago. It has been severely cut back a few times as it as not only was it seeking pond dominance but also tried to head out of the pond.
The apples below were also windfalls but this time from the garden. They had fallen into the narrow gap between the greenhouse and a boundary fence and so it was quite a squeeze to get in and 'rescue' them.

Sweet peas were not the only cut flowers brought back from the plot.



36 comments:

  1. I'm envious of your Watercress, because my little tub-full has gone dormant.

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    1. Ours is taking over, Mark sp it will be interesting to see what happens to it over winter

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  2. I see you got some sweetcorn. We've only pulled one cob so far, delicious but not perfectly formed and maybe could do with a few more days of maturing..
    Hope all is well.

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    1. I just hope we can get to harvest the sweet corn, Belinda. I'm afraid things are less than well at the moment,

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  3. What fantastic cut flowers, they really are stunning. You've reminded me that I have a couple of little aubergines to pick. The plant was an impulse buy, but it's yielded a few small fruits. Loads of windfalls here as well, it's crumble every day!

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  4. It must smell heavenly in your home from all those wonderful sweet peas. Beautiful harvests, all of it!

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    1. It doesn't any longer, Michelle as all the vases have been emptied.

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  5. That watercress does look vigorous! I don't think I've ever seen it growing before. Beautiful flowers too.

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    1. It certainly is vigorous, Dave. I'm glad that we only threw a single sprig into the water.

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  6. Those grapes look lovely. It's amazing how watercress thrives in the smallest of spaces, I grew it in a container and it did so well.

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    1. Definitely something to repeat next year, Jo if the winter kills this lot off.

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  7. I hope that it's just the rain that's keeping you away from the plot Sue. That's a most attractive pink dahlia. Do you know its name?

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    1. The dahlia is Franz Kafka, Anna and it is very floriferous. I'm afraid the weather isn't the problem - if only!

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    2. Thanks Sue - I'll look out for that one next year. Sorry to hear to hear that there are other problems preventing you from visiting the plot xxx

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    3. Martyn isn’t allowed to drive at the moment for medical reasons and has also been unwell and I can’t drive due to eye problem. One of the disadvantahes of a plot that is a few miles from home.

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  8. Wow, whenever I'm here I always love to look at harvest photos! Incredible views! The last one, pink-purple bouquet is beautiful, I'd love to have such bouquet on my table :)

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    1. I liked the colour combination too, Dewberry.

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  9. I bet your car smelled amazing on the way home with the sweet peas, and they look so pretty too.

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  10. Ah, you have me missing my sweet peas so much! They were knocked out by July's heat wave and are a distant memory, though I did save a bunch of seed for next year.I can only imagine how wonderful your house smells. Have a great week.

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    1. I think they may be the last lot, Lexa as we can't get to the plot to pick any more,

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  11. Wow, I just LOVE all your beautiful harvest images!!! The flowers are amazing. Keep enjoying it:)
    Henry

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  12. Lovely harvests, Sue - those grapes look perfect to me. Green are my favourite.

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    1. What the bunches lack in shape they make up for in flavour, Margaret.

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    2. Your flowers are amazing! What do you do to store the occasional carrot? Mine get rubbery rather quickly. I'm always so impressed with how well you manage your garden.

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    3. We dig carrots and parsnip for the week as we want them, Bonnie. They are brought home and left in a bucket outside. If they are very dirty they are given a scrub under cold water at the allotment first.

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  13. My sweet peas are finished now, Sue, I have enjoyed having the house full of them. The watercress I grew in a tub which has done really well for a couple of years got overshadowed by the tree and a big clump of comfrey this year and didn't grow back.

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    1. I’m not sure what I state our sweet pleas are in, Margaret as we have managed to get to the plot this week at all.

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  14. Your house must smell heavenly. Those grapes look so juicy! How wonderful to harvest strawberries up until the first frosts. My watercress is a thug, just like yours, it tries to grow everywhere too.xxx

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    1. The sweet peas are in the garden waste bin now, Dina"

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  15. Such a lovely harvest! Amazing grapes harvest!

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  16. Lots of watercress, I have to keep cutting mine back but it's so nice fresh.
    Grapes look good too. All of it looks good.
    Have you considered getting a bike to get to the plot? you can get trailers for them too.

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