For one reason and another I haven't had much time to write a post ready for Harvest Monday.
As we have been gathering very small harvests, I have been combining harvest reports with weekly updates of how things are progressing on our allotment plot. I'll, hopefully, write a plot update later in the week but I couldn't let Harvest Monday pass by without mentioning the rather special harvest last week.
We did in fact have three firsts of the year.
We picked the first lettuce - Salad Bowl - and the first few radishes - French Breakfast - from a couple of the growing bags.
However, the star harvest has to be our first strawberries.
We picked the first lot on the 31 May which I think is the earliest strawberry harvest that we have ever managed.
Then on Sunday we picked more.
The punnet on the left are Cupid. We were rather worried that we wouldn't have any strawberries until the late Malwinas fruited as these are the only plants that seem to be growing well. The Malwina plants are on the right of the photo below and Cupid are on the left. Our other plants seem to have suffered from the cold and wet early spring and then the lack of rain and sun baked soil.
The other punnet from the Sunday harvest came from our other strawberry bed.
The strawberries picked from this bed were a mixture of Royal Sovereign, Elsanta and Cambridge Favourite. Due to such slim pickings we have decided that there is no point recording the harvest from each variety separately.
To be honest the flavours were not as intense as we would like, probably due to the fact that we had to water the plants. I think watering when fruit is set tends to dilute the flavour.
It also looks as though we will need to start off a new strawberry bed for next year.
To be honest the flavours were not as intense as we would like, probably due to the fact that we had to water the plants. I think watering when fruit is set tends to dilute the flavour.
It also looks as though we will need to start off a new strawberry bed for next year.
We're not going to have a large crop and they probably won't be the best of berries but every one will be enjoyed just the same.
Posts
English Strawberries are in big trouble this year - affected by the "roller-coaster" weather and shortage of workforce to pick them (except in your case, of course!). If it's any consolation, my Blueberries are exceptionally sparse this year too.
ReplyDeleteBizarrely it looks as though our blueberries have set well, Mark
DeleteLovely strawberries, Sue, I think I can feel the taste and smell. I wait for mine, it's in flower.
ReplyDeleteI hope you will soon be able to taste your own Nadezda.
DeleteEnjoy those strawberries! Ours are winding down, but they have been so tasty! Mmmm! Good luck getting a new strawberry bed going too! Mine need to be moved or something. They are on a downhill slope and difficult to get to. I need to think through a new plan.
ReplyDeleteI think ours maybe wore themselves out over the last two years Shawn Ann, it’s maybe time that they were replaced.
DeleteI'm down to 1 strawberry plant and it needs to go too, they're just rodent treats and not worth the trouble. I'm envious. There's nothing better than a fresh from the garden strawberry.
ReplyDeleteSuch a shame, Michelle, your rodents certainly challenge you.
DeleteStrawberries are one of those things that are just so much better than bought ones. You may not get many but they will taste fantastic. I do agree with your watering comment as well.
ReplyDeleteStrawberries are a special treat indeed! It's too bad the flavor wasn't what you hoped for. I do think strawberries are one of the more difficult fruits to grow. There's so many bugs and diseases to cause problems, and then too much water or rain can dilute the taste or make the fruit rot. For those reasons I quit growing them a few years back.
ReplyDeleteOusts have been fairly easy going, Dave. We certainly won’t be giving up on them. This year has just grown too many weather gremlins at them.
DeleteThe strawberries look amazing, must be such a delight x
ReplyDeleteThe first berries of the season are always a treat, Sarah
DeleteSorry to hear of your disappointment on one of your strawberry beds. I'm always so impressed with the quality and varieties of fruit & veg you grow. I guess it's fun planning a new bed too. I had no idea that watering would change flavour.
ReplyDeleteLovely to see your strawberries, what a shame the flavours weren't up to scratch, I noticed that too when I've had to water mine. We are behind you though, lots of fruit but not quite there yet.
ReplyDeleteI’ll hold off watering now, Dina and hope that the flavour is better in those that ripen later.
DeleteThere's such a difference between the beds of strawberries. Will you be purchasing plants or starting from little runners from your current plants?
ReplyDeleteI’m not sure, Phuong. It depends whether the existing plants actually produce runners.
DeleteOff to net the fruit area today. The Malwina are in their first year so get a year of grace. The Marshmello are probably in their last year so its a bit inbetween times for me.
ReplyDeleteI’m looking forward to the Malvinas, Mal. They are definitely the strongest looking plants this year.
DeleteOh strawberries so early in the season - what a special harvest Sue! You will enjoy them. I've planted new plants recently later than intended so have had to water. Don't think that they will be up to much this year :(
ReplyDeleteOur second picking this week tasted more strawberryish, Anna. We are holding off watering now but it’s a fine line between tasteless strawberries or dead plants.
DeleteWOW! I eagerly look out upon my 2 very green strawberries every day and still no sign of a blush of the palest pink :) Congrats on all your berry success so far! x
ReplyDeleteWe picked more this week, Carrie but I don’t think we will have a bumper crop this year.
DeleteAwesome update thank you for sharing Sue and blessings to you both
ReplyDeleteA pleasure, Linda.
DeleteAmazing the difference between the Cupid and Malwina plants, Sue. Is that usual, even given the weather this year? I only have a few plants but they've fruited well so far. I've even beat the slugs apart from two fruits! I hope the lack of watering improved the flavour for you.
ReplyDeleteIt isn’t usual to see such difference, Caro. Holding off watering has improved the flavour. It I still so dry, we have huge cracks in the ground and the undue beds are rock hard. The plants have been flooded, frozen, snowed on and now baked. It’s surprising that Malwina look so healthy.
DeleteThe Malwina plants must have a very healthy root system to withstand baked earth!
DeleteWe've had our first couple of strawberry pickings too, but nowhere near the quantity we had thought. After seeing you Malvinas last summer, I now have half a dozen plants, with the plan of increasing the stock if we like them, so thank you for the heads up on them!
ReplyDeleteI hope that you enjoy the Malwinas, Kathy.
Delete