“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” ....Oscar Wilde

Thursday 22 June 2017

The Veggie Plot Update

With summer well underway here in the UK and temperatures soaring, I thought it was time to give you a little update on our new veggie plot.
(It's not quite tropical for us up here, in the North East of Scotland...but still it's very nice, thank you) 
The plot is coming along nicely, especially when I look back at the first photo's that I took in back in February.
We're not quite self-sufficient in fresh produce yet, but we're getting there.
The raised beds are doing well...housing onions, garlic, fennel, carrots, and brassicas (cabbage, sprouts, broccoli) .
The only failure so far has been our cauliflower...or lack of.
The seedlings didn't stand a chance with the early temperatures. 
We've made a note that we shouldn't sew them so early next year.
The tatties (or potatoes) are doing really well with six different varieties. 
They are flowering now so we won't have long to wait to lift them and see just what we have.
The fennel has also been a huge success. 
We have far too many and will have to be inventive in how to use them all.
I'm happy to report that our cabbage, sprouts and broccoli are another success.
Here's the parsnips still in their toilet roll holders... hopefully they aren't being restricted and we have prime specimens underneath the soil.
The peas and runner beans are also starting to flower. 
I can't wait for the snap of the pea pod being opened and the juicy sweet jewels held within.
Once these flowers die off we can start to lift our potatoes...well hopefully we'll have a reasonable crop. We have staggered the planting, so that we have a steady supply to harvest.
I sound so confident that there's something lying there, don't I?

We have quite a few beetroots so if you have any tips on how to use them I'd appreciate it.
I'm not sure other than to slice into a salad or to pickle them.
I was rather delighted to find that the broccoli are sprouting too and there's a couple of sprouts appeared within the cabbages!
Obviously, someone's organisational skills at the seedling stage went slightly awry.
We also have herbs, lettuce, artichoke, blueberries and strawberries.
Growing blueberries is completely new to us and we're hoping that they actually can survive up here with these temperatures. We have three small bushes that are located in the Tardis (small plastic greenhouse) and one has flowered, so I'm hoping the berries will follow.
Here's our first strawberries.
I feel we should have a strawberry ceremony...perhaps including ice-cream, meringue or maybe I'll just pop one straight in my mouth!
We should be well set ready for the start of Wimbledon if these beauties are anything to go by.
How do you prefer to eat your strawberries?
Have a great week...if you're in the middle of these record temperatures then stay cool and know that it will pass... plus there are some that would love a few more degrees up on the thermometer.
Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon.

14 comments:

  1. Beets! Get a nice recipe for borscht soup. It freezes well too.

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    1. I've just looked up the recipe for Borscht soup and guess what Debra? We have all the ingredients growing here, except celery! I need to get some celery in the plot and quick!

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  2. This looks amazing Neesie! We've been talking about growing our own since we moved up here but have yet to do anything about it and there's no excuse as we have a small paddock at the side of our garden which we've just let go to seed for the butterflies and bees! I can't even manage to stay on top of the incessant weeds coming up through the gravel in our driveway never mind grow all these amazing veg but you've inspired me to give it a go (i.e nag Steve to do it! 😂)

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    1. Well we were the same Nic especially about keeping hens, but when hubby retired I had to get a few projects lined up to keep him busy (and out of my hair, so that I could do my artwork)
      The vacant patch was just covered in weeds and an unsightly mess, but he really has done wonders. We have flowers in pots and in the raised beds to encourage bees and insects to visit, so there's also some colour too. First, he covered the ground with thick plastic where raised beds and pathways ran and then added the gravel on top. It's still quite a bit of work to do all that's necessary, and the weather as you know can be very trying at times...but generally the benefits are great. I just nipped out yesterday and picked up a salad...all our own produce. Maybe just try on a small stage first...like troughs and pots to see how much is involved...then you can upgrade whenever. Good luck!

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  3. Wow! What an amazing garden! Mister (& you) have done a fab job. Looks like y'all are going to become vegetarians with all that produce you're producing! :) Yummm strawberries are my fave! Love 'em warm right off the plant or with cream n sugar or on cake/ice cream. I'm surprised how fast things are growing/maturing...guess that due to how far north you live. I mean it's only late June. It's just the opposite for Florida. We grow during the winter months. Our strawberry harvest was back in February when you were just planting. :) Enjoy your harvests you've worked hard for them. Hugs

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    1. Don't think I could be a total veggie Nan but it is great to have so much great greenery around us. Yeah, he did good didn't he? Plus it is keeping outside and out of my hair (so I can carry on doing my artwork) He's loving it though...plus with his girls being happy hens and producing four eggs per day (a good proportion being double yolkers) he's very happy.
      You've probably been hearing all about our heatwave over here...but let me tell you it hasn't arrived up here in the North East of Scotland! We only have 15 degrees and masses of cloud!
      We haven't seen the sun for two days, but it does stay light from 3.30am to 10.30ish every evening, so obviously the plants like that. But a little heat would work magic!
      I don't think the strawberries would travel very well for me to send you a few...so I'm afraid you'll have to wait until February!

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  4. Wow - very impressive! Your veggie patch has to be one of the best around. How have you managed to stop all the fruits of your labour being eaten to death by all the animals around? Too much fennel, nice problem to have! I hope you have a big freezer?
    Wren x

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    1. Oh I'm not sure about that Wren, but it is a huge improvement to what was there before and there's the added benefits of being able to eat from it!
      I'm touching wood and crossing everything when I type as quietly as I can...that so far so good...no pilfering seems to be going on (yet!) The deer have just been over the fence but there's plenty of brambles etc (that they love) nearby, so they seem content so far.
      We have two freezers so hopefully we'll be okay, but we'll be probably be eating most...or giving donations of excess to the local food bank.

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  5. Wow! What a marvelous garden for a first year--whoohoo! Everything looks luscious!! :)

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  6. this is so awesome Neesie! I do have a simple recipe to use beets, it's from Tracey and it's so delicious I couldn't believe it! I think I have it right but you may want to check with Trace. Ok, cook and peel your beets then cut them into bite sized pieces. Put a little olive oil, salt and pepper on them then add chopped mint and feta cheese and serve. Holy YUM batman! I was shocked that it would be that good. Good luck my friend, I'd totally be raiding your garden if we were close!!!!!!!! (Mwahahahahaha!)

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  7. What a wonderful veg plot you now have. You seem to have planted every vegetable known to man. Roasted beetroot are extraordinarily good and I also have a great salad recipe. Just google for recipes.......taste.com has some super ideas. Well done to himself.

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  8. What a fabulously healthy vegie garden you have created. Everything looks like they would in a gardening magazine ... seriously, you should be so proud of yourself/yourselves.

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  9. the garden looks great! looks like most things are thriving and the parsnips should be fine in the look rolls, they will just brek through if they need to.

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  10. Your garden looks wonderful, and as for your strawberries definitely, Yum!
    I love my strawberries with thick double cream or perhaps some Cornish Clotted cream.

    All the best Jan

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