Hi Hivers!
Happy Wednesday to you all! I hope the sun is shining on you. I have just captured a new reel of photos so you can see what is new in the garden. Some good news, some not so good news, and that my friend is the reality of life... a happy balance.
These globe artichokes are almost ready for harvesting. It feels like a fast season but its fun while it lasts. These are so so delicious!
Then some not so good news. I came across this which is a fungus that attacks peach and almond trees. The thing is its too late to treat the trees - best time to protect is with spraying a copper based treatment in fall and spring before the leaves appear. I will be sure to do this come the time. The trees overall look amazingly healthy though and full of fruit and nuts so I just pulled out the affected leaves - a dozen or so - and am hoping that's all I see of it.
I have repositioned my grow boxes here as they were in a full sun position. Now in a half sun half shade place. I have planted runner beans in one and the other has some courgettes in the front and cucumbers at the back. I have more of both these veggie baby plants still to go out but I like to break them up into smaller beds in different positions to see which do the best ( and make notes in a month or two from now)
I was so happy to see these little volunteers. Three have popped up. Do you recognise them? They are baby celery plants seeded from last years crop that was planted in this bed. The seeds obviously dropped all over the place so I could be finding more of these too in the coming days. I really hope so because the new celery seed I bought a few weeks back has not yet germinated so these little beauties will create enough celery for the season easily. The other seeds when germinated will be weeks behind in growth terms so a back up crop. I crop celery a few stalks at a time and they regrow amazingly so just a few plants keep me well supplied - I really love celery and think it is slightly under rated by some folks. It is an amazing addition in savoury dishes giving a depth of flavour to gravies and sauces and of course chilled sticks in summer dipped into your favourite dips are a great summer snack. The seeds too are incredible when cooked in whole or powdered form, a great component in nut roasts for sensational flavours!!
The orange blossom has burst for the second time this year. The weird weather a few months back caused early flowers that did not set fruit but now they are back on time as they should be but overall I see ess flowers than I would like.
The oncoming strawberry harvest is looking very abundant!! Last years plants always give more fruit than the first year plants and that's what these are so I am expecting bumper crops!
These tiny things are grapes just setting on the vine. I have to keep a closer eye on these this year as they suffered some white mold last year. Right now the vines are in top condition and I really want them to continue that way so I can also harvest a quantity of the leaves ( I aim to preserve them in brine for using over the winter as wraps.
And while I am buzzing around the garden snapping my update pics, these little babies are having a snooze. Life is equal amounts of sleeping, eating and playing at this age. Oh hang on though..... that sounds like my life too LOL
Enjoy your gardens, or other peoples if you haven't yet started your own... but don't wait too much longer to get your first crop planted.
Everyone can fit at least one grow container in their lives. No excuses! LOL
