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Post by mickthecactus on Jun 13, 2021 10:18:11 GMT
Lettuce, carrot and bean seedlings.
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Post by tod2 on Jun 13, 2021 12:18:52 GMT
Very nice indeed Mick!
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Post by kerouac2 on Jun 13, 2021 18:43:03 GMT
It looks lovely, but it makes me realise at the same time that I could never do that.
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Post by tod2 on Jun 21, 2021 10:37:15 GMT
It is at this cool time of the year that cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower do really well. This morning we harvested this monster. It weighed in at 2,2kg.
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Post by mickthecactus on Jun 21, 2021 10:57:29 GMT
That is superb! Caulis aren’t the easiest to grow well.
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Post by tod2 on Jun 21, 2021 11:35:23 GMT
To true Mick! We had a huge worm problem some months earlier and of course the hot weather made the cauliflower bolt before it had really formed a nice head. We are slowly learning that certain veg do well at certain times of the year and that it is useless trying to grow them at any other time. We have four superb looking tomato plants at the moment so holding thumbs we might get something off them.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 21, 2021 12:52:17 GMT
The picture of perfection!
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Post by lugg on Jun 21, 2021 20:08:42 GMT
What a cauli . How are you going to cook it Tod ?
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Post by fumobici on Jun 21, 2021 20:59:19 GMT
That is superb! Caulis aren’t the easiest to grow well. This is true.
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Post by tod2 on Jun 22, 2021 7:22:47 GMT
Lugg, I cant stand soft mushy cauli so if making cauliflower cheese I have always cooked the raw cauliflower in the sauce, in the oven. This is what I did with large florets cut from the outer side. The sauce is made from two packets of Knorr Savoury White sauce made with milk not water as packet instructs. Then add three Tbsp cream and the grated cheese. It was the first time I have seen Monterey Jack cheese in our super markets. I think it is ideal for cheese sauce. Mixed in some mature cheddar. Pushed the florets down into the thick sauce and bunged it into the oven. Superb.
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Post by mickthecactus on Jun 22, 2021 11:57:29 GMT
We often roast cauliflower.
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Post by kerouac2 on Jun 22, 2021 17:38:36 GMT
Boiled cauliflower bathed in bechamel is the standard in France. As for growing cauliflower in a home garden, I would be afraid of 4 cauliflowers arriving at prime condition at the same time. Probably not a problem, though, for people with a big freezer chest.
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Post by tod2 on Jun 23, 2021 6:43:25 GMT
Yes, that is the trouble with home grown vegetables Kerouac. All get ready at the same time but I think the pleasure and "time out" spent gently planting seedlings or watering and weeding, are so beneficial to the human tending them, that even if we give more that half away to my gardener, my next door family and next door neighbor, it's all worth it. Oh and the bugs and worms get a fair share too! I tried freezing cauliflower raw - doesnt work'and turns a funny colour. I guess I will blanch some and freeze it and see what happens.
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Post by kerouac2 on Jun 26, 2021 3:27:37 GMT
I usually buy only frozen cauliflower at Picard since it is easier to control the quantity for cooking. So there is obviously a way to freeze it properly.
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Post by mickthecactus on Jun 27, 2021 10:43:23 GMT
Todays harvest.
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Post by tod2 on Jun 27, 2021 15:18:36 GMT
Oh well done Mick! Potatoes!! how lovely. What type of lettuce is that?
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 27, 2021 16:06:09 GMT
What a great haul, Mick! Your green onions have royal purple bottoms. I've never seen that before.
re: cooking cauliflower ~ There is a Mexican technique of steaming one whole with lots of anise seeds. I've done it, just to say I had, but generally don't see the need of keeping cauliflower whole. What I did learn was that anise seeds and cauliflower are a happy combination.
Night before last I had an opportunity to expand on that theme. I'd bought a stalk of broccoli which promptly started turning yellow. I didn't want to throw it away, but it didn't look promising. I cut it up the regular way, put it in a pot with a little water & scattered in some anise seeds. It came out tasting like nice fresh broccoli rather than tired cabbage.
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Post by mickthecactus on Jun 27, 2021 18:07:43 GMT
The anise seeds are interesting. Star anise should work? Bay leaf with cauli works well.
No particular variety tod, just cut and come again lettuce.
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Post by mickthecactus on Jul 3, 2021 12:08:58 GMT
Potatoes are showing signs of blight which us a worry as tomato blight often follows. Our lousy weather needs to improve and quick.
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Post by tod2 on Jul 3, 2021 15:20:51 GMT
Oh Mick - that is so distressing. Our three tomato plants are producing fruit and all looks good so far. Mixture of milk powder with water has been applied twice. So if there is Bottom End rot its not our fault! We have such a glut of cauliflower and broccoli that we are going to attempt a batch of Piccalilli.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 3, 2021 21:17:50 GMT
The anise seeds are interesting. Star anise should work? I don't know about that. I like putting star anise on top of the ground coffee before brewing. Sorry to hear about the sign of blight. The weather has not been your friend this year. Tod, have you done any experimenting with fermenting vegetables? I wonder if you can make stuff like kimchi with cauliflower & broccoli.
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Post by tod2 on Jul 5, 2021 10:42:31 GMT
Tod, have you done any experimenting with fermenting vegetables? I wonder if you can make stuff like kimchi with cauliflower & broccoli. Yesterday we discussed making Piccalilli as we have so much cauliflower at the moment. Mr.Tod loves pickles in any form. We don't want to do the "canning method" just enough to be eaten within three months and kept sealed in a cool cupboard or refrigerated. I see Kimchi is wonderful for a persons gut health but I'll have to look into that process. Unless there is a simplistic method in our recipe section...
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 5, 2021 14:29:55 GMT
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Post by tod2 on Jul 6, 2021 16:17:28 GMT
I am over the moon today because my courgettes have not only produced flowers but they are attached to small baby zucchinis! I noticed some have zucchinis and others are flowers on thin stems - which tells me they are male fruit and will not produce a courgettes. No worries - I have plans for both! Yes, you better believe it - yet another vegetable patch has been created.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 6, 2021 16:53:52 GMT
That is really the garden of vegetable eden, Tod -- beautiful and perfect!
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Post by mickthecactus on Jul 6, 2021 16:55:36 GMT
Send me some of your sun tod. Been torrential rain on and off here mist if the day.
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Post by mickthecactus on Jul 8, 2021 20:42:49 GMT
Here’s a bit of a mid term report.
As you might guess the awful spring and matching summer have impacted most of the veg.
The broad bean crop is half of last year’s output and badly affected by blackfly as there are so few predators this year to deal with them.
Carrots have done well as have spring onions and lettuce.
Potatoes aren’t too bad but there is a bit of blight.
Tomatoes don’t look very happy but plodding along.
Beetroot and chard are so slow.
French beans abd sweet corn looking ok.
Onions doing well and cucumbers ok but not productive yet.
Not a memorable year. Too little sunshine, too much rain.
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Post by tod2 on Jul 11, 2021 13:38:44 GMT
That was an interesting read Mick. For once our few tomato trees are looking perky and have some fruit. But this was dropped in my lap whilst reading the Sunday paper....Grown from seed! Will have pride of place on my plate tomorrow with some other of our garden veg.
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Post by casimira on Jul 11, 2021 17:32:16 GMT
I am so envious of the harvest both Mick and Tod have posted. I have been getting my home grown vegetables (various squashes, eggplant) from our neighborhood community garden but all the rain we have been having has not made for a bountiful harvest and the result being a great deal of rot. Some of the gardeners have used mounds of pine straw placed under the vegetables to help prevent them from rotting. It's been a sucky year for growing vegetables this summer. Pestilence and rot being rampant.
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Post by kerouac2 on Jul 14, 2021 16:27:36 GMT
Not enough people appreciate turnips, tod. They are wrong.
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