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Post by cheerypeabrain on Oct 29, 2010 19:42:45 GMT
Those are brilliant raised beds tod2....respect. ;D
We have 2 small raised beds in our back garden...one with blueberries in and one for veg...this year we grew a lot in the GH and in pots around the garden, atm all I have still in the ground are a few onions, the last of the carrots and some kale...
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Post by tod2 on Oct 31, 2010 14:59:27 GMT
Here's an update on how my first vegies of the season are doing in their raised beds; ;D Right at the back are the strange new lettuces, then spinach, moving forward some rocket which has decided to send out little pink flowers - you can just see one if you look closely, then the aubergine plants, then beans just appearing above the soil.
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Post by lola on Nov 1, 2010 22:26:45 GMT
Those are some primo beds, tod, and some pretty greens.
It's harvest time here. We had a frost warning a few days ago, so I stripped the garden of peppers and tomatoes, and the last of the basil. Many pounds of green tomatoes, some from plants that had produced pitiful few ripe ones and then started flowering and setting fruit in mid September.
Bixa, I'm not the pickler of the world, so I can't say that my green tomato pickles from last year were particularly crisp, or, well, not-crisp. I was just so pleased to make something tasty from the silly things.
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Post by lola on Nov 1, 2010 22:59:11 GMT
I've been picking a garden handful of what we call arugula (rocket) chopping, and stir frying it with peppers, onions, brown rice, some grated parmesan for tastiness for a quick lunch lately.
I think, after harvesting my peppers, that I have to admit it seemed like a good pepper year because I'd put so many and different kinds in. Again, they were setting little baby poblanos and purple bells like crazy when it was too late to get anywhere.
I'm stealthily expanding my vegetable plot with newspaper and leaf mulch, for next year.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 2, 2010 1:55:06 GMT
Wrap the tomatoes in brown paper and put them in a dark, dry place. They will ripen. If you let the pepper set out instead of putting them in the fridge, they'll continue ripening, too. Isn't it time for a good greasy batch of fried green tomatoes with cream gravy?
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Post by tod2 on Nov 2, 2010 6:10:08 GMT
Lola - now you've taught me something...I thought rocket was only for salads, but stir-frying it with other stuff sounds wonderful -thanks!
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Post by mickthecactus on Nov 2, 2010 9:38:10 GMT
Wrap the tomatoes in brown paper and put them in a dark, dry place. They will ripen. If you let the pepper set out instead of putting them in the fridge, they'll continue ripening, too. Isn't it time for a good greasy batch of fried green tomatoes with cream gravy? At The Whistlestop cafe? I wish I could grow peppers outdoors. Our weather just isn't up to it. This years crop was one pepper per plant..... Pathetic.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2010 18:55:42 GMT
Lola - now you've taught me something...I thought rocket was only for salads, but stir-frying it with other stuff sounds wonderful -thanks! In France, they put roquette on pizzas and in quiche, not to mention soup.
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Post by mickthecactus on Nov 12, 2010 17:22:30 GMT
Parsnips and leeks from the garden last weekend -
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Post by tod2 on Nov 12, 2010 17:48:24 GMT
Those will be so good added to a hearty stew! What did you do with them Mick?
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Post by mickthecactus on Nov 13, 2010 9:13:44 GMT
Roasted them tod2 along with a joint of beef and potatoes and onions.
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Post by tod2 on Nov 17, 2010 13:40:40 GMT
My lettuces have got to the picking stage so it will be salad almost everyday!
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 17, 2010 1:37:01 GMT
I still have all kinds of things inappropriately planted in pots from my move. Today I cleared out the gravel filling the hole that had held the well pump and planted a vine in it, along with some assorted potted stuff. The tops of the turmeric were all wilted, so I went ahead and harvested it. There are lots of small bits that can go back in the ground. The first photo is really to show this amazing thing I dug up today, miraculously intact. It's an onyx shell. I think maybe it was supposed to be fixed in a wall to be a soap dish. (?)
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Post by tod2 on Dec 17, 2010 4:35:32 GMT
Lovely! buried treasure! how exciting It looks in good nick too. I thought the tumeric was Jerusalem artichokes at first!
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Post by tod2 on Dec 20, 2010 12:43:09 GMT
This is a tub of three or four Longbeans or also known as Snakebeans which I bought in a vegetable supermarket almost opposite Porte de Chapelle metro station. I chopped the bean pods into little pieces and posted them home. They bring me such joy everytime I see how big they have grown and now there is a flower!
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 20, 2010 18:13:40 GMT
Oh, Tod ~~ I remember when you posted about getting those and mailing them home! It wasn't all that long ago. Did you trade your mother's cow for those beans? They're so big and nice. The flowers are lovely, too.
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Post by tod2 on Dec 31, 2010 15:35:32 GMT
Well here are the first of my 'Chapelle' beans! It is like having a little hint of Paris outside my window ;D I will pick them tomorrow so that the bean plant does not stop producing.
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Post by tod2 on Jan 1, 2011 8:41:54 GMT
A super start to the New Year for me was to go to the veg garden and harvest my first crop of French radishes, some broadbeans(?), and my precious Snakebeans PS: The tea towel was bought on the Rue du Faubourg Saint Antoine!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2011 10:00:22 GMT
Wow, you actually managed to grow the long beans! Fantastic. Your radishes appear quite excellent as well.
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Post by tod2 on Jan 1, 2011 17:20:05 GMT
Here is my inspiration for growing the radishes...... a little blonde French boy eating them just the way they should be Sorry about the wavy lines - that's my old scanner because they are not on the photograph!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2011 17:17:57 GMT
Fabulous veggies and pics there Tod!! Grazie!! I was in absentia for most of the cool weather planting season,so,my usually chock full of herbs,veggies,flowers kitchen garden has only a few things flourishing at present. Here are some broccoli plants my helper lovingly kept alive while I was gone with some help from my husband. Note how leafy these plants are,I suspect it's from all the coffee grinds in the compost heap that I keep trying to regulate without much success I'm afraid,all that nitrogen in the compost results in these big big leaves at the expense of the fruit/vegetable!!! GRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!! (not my doing !!!! ).
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 7, 2011 17:26:09 GMT
Tod, you aren't going to believe this, but I instantly recognized that picture of the little boy. That was the book from which I really started learning to cook -- the Time-Life "Cooking of Provincial France". I gave the book away years ago, but the image is obviously still in my little brain.
Pee ess ~~ your harvest is absolutely beautiful.
Casimira, do you think she overfed the plants, or maybe it was just some combination of weather, watering, etc.? I always use the little leaves clinging to bought stalks of broccoli, generally wishing that I had more of them. I'll bet a bunch of those leaves would cook up nicely.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2011 17:36:06 GMT
Yes,I recall the same pic from that Time Life Cookbook,I was racking my brains out on where I had seen it!! Thank you!!
With reference to the broccoli leaves,I KNOW that my helper Luke,throws WAAY too many coffee grinds into the compost heap on top of using fish emulsion. It's difficult to get cross with him about because he's such a godsend,but,I am slowly trying to educate him on these matters. I was wondering about how delectable all these leaves would be. I too,enjoy the baby ones.
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Post by tod2 on Jan 11, 2011 8:21:05 GMT
Quite correct Bixa! I was given the cook book as my aunt was having a clear out and I grabbed it with glee! I absolutely adore the old time photos of villages and country folk in the illustrations. The photographer, Mark Kauffman drove through every part of France after which he spent 6 weeks working in 'The Foods of the World' test kitchen - not cooking but photographing! Consultant was Julia Child. I wish you still had your copy.....when I open mine, a 'old book' smell rises up from the pages which make everything even more nostalgic
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Post by mickthecactus on Jan 11, 2011 13:09:32 GMT
Most of my broccoli perished in our arctic weather over Christmas. Savoy cabbage, leeks and parsnips are OK though.
I'll sow leek seeds in the greenhouse in about a week's time.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jan 30, 2011 17:01:55 GMT
My leeks are going to be sown in long pots in late February. We're moving the garden around in the spring so I can't sow anything in the ground anyway...
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Post by tod2 on Feb 2, 2011 17:23:24 GMT
My snakebeans in the tubs have come to an end. In the garden beds my beans imported from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds are just starting. There are more leaves than beans and they are hard to find! Chinese Mosaic Long bean: Lovely, lavender-pink shaded pods measure 12-18" long and are crisp and flavorful. The vigorous vines produce loads of these tender Chinese beans. It was a popular variety last summer here at Baker Creek and is sure to become a favorite of gourmets everywhere. A real standout that is quick to come into production. Asia White Hyacinth Bean: A great stir-fry variety that produces lots of tasty green pods. This variety also has beautiful white blossoms; perfect to grow over an arbor fence. Pick when small and tender, as old pods and dry beans may be poisonous! This variety produces early and over a long season.
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Post by bixaorellana on Feb 2, 2011 20:58:48 GMT
Lovely pictures, Tod. What is the difference between the curly purple ones and the larger, straighter green ones, please?
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Post by mickthecactus on Feb 3, 2011 9:00:38 GMT
Lovely pictures, Tod. What is the difference between the curly purple ones and the larger, straighter green ones, please? Colour and shape.......
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Post by tod2 on Feb 3, 2011 9:58:23 GMT
Sorry! Have modified my post on the Asian beans
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