I was pretty happy when the weekend rolled-around but saturday was rainy the whole day long and the only thing that I got done garden-wise was to plant some seeds--Fennel, 'Cobra' French climbing beans and some Tagetes. Today was a different story. I got up early and went out to the lotties full of motivation and expectation. It started well and all was going fine until the heat began to descend over the allotment complex like a warm blanket...an electric blanket. It just got hotter and hotter, the humidity was in the 90's I am guessing and I began loosing water through my pores. I combatted this by taking frequent pauses over in the shady ares under the arches. The cool air draughed through that archway when there was a hint of wind now and then. My retreat was just the thing, and a real lifesaver, as it were. At one point I even pulled out the old straw hat which made a difference when I was out hoeing the corn in the sun. I was able to strim the grass path over in the new garden after the hoeing was done. While over there I picked the green peas again as well as some Kapucijners. I actually got more than I expected of these cordovan-coloured pods. If I could harvest, so could the birds, so I had to throw some curtains over them. I took another lettuce today as well. Back over in the old garden it was time to check the toms and give them water with food. The cucumber bush required some attention as well. There was one of the little things ready for picking,so I took it. The ground was moist and soft, so I thought it a good idea to clean a strawberry bed. Then there were plants to plant here and there in remaining open areas in the flower garden. I noticed that there were a couple of small courgettes ready to be picked, so they were added to the pile. The foliage of the beetroots is almost alarmingly high and so I pressed them aside (sort of like breast-stroking) and peered down into that dark and shaded world. I saw that the Chioggia beetroots were ready to give up a few that have swollen with this extended rainy period that we have been having. I harvested a nice little bag full of them. They will have to be blanched and cut for freezing tomorrow or the next day. before I knew it it was approaching 20:00 and it was time to head back home. The temp then was 32°C. It is a little cooler now but not a whole lot. Well then, here are a couple of fotos of today's harvest. They are all spread out on the kitchen table. You guys know the Chioggia beetroots don't you? They are pinkish red on the outside and inside they have red and white alternating rings. Well the lettuce was already cleaned and separated before I thought to take a couple of snapshots. Here you can see the Kapucijners, or the peas with a cordovan-coloured pods. They do not taste differently, just that they crop so heavily and dependably...so I grow them every year. The weather is due to become VERY uncomfortable in the coming two days...I wonder how uncomfortable it will be.
Nice harvest! I didn't plant beets but our friend gave us several bags of them. Your tomatoes aren't ready yet? I wish I could share ours. My zucchini isn't doing as well. I've only had one of those. Yours looks good enough to eat. LOL. dooley
OH! I love the color of those peas. Are they easier to harvest, being this color? I have never seen this color for sale anywhere before. I am going to have to look harder for it. We grow royal burgundy beans and are much easier to pick, and not miss, when they are ready. i have seen the beets, but not grown them before. it is hot there!!! 8) don't forget to also protect your eyes as you are working in the garden.
Those peas interest me too. I also grow Royal Burgundy Beans, I find they produce more, taste better and are easier to find to pick. They out perform the green ones by far! I think I'll be looking for purple peas next year.
Brilliant for a day's picking Sjoerd. Well done, and a great selection from the garden. I'm very jealous!
Brilliant for a day's picking Sjoerd. Well done, and a great selection from the garden. I'm very jealous!
Thanks DOOLEY--My courgette plants are producing, but the plant them selves are far under-developed for this time of year. What a shame. WEll, I am picking these first courgettes young so I can enjoy them while they are small. I usually let some get larger for the Food Bank so that the folks that get them can make them go further for them. I personally do feel that the younger ones have a somewhat better flavour...especially the light green ones. They are super-tasting and super producers! Oh CAROLYN-- I like the colour of the Kapucijners too. The pods are real eye-catchers. They are very easy to see when harvesting. They can't get away with lurking like runner beans and green beans can do. I think that runner bean lurkers are the most difficult to see. I catch myself saying unkind things to those lurkers sometimes. They require going-over several times to find them all. You know, Carolyn--I'll bet that if you sold those, you would draw quite a bit of attention. The type of tall purple podded pea that I grow is called 'Blauwschokker'. The low form of this (which is just as prolific) is called, 'Désirée'. There is another very good type of short one called, 'Solido'. 'Solido' is mostly used by commercial pea growers here. The Kapucijners that you see featured in my posting are Désirée. I do not know what this Kapucijner is called there, but its Latin name is, Pisum sativum. Perhaps it is called, "Purple Podded Pea". I have grown Royal Burgundy beans here, and they are quite tasty, but I was not terribly pleased with how they froze-in....still the taste was just fine. They did produce lots of beans for me...but I have found another heavy cropper. It is called, 'Cobra'. This bean is pretty amazing. It is a nice, long and stiff bean and has a good flavour. My most favourite is the 'Rakker' though. The Rakker tiks ALL my boxes. What I like about the Chioggia are that they do not drain red juice all over one's plate, but the flavour is identical to most red ones. I grow a beetroot that has (for me) an exceptional taste. I call them "soldiers" because they are elongated and stand above ground level. 'Cylindra' is its actual name...and it's name says it all about how it grows, I think. Yes, I do wear eye protection when strimming...Thanks for reminding, though. One must be careful because an accident sits in a small corner; un-noticed, just waiting to happen (as we say here). Hi NETTY-- As I said to Carolyn, I have grown those Royal Burgundy beans too. I agree with all that you have said about them...but like I said...the 'Cobra' is a new bean and crops very heavy. You may want to have a look at that one. I hope that you can find the Kapucijners for next year. They are a tasty pea. Thanks so much, DEBBIE-- I am looking forward to piccioes of your garden once it get really going. I'll bet that you will have good harvests too. Hi CHOCOLATE--I am so pleased that you like the purple podded peas as well. I believe that you will enjoy growing and eating those. I expect them to do well for you. Thanks so much, GMB27-- I am glad that you liked the looks of my small harvest.
Hi Sjeord, i would be another to fall for those Kapucijners,..the higher crop,the attractive colour,..plus you will see them among the green where i have often missed green pods,..that Beetroot has good points as well no red juice to be wary of,..now that is a bonus. That's another nice crop you harvested,..and this time in extreme heat compared to all the rain last time,..i know it slows one down when trying to get work done,..but enjoy it,..we had a long winter then all that rain.
Hello Philip-- I have to say that it's so nice that you and other folks like the Kapucijners. I never expected that folks would be so impressed by their appearance. That is nice. I guess that they are so dead normal for here. They are almost as well-known and eaten so widely--like potatos, like bread, like milk. --they are THAT well known here. As for the Chioggia beetroot--I have to say, when cut in half raw, the thing is almost too pretty to cook! hahaha It is extremely hot this morning it is already 26°C.....but, serious storming is on its way, and earlier than expected. I must pop out to the lottie and secure things as best I can before the bottom falls out.
Sjoerd, anything with unusual color always sells well. So I would definitely want them for that, but I really just like the color. How tall do they climb?
The climbing ones usually reach 2 meters on my racks (in a normal growing season). The shorter ones come up thigh to pelvis-high (if you use a little rack). Some folks do not use a rack and let them scramble over the ground, but I do not like to do that because the slugs, snails and ground creepers get at them too easily; and if it is moist, mildew and rotting are probs.
We like to keep our peas up off the ground, also. otherwise they get all slimey and rotten before we are done picking.
ahhh sjoerd, another 'great' harvesting thread with super pics! i have not heard of those purple podded pea varieties. very interesting. i've grown yellow podded and red podded before. i love color! we also grow the Chioggia and the Cylindricaal beets. the Cylindrical are great for canning. and the other is such a beauty with the stripes!
