Veggie Update

The one week "vacation" has come to an end now. Whew! It's an old saying, but I am going to say it anyway, "I had to go back to work to get some rest".

We have been doing all sorts of things in the lottie during that week. It seemed as if it was a month long, that vacation.
Each day, we head out to the lottie and when we reach the Provencial Road where the bike path goes westward, this is what we get to see at the intersection:

It sort of looks like a Monet painting, doesn't it. The city government began planting poppies and wild flowers at various intersections in the city a couple of years ago. I like the looks of it.
It's a combination of common poppies and woad, I believe it's called.

There was cleaning to be done...and re-cleaning... The toms got trimmed and suckered again. Corn got planted out. The finished pea plants werre removed and new peas and neans tied-up.
The ongoing battle with moles continues withoutr much success.
Harvesting has been on the adgenda as well-- spinach, lettuce peas, broadbeans, strawbs annnnnnnddd.....SPUDS!
Yes, I lifted one plant from each of the four sorts that I'm growing this year. Saying I was thrilled is an understatement.
Two sorts were still way too small to harvest (as expected) but the other two types were large enough to harvest, but I shall wait another 2-3 weeks before I lift them anyway. I will try and lift the spuds as I need them this year because I don't really have a proper place to store them.

We went over to the new garden to have a look. I was happy with the initial overview.

There is endive on the foreground...then onions, Swiss Chard and runner bean tee pees with courgettes in the back.

The kapucijners are above the top of the rack now and their purple pods are forming, but still flat.

The first corn that I planted out are already showing tassels in the grow point. I'm a little worried that they are still so short. I guess that the cool weather may have been responsible for that.

....and now, the spuds. Yes, it's gonna be spuds, spuds and more spuds.
One third of the new garden is dedicated to potato production. Here they are:

Now I will show some of the potatos that I lifted.
As I said, I am growing four types this year--two types I grew last year, and I have two new sorts that I am trying--the "Jersey Royal" and the "Roseval"
Let me begin with the Roseval.

...and then a close-up

Then the Jersey Royal. I am trying this one because Emma Jane really recommended it highly. Without going any further, let me say that I was not disappointed. They are delicious.

The "Ratte d'Ardeche". This spud is my partner's favourite.
They are way too small to harvest yet; I believe that they are a late middle. They will be the last ones that we harvest.

Here they are...all safely nestled in their trug waiting to be taken home and be exposed to the "taste test". It's a quality contril method that we frequently use to asceretain the quality and readiness to harevst. Every season there are random Taste Tests performed to guaranteed the quality of the potatoes.
It's necessary to perform this frwquently ....honest.
They are (from left to right), Harlequen, Ratte d'Ardeche, Roseval and Jersey Royal.

Of course no display would be complete without a "tater-in-the-pan" piccy.


Well, if you aren't completely bored rigid...I will take you back over to the old garden now. Here is a partial overview. I find that it just looks so cozy over there, with the straw paths and the old fences.

The blueberries are beginning to turn colour a bit. I'm giving them water every other day now.

The broad bean plants that you saw on the foreground of the preceeding foto are yielding lots these days.


The flower garden section is beginning to show colour now, but I shall show those in a separate thread.

The gardens are caught-up now and the weather is hotting-up, so I expect to be begin seriously harvesting now in the coming two weeks or so.

Hope you liked the pics and can get a feel of how things are and how they are doing in the lotties.

 

Bored rigid! Are you KIDDING! Very exciting post, to say the least. Of course, every time I see pictures of "the lottie" it makes me wish we had lotties here. Maybe one day when I don't have to work so much, I will start a campaign to have community gardens near here. Anyway, back to your lottie -- besides being beautiful, I find myself studying it intently and picking up this little tip and that. The teepees and the various types of netting and fencing caught my eye. Your plot is just so pretty and tidy. You can really tell you guys worked hard all week. Don't you think potatoes are just beautiful? Once when I was a kid, I planted an old potato in a shoebox and kept it on my windowsill. It grew but then of course the box fell apart, so my mom threw it out in the yard and it was beautiful, but we never pulled up the potatoes... not sure why. But whenever I think of planting potatoes, I think of that and was reminded again when I saw those gorgeous potatoes of yours. The broad beans look YUMMY! Thanks. I'm always happy to be invited to the lottie!

 

Everything looks fabulous Sjoerd. My gardens got such a late start due to the weather so yours is sooo far ahead of mine. Your potatoes look so tasty!

 

Another mouth-watering display Sjoerd...looks like you're having a great year in the garden. Things are just starting here, and we're in need of rain after the intense heat we've had the past week. Hopefully I'll have something to show in a month or two. Enjoy the fruits of your labors.

 

Oh my goodness.Tired of those wonderful pictures .I don't think sooo.Wonderful wonderful I am now hungry for new tators and green beens.
Keep those pictures comming.Your Lotties are Great.

 

Sjoerd, your lottie is gorgeous! What a delectable bounty. When is dinner? Love seeing all the photographs. Keep sharing! :-D

 

Thank you folks very much for your comments on this posting. It is always so nice to hear what you think.

Daisy--You say the nicest things. The different fencing came from a time when I had no peroimeter top protect frpom the marauding rabbits. I just left them as a second line of defence should they ever find a way in.
As for the netting, I find it an eyesore and a pity to use...but with the various pests that we have here it is necessary if I want a harvest. I use different nets for different peats.
That was a nice "shoewbox story". I liked growing things as a child as well. Don't you find the potato's flowers lovely? I like them alot and notice that they can be different colours depending upon what type of spud it is.
Netty & KL--
Those taters were indeed very tasty. We steamed them and ate them separately rolled in melted butter so as to taste them better.
I shall be looking forward to your harvest and display in a month or so, KL. I will be curious to know what sorts you grew this year as well.
Glenda & Jewell-- you guys say such nice things. I wish that you were here to help with the taste testing. It's always nice to get second...and third opinions.

Ok then, I'm off to the lotties to have a look-see and give some water to the brassicas. I don't want them to shoot and with all the sun and wind the ypper layer of soil is drying out fast, not to mention the plants themselves. brassicas here have the tendency to 'shoot' with too much heat and inadequate root moisture.

 

Oho, yummy time!

I quite understand that you have to taste and test frequently, just in case something happens to your soil or the growing process. One can never have too many quality controls.

And not only are you growing lovely-looking food, you're also growing it in a lovely-looking way. I adore the tidiness and texture of your plots.

 

Everything looks amazing. I am salivating over your fresh potatoes. I am so envious. Amazing, just amazing.

 

Wow Sjoerd, I can't think of a better way to spend a holiday than on the allotment. Glad the Jersey Royals are good. I dug a root up today also and although mine are still quite small as they went in so late, they are so creamy and delicious and I ate the lot all to myself for supper! Your allotments look so neat and tidy and so productive.

I have had corn in the past that has started to get tassles when short and usually I would only get one cob - I agree, I blame the weather.

Fantastic pics Sjoerd, you and the missus must be very pleased indeedy.

 

Thanks for all those nice words.

I'm glad you understand, Droopy--can you believe that there are those that don't believe the scientific angle here...they think I'm just looking for an excuse to eat more taters.
You are right when you say that one cannot have too many quality control checks. One must diligently monitor the spuds at this time of year.

Thanks EJ--we sure are. We're WEHWW chuffed, innit.
I want to thank you for suggesting these Jersey Royals. They are a really good-tasting potato, and they look good too. A couple of them looked like a chicken's egg.
I see that you do a little bit of checking and tasting yourself. Imagine your schoffing the whole lot...all by yourself. tut,tut,tut. What are you like. :-D
Oh well, just chalk it up to the perks of a quality coltroler.
Well, I fear that my plants will fare no better. It would be disappointing to get only one cob per plant, but I did plant a second bed about 2 weeks after the first and they may get taller. Fingers crossed.
I am sorry now that I put them out so early, but there was no choice really, since the root trainers were bursting at the seams. It is so difficult trying to out guess Mother Nature.

 

I am very happy for you. All of that looks delicious. I hope you enjoyed them as much as we did just looking at them. Good work!

 

It's a veritable Eden, Sjoerd. Enjoy those taste tests. No wonder you're called the "Enlightened One".

 

Sjoerd, always love your pictures. Whether they are of the lottie, your flowers or whatever.That does look like a Monet, doesn't it? It is beautiful and what a nice idea to have flowers at different intersections.
You have a hearty and bumper crop of veggies this year for sure. Makes me hungry. Like someone said, when is dinner?
Thanks for sharing pics of all your hard work. But it does make you feel proud, doesn't it?