August Ramblings

August 16, 2012

August Ramblings

Harvesting has begun!

Though it always lovely to look at a lush kitchen garden, this time of year the beds are emptying out very quickly!

Pumpkins are thriving on the blueberry berm.

Lots of sun and heat, room to sprawl.

The second batch of peas was harvested, blanched and frozen, and then I planted yet one more row, to try for a fall crop, even just a wee one. As peas like cooler temps, they will not (did not) germinate as well as they did in the spring, .

Also, harvested two beds of potatoes, the winter onions, and some of Delilah's carrots.
This first crop of carrots is a new one for me, you know how I like to try new things! These are called Danvers Half Longs. They are about 6" long and very tapered, very nice looking and tasting.
These veggies were all dropped off at the local Loaves and Fishes food share.
Sadly, I did not have as much to share as I would have liked, because I only planted for the family... not realising that Loaves and Fishes takes home grown garden veggies!
Next year, I will plant differently so that I have more to share :)

Sidenote... The white carrots are not going over well with the dogs... nor with me, truth be told.

The Golden Acres cabbages are lovely, and will be a for sure to grow again next year... they reach a good size, in a timely fashion, and are not all buggy. They do have a few holes from cabbage loopers and slugs, but not too badly.
The Red Mammoth, on the other hand, are starting to get all buggy, lots of aphids on them, and they are nowhere near ready to be picked size wise. However, think that I shall lift most of them anyways, clean them up from aphids, and freeze the small heads.

Golden Acre Heirloom Cabbage

The onions are amazing... lifted 4 types today...
- The Tropeano Lunga's are an heirloom Italian variety, good and sweet, a torpedo shaped, red onion. Gorgeous, thought not a good keeper, so is one that we will have to eat quickly and share with friends.
- Bianca di Maggio cippolini onions are also an Italian heirloom, it seems many of my favourite heirlooms are Italian! Yum! These gorgeous flat, white, sweet onions are used for grilling, salads, and pickling. They are superb looking!
- Aisla Craig is a Scottish heirloom that makes nice round globed onions. They did stupendously well this year and look fabulous!
- Red Creole.. did nothing for me... they never grew, most died, and so have no positive feedback and will likely not grow them again. I sometimes like to give things a second chance but when the other 3 varieties in the same bed did amazingly well, it seems pointless to grow the one the failed miserably.

Morden Midget Eggplant - my first ever attempt at growing eggplant... and they look so adorable.

They are cute, small, and purple... and look delicious.

I planted only one plant... is in a 3 gallon pot, in the greenhouse, and has a ton of fruit on it.

Not sure if it was necessary or not, but I helped 'pollinate' it with a little paint brush, just to make sure I got fruits. Did I ever!

Am going to marinade them and eat them in sandwiches... there used to be a cafe' here in Nanaimo called 'Carrot On The Run'... they had terrific coffee, scrumptious raw bar desserts, and their sandwiches were to die for. The 'Bella' I think it was called, was a marinated portabella mushroom, eggplant, etc... on a Ciabatta style bun... yummers! Miss that place... so have to come up with my own version of that luscious sangie :) Was the one and only reason that I decided to try growing my own eggplant, lolz.

Morden Midget Heirloom Eggplant

Feverfew... gorgeous little herb, used as garden border in the deer proof garden.

Flowers that are blooming this time of year... Roses, Echinacea, Rudbeckia, Shastas, the sweet aromatic Oriental Lilies, Pee Gee Hydrangea, Agastache ( Hyssop), Veronica, Perovskia, Campanula's of all kinds, feverfew (love it), and lots of cat mints (Nepeta)