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| Cucumber close up |
This is my harvest for last week – many pounds of runner beans, french beans, three greenhouse cukes and four outdoor ones (found lurking under the foliage). Nine courgettes, four summer squash, the last of the beetroot.
Looks like I have got some serious kitchen-work ahead. All the recipe books are spread out – trying to find enough different ways to use everything up before the next batch are harvested.Of course not everything comes in huge quantities. Five blueberries, half a dozen tomatoes and a few cucamelons – look pitiful don’t they.
Oh well, you can’t have everything!
Till next time – HAPPY HARVESTING.
We spotted a harvest of climbing French beans by accident as we didn't think we had any yet. I think the flowers being less significant than runners sort of did their thing secretively.
ReplyDeleteWE have the sdame sort of blueberry harvest as you do - I can only envy those who have enough to worry about what to make with theirs.
I think french beans are quite hard to spot (that's why I grow purple ones). Not sure how many blueberry bushes you would need to make a decent harvest - I have two but they are quite young so I don't expect a heavy harvest for a few years.
DeleteStill no toms here..... something ain't right!
ReplyDeleteI think we are all forgetting that everything is about a month behind because of the bad weather at the start of the year - I am sure everything will catch up eventually.
DeleteThe toms will catch up, I'm sure!
ReplyDeleteI am just glad that I planted some Sungold as they are the only ones doing anything at the moment.
DeleteSo what do you make with those courgettes which we refer to as zucchini here...
ReplyDeleteMine if left to grow get as big as watermelons which are turned into relish, pickles and grated for the freezer for muffins and bread come Winter.
I'm always looking for new ways to use them.
Have a lovely week.
Susan
I generally turn mine into Ratatouille once the tomatoes start ripening, but I do freeze a lot for winter soups.
DeleteOh what a harvest Elaine :) Nine courgettes in a week takes some eating. How many plants have you got? Must be a good year for beans - have not got runners but my French beans are dripping. What do the cucamelons taste like? My only plant to germinate subsequently died so I'm wondering whether to try again next year.
ReplyDeleteI only have three courgette plants but one isn't performing very well. I have tasted a cucamelon and wasn't at all impressed - it basically just tastes like cucumber but with a lot of seeds. I definitely won't bother again next year, give me a proper cucumber any day.
DeleteVery nice harvest Elaine, hope you enjoy eating the veg & fruit. Yes everything (almost) is developing rapidly. My Parsnips are dire, Tomatoes and Cucumbers are slow to mature. Too many Potatoes per plant so far to lift them all at once, which was planned for last weekend.
ReplyDeleteI haven't checked my parsnips out yet but if the tops are anything to go by they should be ok.
DeleteWell done Elaine, your crop is looking amazing. I am currently waiting for the perfect moment to pick my one and only marrow. So much space for one. I have to smile this year. xx
ReplyDeleteSame as me with my squash - I have this huge squash plant with only one on it - I don't think I'll bother with them again next year as this is the second year running I haven't had any.
DeleteI have just reviewed our ups and downs too. So much has been eaten by Slugs. I have just put Organic Slug Pellets down after spending an hour every evening Slug Hunting. Like Anna I wonder what Cucamelons taste like ? Marion x
ReplyDeleteThankfully I haven't had much of a slug problem this year, more snails than anything. The blurb on cucamelons says they taste like cucumber with a hint of lime - well I certainly can't taste the lime. I reckon the only good thing about them is that they look cute.
DeleteA very nice harvest you have there. It's been a good year for beans so far, and courgettes. The tomatoes here are ripening one at a time, and the cucamelons have stalled at tiny fruit... although given your descriptions of them in response to earlier comments, maybe that's a good thing! Enjoy the rest of the summer with all the harvests that it brings.
ReplyDeleteI don't want autumn to come this year - I have been enjoying the summer and the fact that I have been getting better crops than last year - tomatoes excluded of course - don't know what's happening there. Will probably start proper harvesting of them in time for Christmas!
DeleteThat looks a good harvest for the week. This year seems to have been a bit all or nothing - we've plenty of beans but failed with squash and fennel. Your cucamelons remind me of the turnips we had that were supposed to taste of melons - as if.
ReplyDeleteI reckon seed suppliers will say anything to make a sale!
DeleteI'm finding the same with French and runner beans, but thankfully I'm coping with everything else. Flighty xx
ReplyDeleteI do try to sort of regulate how many plants to grow so I won't get too many gluts, but I still either get too much or not enough, no matter how I try!
DeleteWhat a great harvest, like u I have grown cucamelon and it has gone mad climbing all over but not that many fruit yet, I've only tasted one and was quite nice but for the amount of growth I'm disappointed in the number of fruits. I'm suffering with courgette overload too will plant less next year. My runner beans are doing well but I always miss a few and they grow into giants. My squash are sprawling all over too and I probably have 2 or 3 per plant which I'm happy with I had none last year. Happy harvesting to you.
ReplyDeleteYou sound as though you are doing very well Annie - I definitely won't bother with cucamelons next year but I enjoyed the challenge of growing them.
DeleteFunny old year isn't it?
ReplyDeleteMy blueberries were really disappointing too, and my tomatoes are taking an age to ripen.
Yet I've got squashes everywhere. I didn't expect that at all as the soil in my garden hasn't been used for years so won't have many nutrients in it.
Yes I agree - my blueberry bushes are young so they have not done bad considering it's their first year. Only Sungold ripening so far - but no squash - you just can't seem to rely on everything doing what it is supposed to every year. That's the grow-your-own-challenge I guess.
DeleteLook on the bright side: only 5 blueberries will mean you'll savour the taste more than having a glut! I didn't get round to planting out beans this year so I'm very envious of everyone else's harvests. Next year I've promised myself to be more organised - and get all the fox and cat proofing in place over winter!
ReplyDeleteIt is the best year I have for beans for a long time - but getting far more than I can actually cope with - if I don't plant as many next year I expect I'll get a lousy harvest - getting the right balance is key, but not sure what that balance is yet.
DeleteThese are some good looking vegetables Elaine. I need to start eating more vegetables and this gives me the inspiration to do so :)
ReplyDeleteHow about if I send a veggie box full of goodies over to Kentucky every week - haha only joking of course.
DeleteWin some, lose some I guess! My tomatoes are doing really well but my runner beans were a total failure, between us we would have the perfect summer harvests! And a lot of pickles and chutneys to make...
ReplyDeleteLooks like it is going to be green tomato chutney this year for sure.
DeleteI think you've done pretty good. Tomatoes seem to be slow this year. Surprising really considering the good weather.
ReplyDeleteI can't really understand the tomato situation either - considering the warmth we have had it should have been one of the best tomato seasons ever.
DeleteThey say that variety is the spice of life, and there's plenty of variety there. I really enjoyed the patty pan squash I managed to harvest last year and decided to grow them again this year, but I haven't harvested any yet, fingers crossed as they were a favourite last year.
ReplyDeleteMine haven't done so well this year I'm afraid - no idea why - maybe not enough rain, although they have been watered every day - no two years are the same are they.
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