It's great to be bringing plenty home from the allotment again. It gets to that time of year when more than one or two things make their way in to the trug and on to the dinner plate. Last weekend I picked the first of the cavolo nero, beetroot, and calabrese of the year, and there were also more mange tout and peas which were ready. For our meal on Monday evening we had Beef Bourguignon with home grown potatoes, carrots, calabrese, mange tout and cavolo nero, you can't get much better than that. It was all very tasty and there were four empty plates at the end of the meal.
I'm still not sure if the sweetcorn is going to make it. After languishing in their pots for far too long, they were planted out late at the allotment. They're very yellow at the moment so we'll have to see if they stop sulking and put on some growth.
The shallots look to be ready to pull. Their tops have started to die back, so it's time for them to be lifted. They seem to have done very well, each set having produced lots of shallots, though a couple did try to flower. I'll remember to use those first as apparently, they don't store as well if they've bolted.
Great harvest! I'm envying you your shallots. Last year ours did really well, this year not so clever :( Mo
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It's a shame when onions and shallots bolt...I use them immediately after finding them in the act! Otherwise the stem starts tapping into the bulb and using its goodness to build an inedible fibrous column. Well, I suppose you could eat it but it'd be like chewing on an onion/shallot stick ;)
ReplyDeleteYour Cavolo Nero is much earlier than mine, Jo. My plants are still in small pots, awaiting transplanting. I don't expect to use them until the Autumn.
ReplyDeleteIt's a great time of year for veg growing - unfortunately my shallots all went to seed - too dry for them earlier in the year I think.
ReplyDeleteIt's such a great feeling to be putting really fresh veg on the table, isn't it? I've had courgettes (of course!), carrots (mini), beetroot and spinach for a while now. Keeping my eye on my onions which are just yellowing at the leaf tips ... Sweet corn also looking a bit dismal but I'm (optimistically) thinking that it's still early days... !!
ReplyDeleteI think I might have a go at this healthy eating lark.
ReplyDeleteOh look at your lovely beetroot! Mine never looks as good as that.
ReplyDeleteYour produce looks wonderful Jo - how incredibly satisfying it must have felt to eat all those veg after all your hard work!
ReplyDeleteMy beetroots are stil a tad on the small side, although probably perfect for babybeet!
A great selection Jo, it's the best time of year for home grown veg.
ReplyDeleteWe buy heat treated onions sets. The treatment kills the flower bud which stops it bolting.
ReplyDeleteBy the way am I in a time warp Sunday?
It's funny how things can do well one year, and not so well the following year, Mo. I suppose it's all down to the conditions they're grown in, and the weather will also have some bearing.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to check the shallots which bolted then, Tanya. I thought they'd be ok so long as I chopped off the flower stem and used them soon after harvesting.
I had more cavolo nero in pots ready to plant out and use in winter, Mark, but it seems that slugs like it as much as I do. I will probably sow some more to see me through the colder months.
It's great at this time of year when all the months of hard work pay off, Elaine. Sorry to hear about your shallots, the dry weather has scuppered lots of crops this year.
It's great to have veg on the table within hours of it being harvested, Caro. It sounds like your eating plenty of fresh veg at the moment too.
It doesn't get any healthier than home grown veg, Don't unplug your hub. It's great to know that all my veggies have been grown without any chemicals too.
I love beetroot roasted in foil in the oven, Ali. I'd only ever eaten it pickled until a couple of years ago, now I know what I'd been missing I ensure I grow plenty.
I love this time of year when lots of veggies are ready to harvest, Gill. Small beetroot is lovely, lots of guides advise pulling them at golf ball size.
It's great that lots of things are ready to be harvested, Damo. There's lots more to come too, so we should be eating well for weeks to come yet.
I've only had two shallots bolt, Sue, none of the onions have, so far. This was last Sunday's harvest, I'm a little late writing about it.
That's a good looking, and I'm sure tasty, selection!
ReplyDeleteIf we have a good August your sweetcorn could still be okay, so fingers crossed. Flighty xx
Our cavolo nero is still so small although it has been growing for months. Yours are very nice. Lovely harvest.
ReplyDeleteI haven't had much success with beetroot. I think it was Monty on Gardener's World who recommended starting them indoor. When I planted them out, they didn't survive. I've planted more directly outside so will see. Kelli
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping that August is lovely and sunny, Flighty, not only for my sweetcorn but we're going on holiday then too. It's great bringing a selection of veg in for tea, I love this time of year when everything's ready to be harvested.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure your cavolo nero will grow soon, Malay-Kadazan girl. I'm pleased with how my brassicas are doing this year, they've never been as good before.
I know many people transplant their beetroot, Kelli, but I never have. I've always sown my seed direct and they've done fine. Hope your second sowing is more successful.
Is that purple mange tout I see??? How did they taste?? Were they still purple when cooked??
ReplyDeleteThe purple mange tout are Stephens, Tanya. They're actually a climbing pea but can be eaten as a mange tout. They turn the water a really mucky colour when being cooked, they don't keep their purple colour. To be honest, I much prefer the green ones.
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