Monday 17 August 2015

The Harvests Keep On Coming

At this time of year there's always something to harvest. Some things may be coming to an end but others are just starting.

My carrots have done brilliantly this year, I put the success down to the WoodBlocX raised bed. It's nice and deep so it allows for a good root run. These are a combination of Nantes and Tendersnax.


The courgettes have started to produce in earnest. I'm growing Dundoo and Tricolour this year. There's also a patty pan squash, Custard White, one of which didn't make it on to the photo as it was prepared and popped straight in to the oven to have with dinner.


I didn't think my cucumber plants were up to much this year, actually they're not, they've never really recovered from the cold spring, but the Mini Munch are still producing well. The misshapen one at the bottom grew pressed against the cane which is supporting the plant, it's left the imprint of the cane in the fruit. I'm also growing Crystal Lemon, I'm not keen on this variety myself but my dad enjoys them so I grow them for him. The fruits are only just beginning to grow, much later than Mini Munch this year.


Mick popped to the allotment last night and came home with a trug full of goodies and at last, my beans are ready.


These are Cobra and Blue Lake French beans and the first few St George runner beans at the bottom. He brought another beetroot home as well as more courgettes and patty pan squash. The carrots at the bottom are the first of the Chantenay carrots we've pulled, I think Mick said the others are Tendersnax. Chantenay are a smaller, stubbier carrot and are particularly sweet.


We're spoilt for choice with so much fresh food available at the moment. There's no doubt that we're getting our five a day.

34 comments:

  1. Fabulous harvest Jo, I love this time of year so much choice to harvest x

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    1. It's a great time of year. I love to share the bounties too, family and friends do just about as well as we do for fresh veg.

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  2. It's all looking, and sounding, good and what makes it all worthwhile. Enjoy. Flighty xx

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    1. It does make it all worthwhile. We've been very short on time this year but we're still managing to harvest plenty enough.

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  3. Beautiful harvests; I especially love the white patty pan & those carrots. Last year, I harvested the early carrots too soon & didn't sow the fall carrots soon enough. This year I procrastinated and my early carrots became my late carrots. One of these days I'm bound to get it right ;)

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    1. We all enjoy the patty pan squash simply roasted. They're so prolific, we do very well out of a couple of plants. I find that time runs away with me and I never get round to making second sowings when I should.

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  4. Our crops are so far behind, even in our raised bed, the cold spring held everything up

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    1. Some things do seem to be later this year, they definitely didn't like the spring we had.

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  5. Those carrots look amazing - in fact all your vegetables look amazing.

    Ratatouille may be on the menu?
    But of course you could have other plans?

    Have a good week.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Ratatouille always features on the menu once the veggies are in full production, it freezes well too.

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  6. Lovely carrots. Isn't it nice to have good soil to grow carrots in? I used to have clay and I was lucky to get a 6" carrot - and that was a lot of work. Now I can grow longer ones easily if I want to. Deep soil is so nice.

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    1. These are the best carrots I've ever grown. It just goes to show how raised beds can help as you can control the soil that you're growing in.

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  7. Oh wow, what an amazing harvest, you've done really well. Those carrots are phenomenal, absolutely flawless. The cucumbers are pretty good as well. I've grown Cobra beans this year and been quite impressed with them, I'll definitely give them another go next year as well. CJ xx

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    1. I'm really pleased with the carrots, the WoodBlocX raised bed has worked wonders. I've grown Cobra beans the last two or three years but I still prefer Blue Lake.

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  8. Your carrots are looking lovely, I have only got a few growing in a container this year our ground is far to stony but I have plans for next year :-)

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    1. I've had problems growing carrots in the past, my best ones have always come from containers, but they've done so well in the raised bed this year. They're delicious too.

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    2. The carrots looks stunning. I've also found they're best in raised beds or containers.

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    3. I'm so pleased that they like the conditions in the raised bed, they're on the menu most nights at the moment.

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  9. A lovely harvest there, and some mighty fine carrots! I have cooked produce straight from the ground and forgot to get pics this year too...xxx

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    1. These photos are just a sample of what we're bringing home from the allotment at the moment, and of course there's all the tomatoes which I haven't shown here too. It's a great time of year.

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  10. What a wonderful way to get your five a day! It looks as though your new allotment plot has produced well for you this year! Long may it continue. xx

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    1. The allotment has taken a back seat this year, we've just been so busy with other things, so I'm really pleased that it's still doing so well for us. I just hope that we can get some extra time in down there soon.

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  11. Hey Jo,
    Olly's carrots turned out to be Cosmos. He beggared about with the labels when I first sowed the seeds into trays earlier in the year. The carrots are probably growing away in the garden somewhere. Luckily he saw the funny side. Just. Your carrots are brilliant. I think I shall have another go next year, and follow your advice here. I bet they tasted delicious. My cues were a disaster this year. Only two. Last year I was giving them away to strangers. And plot 10 has been a disaster area I'm afraid. Lots eaten. Not much to show for our efforts. Oh well. The joys of gardening I guess.
    Leanne xx

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    1. Oh no, at least you'll have a pretty allotment, Cosmos are lovely flowers. I've never done so well with carrots, we've got loads yet to harvest and they're delicious. Home grown are so much nicer than bought. My cucumbers are producing well but the plants are nothing to look at, they never really recovered from the cold spring. My plot has been somewhat neglected this year so I'm really pleased with the harvest it's giving us, it really doesn't owe us anything this year.

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  12. I think that we grew Crystal Lemon once and weren't keen. Still hoping for carrots later

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    1. I grew Crystal Lemon a few years ago and wasn't keen but thought I'd give them another chance the year before last. I still wasn't keen but my dad loved them so I grew them again last year just for him and I've done the same this year. I think the first one will be ready in the next couple of days. Fingers crossed for your carrots, though the rain we're having today will bring those pesky molluscs out again.

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  13. Great harvest and your carrots are beautiful. I am going up to the allotment when the rain eases. Hopefully after a week away there will be some goodies to harvest :) xxx

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    1. The problem with having time away is that the weeds grow just as well as the veggies. I'm sure that after a week though there'll be lots of goodies to take home with you.

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  14. Isn't it wonderful when the harvest starts to come! it all looks delicious :-)

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    1. It is a wonderful time of year. It all tastes delicious too.

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  15. Oh that trug is brimming with goodies Jo. I will have to give 'Blue Lake' a go one of these years. I've grown' Cobra' for some time now. It's not fared as well as last year but I've still come home with a bagful on my last couple of allotment trips.

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    1. I've grown Blue Lake most years and though it's not always reliable, the risk is worth it. I usually grow another variety along side it to hedge my bets.

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  16. A fantastic harvest. Lots of tasty goodies there. Didn't do any carrots this year. The allotment is plagued with carrot fly and I didn't have space for any more pots at home. Maybe next year.

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    1. The frame Mick made to cover the carrots has worked so well, none of the carrots I've pulled so far have had any damage at all. Enviromesh is quite expensive but definitely worth it.

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