Wednesday 7 December 2011

The Veggie Garden in December

Except for the empty pumpkin patch at the bottom of the allotment garden the rest is still pretty much full of produce.  I have started harvesting sprouts even though they are still small, I doubt they are going to get any bigger now, let's just call them sweet bites, mini sprouts, if you like.

I also harvested another handful of tenderstems from the Calabrese on Sunday, shown with the sprouts, these plants just keep on giving - I expect they will eventually exhaust themselves, but when?
The January King cabbages are hearting up nicely, and will probably be ready to eat, in January!

But, in the bottom left hand corner of the allotment, all is not well.  This is my soft fruit area - raspberries underplanted with strawberries, blackcurrants, gooseberries, rhubarb and redcurrants.

The pictures aren't very good as I took them this morning at 7.30 and it was only just getting light, but it will give you an idea of the area.  Everything needs pruning back and all the bushes are starting to intermingle and overcrowd one another.  Plus, right in the middle of the blackcurrant, an elder has decided to seed itself.

The bottom right picture shows a self-seeded perpetual spinach plant that has gone to seed and takes up a huge area.  This part of the garden has gone a little wild with nettles, long grass and mint that has escaped and now grows in profusion.  It looks a little unsightly, but I don't mind too much as my philosophy is that, as long as there is a some control so that it doesn't get too out of hand, a wild area can be beneficial to the rest of the garden.  I think the abundance of this area is because it was once my compost heap.  Along the fence at the back of the garden is a mound where I threw my weeds, which have now rotted down, so I will make use of this next year for planting a courgette and squash.  I intend laying a big branch along the top for the squash plant to grow along, giving the tendrils something to attach too, and hopefully keep the fruit off the soil.  That is the plan anyway.

Finally, the above pictures show the making of cherry chocolate, these cherries are the end result of the cherry vodka that was started earlier in the year.  The beloved decided to use the vodka-soaked cherries instead of throwing them away.  Once it had set, we both has a taste - I quite liked it but he didn't, so I have a feeling it is going to sit in the fridge until we find some willing victim to take it off our hands. 

19 comments:

  1. Your first photo is so impressive, Elaine. All that's left of mine looks very sad.
    You can prune your fruit bushes in the winter if you can stand the cold.
    We have some fruit in vodka that P made. I'm at a loss as to what to do with it....

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  2. Mint is a bit of a thug - ours is confined to a bed of its own any that escapes is mown off when we mow the grass. The smell makes our mouths water though. This year the bed needs some attention.

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  3. Wow! Love your veg patch Elaine! What a beautiful space, with a view of the fields beyond. Yep, that would get me up there at 7.30 in the morning. What sort of cherries went into your vodka? Were they Morello? Can't think why they wouldn't work with chocolate (thinking: Black Forest Gateau) but chocolate tablet is very trendy and sells for a small fortune in Waitrose ... you should find plenty of willing 'victims'! Caro xx

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  4. your plot is looking AMAZING for December, I am a little jealous! I hope to have mine that Good next year as this is my first Season and only have sprouts sprouting broc and cavalo nero and none of it looks like it will be ready till well into the new year!

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  5. I'm envious of your veggie garden. Looks like it's doing well! Interseting about the volunteer spinach--I like your philosophy of letting it be unless it gets too out of control. How do you cook your sprouts?

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  6. I'd be a "willing victim" if I was near enough to you to benefit from some cherry vodka chocolate!
    The Autumn just keeps on going, doesn't it? I was reading today about dire reports from all the European ski resorts - no snow yet was the general gist. No snow = major emabarrassment = loss of revenue. Oh, what a shame.

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  7. Your veg patch looks wonderfully productive, you'd never guess that the photo was taken in December. If only you didn't live so far away, I'd be a willing victim!

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  8. What a 'windy' selection of veg you have!! lol...and your last snaps have now made me very hungry! xx

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  9. I'm so impressed with your allotment. I didn't really plan on having anything overwinter with it being my first year. I ended up with some leeks which have nearly all gone and my cavolo nero has done well. I think I'll definitely try some tenderstem broccoli next year though.

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  10. Saw the link on Gardeners Click. A really excellent interesting Gardening blog - you put me to shame.

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  11. Lovely garden, I made cherry liquer with vodka this year too!

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  12. Your veggie plot looks most healthy and happy Elaine and oh so productive. Is your plot part of your garden or on an allotment site? Would love to grow veggies in the garden but where we are now is too shady. Have the same issues with my soft fruit which require some serious work soon. That cherry chocolate should be decidedly yummy :)

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  13. The cabbages look mighty fine. Have you mulched under with straw? Do you find this increases slugs + snails? We used straw under the cabbages at the community centre and had to take it all up as there were far too many munching on everything. He didn't like the chocolate with vodka-soaked cherries?!?!?!?

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  14. There's an award for you on my blog. You're under no obligation to accept it, I know how time consuming these kind of posts are, I just wanted to let you know that I enjoy reading your blog.

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  15. So, do you not like spinach then???
    Popeye would rap your knuckles.

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  16. lcolohic cherry chocolate...sounds fab! I confess to being a bit of a chocoholic!

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  17. Oooh! I'm a bit superstitious so I'd probably ask that Elder if it was alright to dig her up and transplant her someplace else. No one needs bad garden luck ;)

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  18. PS - Am still salivating over the thought of your vodka-soaked cherry chocolates. Yummmmmmmmmmm!

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  19. Cherry chocolate!! What a fantastic idea. For parties I've often done the chocolate coated strawberries but never cherries. Will remember this, fab idea :)

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