Veggie Update

The one week "vacation" has come to an end now. Whew! It's an old saying, but I am going to say it anyway, "I had to go back to work to get some rest".

We have been doing all sorts of things in the lottie during that week. It seemed as if it was a month long, that vacation.
Each day, we head out to the lottie and when we reach the Provencial Road where the bike path goes westward, this is what we get to see at the intersection:

It sort of looks like a Monet painting, doesn't it. The city government began planting poppies and wild flowers at various intersections in the city a couple of years ago. I like the looks of it.
It's a combination of common poppies and woad, I believe it's called.

There was cleaning to be done...and re-cleaning... The toms got trimmed and suckered again. Corn got planted out. The finished pea plants werre removed and new peas and neans tied-up.
The ongoing battle with moles continues withoutr much success.
Harvesting has been on the adgenda as well-- spinach, lettuce peas, broadbeans, strawbs annnnnnnddd.....SPUDS!
Yes, I lifted one plant from each of the four sorts that I'm growing this year. Saying I was thrilled is an understatement.
Two sorts were still way too small to harvest (as expected) but the other two types were large enough to harvest, but I shall wait another 2-3 weeks before I lift them anyway. I will try and lift the spuds as I need them this year because I don't really have a proper place to store them.

We went over to the new garden to have a look. I was happy with the initial overview.

There is endive on the foreground...then onions, Swiss Chard and runner bean tee pees with courgettes in the back.

The kapucijners are above the top of the rack now and their purple pods are forming, but still flat.

The first corn that I planted out are already showing tassels in the grow point. I'm a little worried that they are still so short. I guess that the cool weather may have been responsible for that.

....and now, the spuds. Yes, it's gonna be spuds, spuds and more spuds.
One third of the new garden is dedicated to potato production. Here they are:

Now I will show some of the potatos that I lifted.
As I said, I am growing four types this year--two types I grew last year, and I have two new sorts that I am trying--the "Jersey Royal" and the "Roseval"
Let me begin with the Roseval.

...and then a close-up

Then the Jersey Royal. I am trying this one because Emma Jane really recommended it highly. Without going any further, let me say that I was not disappointed. They are delicious.

The "Ratte d'Ardeche". This spud is my partner's favourite.
They are way too small to harvest yet; I believe that they are a late middle. They will be the last ones that we harvest.

Here they are...all safely nestled in their trug waiting to be taken home and be exposed to the "taste test". It's a quality contril method that we frequently use to asceretain the quality and readiness to harevst. Every season there are random Taste Tests performed to guaranteed the quality of the potatoes.
It's necessary to perform this frwquently ....honest. Wink

They are (from left to right), Harlequen, Ratte d'Ardeche, Roseval and Jersey Royal.

Of course no display would be complete without a "tater-in-the-pan" piccy.

Well, if you aren't completely bored rigid...I will take you back over to the old garden now. Here is a partial overview. I find that it just looks so cozy over there, with the straw paths and the old fences.

The blueberries are beginning to turn colour a bit. I'm giving them water every other day now.

The broad bean plants that you saw on the foreground of the preceeding foto are yielding lots these days.

The flower garden section is beginning to show colour now, but I shall show those in a separate thread.

The gardens are caught-up now and the weather is hotting-up, so I expect to be begin seriously harvesting now in the coming two weeks or so.

Hope you liked the pics and can get a feel of how things are and how they are doing in the lotties.

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Sjoerd http://www.volkstuindersvereniginghoornenomstreken.nl/Page11.html

Thank you folks very much for your comments on this posting. It is always so nice to hear what you think.

Daisy--You say the nicest things. The different fencing came from a time when I had no peroimeter top protect frpom the marauding rabbits. I just left them as a second line of defence should they ever find a way in.
As for the netting, I find it an eyesore and a pity to use...but with the various pests that we have here it is necessary if I want a harvest. I use different nets for different peats.
That was a nice "shoewbox story". I liked growing things as a child as well. Don't you find the potato's flowers lovely? I like them alot and notice that they can be different colours depending upon what type of spud it is.
Netty & KL--
Those taters were indeed very tasty. We steamed them and ate them separately rolled in melted butter so as to taste them better. Razz

I shall be looking forward to your harvest and display in a month or so, KL. I will be curious to know what sorts you grew this year as well.
Glenda & Jewell-- you guys say such nice things. I wish that you were here to help with the taste testing. It's always nice to get second...and third opinions. Smile

Ok then, I'm off to the lotties to have a look-see and give some water to the brassicas. I don't want them to shoot and with all the sun and wind the ypper layer of soil is drying out fast, not to mention the plants themselves. brassicas here have the tendency to 'shoot' with too much heat and inadequate root moisture.

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Sjoerd http://www.volkstuindersvereniginghoornenomstreken.nl/Page11.html