Here we are again, Monday and of course the harvest summary. One thing about doing this every week is that it makes me realise just how fast the weeks fly by. While there’s nothing much new in the harvest basket this week there is plenty of potential that I thought I would share with you this week… just to prove that I do actually grow something besides silver beet. But first here’s what I actually picked.
1. Herbs were in the number one spot this week. Lots of parsley, some rosemary for a roast lamb, thyme for several dishes including creamed silver beet (yum!) and to top some brussle sprouts grilled with breadcrumbs, thyme and parmesan cheese.
2. Silver beet, and no we’re not yet bored with it, as long as I make creamed silver beet every now and again everyone is happy. Miss One happily had the leftovers for lunch today. And no, we’re not even close to using it all up yet. I think that’s pretty impressive considering I planted the silver beet seeds TWO years ago and have had a constant supply ever since.
Chopped and ready for the frying pan.
3. Spring onions, something new from previous weeks. I only had a few volunteer spring onions in the garden after I let one or two go to seed last time I planted them. This is the last of the volunteers and as none went to seed this time around it looks like I will have to plant some more seeds – not sure when the best time for that is, I’ll have to look it up.
4. There was also another turnip that went into a root vegetable soup, but no photograph of that one. I have one last turnip ready to pick then there will be a bit of a break.
And finally here’s my parade of potential garden goodness
Flowers on the lime tree (there’s also some buds on the lemon side which is exciting) and carrots coming along nicely, if a little slowly.
Garlic looking good, but still several months off being ready to pick, broad beans still growing taller and unfurling leaves, and celery that will be ready to start picking in another month or so I think. I’ve put milk cartons around the bottom of some of them to encourage them to grow up rather than out and to keep the bottom of the stems white. Do other people do this? I read it somewhere.
The biggest of the broccoli heads, shouldn’t be too much longer before I can pick this one and it looks like I might have staggered the planting well so it’s not all ready at once. And the start of a hearting cabbage – didn’t do so well with these ones as they all look to be at the same stage. We could be in for a glut of cabbages!
Flowers (and some little pods) on the pea plants. I’m never going to have enough all ready at the same point to do anything worthwhile with so these may end up as gardeners snacks. I’ve had trouble getting the peas going this year.
I guess it’s cheating to post about things I’m not yet picking, so for more proper harvests head over here.
The New Good Life 
I sow Spring onions seeds pretty much all year round. They tend to be a bit slower in winter but they still germinate fine for me. I haven’t tried blanching my celery before – i keep meaning to but not getting around to it – I will be interested to see how yours does.
I had a feeling spring onions was one of those all year round veg for our climate Liz. I’ll pop some seeds in a tray soon. I’ve only ‘blanched’ (see I didn’t even know it had an actual name) some of my celery, as I use up the milk and save the carton from being recycled. It does seem to be working well so far so will probably do a couple more and then leave a few to do their own thing. I’ll keep you posted.
Things are looking good over there! Oh I have to add favas to my seed list! Have been wanting to grow them again. Good thing cabbage with keep quite some time in the fridge or cellar, eh?
Thanks Mary. I have packets and packets of broad bean seeds, for some reason I bought loads of them so it looks like I’ll have a supply for quite a while. Though I have to say I can’t help thinking of that quote from Silence of the Lambs when ever I see or hear the words fava beans. It’s probably a good thing we call them broad beans, I’m not sure I could eat them otherwise.
I need to start blanching my celery too. I’ve made tubes out of cardboard before, but milk cartons sound good to me.
The milk cartons are very easy, but they don’t block out the light completely like cardboard would. Originally I think the idea was to use the cardboard cartons, but all our milk comes is a sort of clean plastic now. I’m not sure how good a job these will do, but I thought it was worth a trial considering I’m too lazy to make my own.
I don’t think it’s cheating to post things that haven’t been harvested yet. It just adds to the drama. I love your fava beans. I can’t wait to plant mine, but have to wait until it’s cooler.
I’m so going for the dramatic build up to more interesting harvests cristy. The broad beans are starting to look good, but still have a while to go before they will produce anything worth picking, probably Oct. I think this year though I will save the tips when I pinch them out and stir fry them.
You can plant the bottoms of even supermarket spring onions and they will grow. I just cut off about 1cm of the base and plant it. Low and behold it will grow! I never pull out my spring onions now, just cut them off at the base and leave in the garden. Spring onions are year round for all of Australia (I’m in temperate region).
I have heard of planting the supermarket ones but have never tried it, Perhaps I should. My Mum does the same thing, just cutting off her spring onions at the base and leaving the rest in the ground. These three were growing in the garden path – rather inconvenient really. I will definitely plant some more soon.
It’s nice to see what’s growing in the garden and not just the harvest. Using milk carton to blanch the celery is a clever idea.
Thanks Norma, you’ll notice I didn’t photography the weedy bits, they are really dominating the garden at the moment. I just spend a little while pulling some out from under one of the apple trees, but it’s so cold out there that my hands went numb and I retreated to the warmth of the house.
Looks like a lot of great things to come from your garden!! I’m looking forward to seeing more!
Thanks Rick, rest assured I will be showing off all future harvests and give you all a break from the silver beet.
Lime flowers – how exciting! I pruned my tree yesterday because it was looking a bit leggy and no sign of new growth – hopefully that will spur it into action. Your herbs look good too – I made the mistake of trimming and repotting mine, so I have almost no herbs at the moment.
I love silverbeet!
Yes, very exciting L, but it does take a LONG time from flower to ripe fruit on a citrus tree. Hope yours springs back well. Some of my herbs are doing great – the rosemary and the parsley – but the thyme and mint are looking a little sad. And the sage desperately needs to be rescued from it’s little pot and given a spot in the garden bed where it will hopefully get a bit more attention.
I planted all my cabbage at the same time so I too will have my harvest all at once. I plan on making cabbage soup and freezing it for winter. I am also going to try dehydrating a little of it and see how that will work to make soups with later.
Hmmm cabbage soup sounds interesting. You’ll have to post the recipe for me. I’ll be watching for your dehydrating efforts also.
I don’t cover my celery as I am able to get tall stalks without the extra step but I know many people do it to also get a milder flavored plant. Your coming crops are looking good!
I’m experimenting with both methods, so half are covered and half are not. The ones that aren’t covered seem to be growing quite flat against the ground and spreading out. I wonder if this will change as they get bigger.