Friday 21 August 2015

Garden Update

Visitors, the weather and other things mainly laziness has kept me out of the garden for some time.  I have been reaping the harvest but not spent any real time out there.  Whilst I realised that the garden was over run with weeds and needed some real attention I was not aware until yesterday that the cabbage patch had been invaded.  Yes, we have invaders by the hundreds...

 
The crop has been destroyed.  A lesson has surely been learnt.
 
On a lighter note the late season broccoli is doing well, I just need to tidy up the bed before it is strangled with weeds.
 
 
The borlotti beans, an Italian variety of bean is ready to be harvested which I intend to do today along with the last of the dwarf green beans.
 



 
The dwarf green beans have been a huge success with a great taste and plenty stored away in the freezer.  Whilst the borlotti beans have been a little slower to come to fruition they are plentiful, so now its a matter of taste.  I will reserve judgement and let you know.  Broad beans were wonderful yet again and there is a large stock in the freezer, along with the peas which don't seem to last very long at all.  I need to increase the planting.
 
The tomatoes are plentiful and we have had an abundance of them through the last month, I have also made several jars of chutney and put some in the freezer for sauces.  The last plants in hanging baskets have plenty of fruit but the lack of sun has restricted the process, so they are still green.
 

 
Green tomato chutney perhaps???
 
Finally the complete hedgerow at the end of my garden is full of blackberries, so I intend to pick them, some for the freezer along with the apples already there will make some great Autumnal puddings and some for jam.
 


 
A taste of summer in the cooler months, what could be better?
 
As always, thank you for your wonderful comments on my last post and a warm welcome to new followers.   I hope you enjoy my little adventures as I plod through life.
 
See you soon.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 






















25 comments:

  1. Caterpillars I used to love them until I started growing my own vegetables I had a few on my brussel sprout plants but I picked them and the eggs off and removed them out of the garden carefully I then used a spray on the plants and thankfully they haven't returned. I always make green tomatoe and spiced apple chutney in September ready for Christmas :-) my large tomatoes are still green so I don't mind if they don't turn. Its certainly been another good year for blackberries for everyone this year its a great feeling having things you have grown or picked packed away for the leaner months. Happy weeding, dee :-)

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  2. What a shame after all that hard work , When i had a dabble at growing cabbages the wood pigeons eat all mine it was so disappointing xxx

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  3. So sad to see your cabbage patch has been invaded by this caterpillars. I have tried to grow cabbage in pots but the tiny snails started to eat the leaves! Your blackberries plants are very fruitful, the fruits look so juicy.

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  4. Bunnies eat my cabbages....
    Enjoy your weekend in your garden !
    Anna

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  5. Oh no! You know, I didn't plant anything cabbage-y at the allotment this year for that very reason. I didn't get to harvest any of them last year, the catapillars had it all!

    Really enjoyed your gardening update, and it reminds me that I have been planning one as well. :)

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  6. I have taken to doing a quick check of my sprouts and Kale every day. I hand pick any caterpillers and feed them to my goldfish. The butterfly eggs I simply rub away. Hopefully I will have a few uneaten leaves on my sprouts this year.

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  7. Oh those darn caterpillers! They got a hold of my herbs this summer too. :-(

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  8. Splendid produce. I feel I should give beans a try next year.

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  9. Great photos
    My kale is caterpillar food, argh and need sun to ripen up tons of tomatoes
    Happy weekend x

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  10. That cabbage and those worms looks just like my Kale row a few weeks ago. I finally pulled it all up and threw it to the chickens. At least something got a good meal from my work. Your other vegetables look great...and the blackberries!

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  11. The caterpillar look very pretty. It is such a shame that these creatures can be so destructive. I love borlotti beans very much, I hope you like them, too. x

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  12. Well now I know what I'm doing this weekend: going out to look for blackberries. Thank you for the reminder. x

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  13. Sorry about the cabbage patch! Everything else looks bursting with vitality! You will surely enjoy them in months to come!

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  14. Oh the perils of gardening. The birds will love the insects! One way to look at it

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  15. Our Sprouts and Broccoli have suffered with caterpillars galore this year. Sounds like you still had lots of goodies from the garden though xx

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  16. I had a bad time last year with my cabbages. The cabbage white butterfly destoyed every last one. The rest of your fruit and veg is looking and good to eat x

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  17. Uninvited guests, how rude. At least they didn't get to the blackberries.
    Amalia
    xo

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  18. That is the reason I don't grow any brassicas - can't stand caterpillars. Yum to the blackberries though.

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  19. Hehe we had caterpillars everywhere last year but the kids enjoyed watching them and the chrysalises. At least the rest of the fruit and vegetables look ok x

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  20. After all my galavanting about camping and driving down and up the West Coast USA I am just now getting to visit your blog and scroll back to catch up with your news...and the first thing I see is your garden invasion! Mercy! So sorry! But I am glad for the good produce you have been gathering and processing. I enjoyed seeing the neat buttons and shoe forms you have collected, the wonderful projects you have stitched and glimpses of the beautiful times you are sharing with your family! We are still in smoke here in the wildfire West, and as you noted praying for rain, but in other seasons we have had a surplus of that as I gather you are having. I am happy for you that you live so near the sea and are already getting ready for cosy times of stitching by the fireside (one of my favorite occupations as well :) Blessings on you and yours! xx

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  21. Too bad about your cabbage :( Gardens are definitely a lot of work to keep up...but the produce is such a nice reward if you can do it. Lovely photos!

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  22. I could eat beans every single day of my life and never tire of them, they are my favorite!! Love your berries :)

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  23. Goodness.. those caterpillars are awful! Did you take your blog list down? I thought you had one. We're back from our camping trip and I put up a LOT of photos! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  24. Bless your heart, I can feel your pain as those critters ruined my harvest this year. Not fun at all is it?
    Hugs to you,
    Meredith

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  25. such a shame you lost part of your crop. The caterpillars have done a number on some of my plants as well.

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