Good evening all,
Here are a few events that I'll be attending over the next few weeks - there are a few more in my diary, so I'll update this information when I find my diary...
25th June: Pontarddulais Evening Produce Market
This occurs every fourth Wednesday of the month at Elim Community Church on Oakfield St, from 5 p.m until 7.30 p.m.
28th June: Pontarddulais and Hendy Carnival
Coed-Back park will be transformed into a day of food, drinks, games and entertainment in the central field from 2 o'clock onwards. Watch the beautiful floats make their way through the villages to the field for a family fun day. Entry is £2 at the gate, or free with the Carnival brochure.
9th July: Pontarddulais Market
Occurs every second Wednesday at the Institute (45 St. Teilo Street, Pontarddulais), from 9 a.m until 12.30 p.m.
1st - 9th August: Welsh National Eisteddfod
This is a massive event which runs for 9 days. It's a Welsh cultural festival of music, literature, food, language and everything in between - have a look at the website http://www.eisteddfod.org.uk/english/2014/
I will be in stall 1024, so come along and find Oscar's Kitchen for a huge selection of chutneys, pickles, chilli sauces and lots of delicious new products!
South Wales is currently enjoying unbroken days of sunshine at the moment, and my plants are thriving. My raspberry canes are covered with fruits and flowers; my tomato, aubergine, courgette and cucumber plants have lots of flowers and are being regularly fed for more growth and great big fruits; the strawberries, currants and rhubarb are thriving in the polytunnel. The only bad news is that my monster sunflowers have been devoured by slugs, except for 4. These lonesome survivors are being cared for with unprecedented diligence.
Ruth
Wednesday, 18 June 2014
Monday, 16 June 2014
NEW! Oscar's Kitchen Chilli Sauces
Hello everybody,
After a few weeks of experimenting and lots of tasting (and fiery mouths), Oscar's Kitchen proudly introduces our new range of chilli sauces! Smokey, sweet and just downright delicious, each sauce flaunts different flavours, colours and heat.
After a few weeks of experimenting and lots of tasting (and fiery mouths), Oscar's Kitchen proudly introduces our new range of chilli sauces! Smokey, sweet and just downright delicious, each sauce flaunts different flavours, colours and heat.
"Anwen"
a green jalapeno sauce; sweet and sour with a good kick of flavour and heat
"Rebeca"
is the hottest of the sauces; roasted chillies and smokey flavours make this the perfect sauce for any BBQ
"Marina"
a scotch bonnet sauce sweetened with fruit and flavoured with citrus. A beautifully bright sauce which matches its boisterous heat
I can't believe how much fun it was to make these chilli sauces; the smells of the chillies, spices, fruits, and herbs was just staggering and utterly divine. And the colours! My goodness, they really do look as good as they taste.
Wishing you all well,
Ruth
Tuesday, 27 May 2014
May: What's Been Going On
May has come and gone. I don't know where it's gone, but I certainly know what I've been doing! The garden has really come alive, and the kitchen has been busier than ever.
In the Kitchen
The wedding favours that I had made in April were delivered to the bride and groom to be. I made Raspberry Jam for the ladies, and Caramelised Red Onion Chutney for the gentlemen.
The wedding was on the 17th of May, was really lovely as I got to dress up and wear heels, which was really strange as I'm used to flip-flops or wellies.
This is us (Ruth and Ben) before heading to the wedding. It was Ben's father's wedding, which is why he's so dressed up.
Once the wedding favours were finished and delivered, it was time to replenish my dwindling stock. First on the list was my Mixed Fruit Chutney which has dried apricots and coriander seeds. It's smells delicious and tastes absolutely divine: it has actually become more popular than the Caramelised Red Onion Chutney.
I made two batches (which is about 18-20 jars). I already need to make more.
This is Lemon Chutney. Lemons and spices are cooked together and allowed to mature for a few months before eating. So far, mine have been maturing for 2 weeks, so have at least another 8 weeks before I'll sell them.
The final product. Irresistible.
I've been wanting to make some chilli sauces for a while, so this month I began some experimentation. I used different chillies, different fruits and vegetables to make some chilli concoctions. These are the results.
I also made some Rhubarb and Ginger Jelly. There's something quite perfect about pink food.
In the Kitchen
The wedding favours that I had made in April were delivered to the bride and groom to be. I made Raspberry Jam for the ladies, and Caramelised Red Onion Chutney for the gentlemen.
The wedding was on the 17th of May, was really lovely as I got to dress up and wear heels, which was really strange as I'm used to flip-flops or wellies.
This is us (Ruth and Ben) before heading to the wedding. It was Ben's father's wedding, which is why he's so dressed up.
Once the wedding favours were finished and delivered, it was time to replenish my dwindling stock. First on the list was my Mixed Fruit Chutney which has dried apricots and coriander seeds. It's smells delicious and tastes absolutely divine: it has actually become more popular than the Caramelised Red Onion Chutney.
I made two batches (which is about 18-20 jars). I already need to make more.
It was time for some new products to go on to the Oscar's Kitchen menu this month. I did some recipe hunting and found some delicious chutneys which would go down well - excuse the pun.
This is Lemon Chutney. Lemons and spices are cooked together and allowed to mature for a few months before eating. So far, mine have been maturing for 2 weeks, so have at least another 8 weeks before I'll sell them.
The colour change throughout cooking was amazing; at first, it was quite bright and vivid, then it mellowed and took on a deliciously dark and caramelised colour. The smells, again, were wonderful.
The final product. Irresistible.
I then made two beetroot chutneys; one was a Beetroot, Orange and Chilli Chutney, and the other was a Beetroot and Wasabi Chutney.
Left to right: Spiced Apple Chutney, Summer Vegetable Chutney, Green Tomato Chutney and Mixed Fruit Chutney
Jalapeno sauce - a sweet and sour hot sauce
Smoked chilli and chocolate sauce
Caribbean Jerk sauce
Peach and Scotch Bonnet sauce
In June I will start making batches of these and bottling them up for sale. I have a few large events throughout the summer (starting next month and carrying on until September) including a massive National event which lasts 9 days! Will need a lot of bottles for that.
My favourite is the smoked chilli and chocolate sauce, its lush.
Not forgetting all things sweet, there has been more Citrus Fruits Marmalade in the Kitchen than you could shake a stick at.
I also made some Rhubarb and Ginger Jelly. There's something quite perfect about pink food.
Tuesday, 15 April 2014
A Day in the Garden...
I've had quite a busy day in the garden today; weeding, transplanting, watering and whatnot.
First and foremost was planting out my chicory. These are plants from last year, and they have very solid roots now which is perfect. The variety is "Witloof" which is good for cut-and-come-again leaves and also to be forced in the winter to create long, white spear headed lettuces.
Pretty little plug-plants!
Up the back of the garden I have a 4m x 2m raised bed, in which I grew my pumpkins, squash and courgettes last year. This year, I am changing it to a soft fruit bed as it is a warmer spot with better soil and more sunshine.
I moved some of my healthiest strawberry plants and planted them in three rows. I have a few more to plant, so I will have 3 or 4 rows in total.
When the plants start growing runners, these will be pinned to the ground so that they develop roots and grow into new strawberry plants. Older, less fruitful plants, will be dug up and composted, and the new young plants will take their place.
I put together a new mini-greenhouse which is on my patio (with my salad boxes and fig tree).
Finally, I wanted to sow some sunflower seeds. I saved these seeds from a few flowers from last year, more than enough for this year!
There's about 42 sunflower seeds there, which sounds excessive, but slugs demolished most of my sunflowers last year before they even grew a foot tall, so I'm hoping that even if this happens again, I should still have enough sunflowers to plant out.
There is still plenty to be done in my garden; I have raspberry canes to move and gooseberry bushes to move as well. Not looking forward to that!
Ruth
First and foremost was planting out my chicory. These are plants from last year, and they have very solid roots now which is perfect. The variety is "Witloof" which is good for cut-and-come-again leaves and also to be forced in the winter to create long, white spear headed lettuces.
Pretty little plug-plants!
Up the back of the garden I have a 4m x 2m raised bed, in which I grew my pumpkins, squash and courgettes last year. This year, I am changing it to a soft fruit bed as it is a warmer spot with better soil and more sunshine.
I moved some of my healthiest strawberry plants and planted them in three rows. I have a few more to plant, so I will have 3 or 4 rows in total.
When the plants start growing runners, these will be pinned to the ground so that they develop roots and grow into new strawberry plants. Older, less fruitful plants, will be dug up and composted, and the new young plants will take their place.
Finally, I wanted to sow some sunflower seeds. I saved these seeds from a few flowers from last year, more than enough for this year!
There's about 42 sunflower seeds there, which sounds excessive, but slugs demolished most of my sunflowers last year before they even grew a foot tall, so I'm hoping that even if this happens again, I should still have enough sunflowers to plant out.
There is still plenty to be done in my garden; I have raspberry canes to move and gooseberry bushes to move as well. Not looking forward to that!
Ruth
Thursday, 3 April 2014
Attracting Wildlife to the Garden
Hello everyone,
I've spent quite a bit of time writing today's blog as the subject is something I not only find very interesting and fun, but also incredibly important. It's about boosting and attracting British wildlife back into our gardens.
I always remember having loads of wildlife in my garden when I was younger; voles, bumble bees, butterflies, slow worms, frogs and all sorts were always jumping, flying and running around the garden. Then we moved to a house with a larger garden and the wildlife was overwhelming! My parents bought me a British Wildlife book and I would spend hours exploring the garden to see how many different species I could find.
However, in recent years I have most certainly seen a decline in wildlife in my garden. The swarms of butterflies aren't there anymore, neither are dozens of bumblebees that would torment my dogs, nor the slow worms that would appear from nowhere only to quickly disappear again. Now, the only wildlife I see are the half chewed mice my cat brings me.
So how on earth do I get them back? Wildlife is essential for our gardens; they prey on the bugs and aphids and horrible little things which will attack fruits and vegetables. They also pollinate trees and flowers which again helps the garden.
With a a bit of research and doodling, I have compiled a list of ways to get the wildlife back in our gardens.
With a a bit of research and doodling, I have compiled a list of ways to get the wildlife back in our gardens.
Here are some ideas on how to attract certain species:
Butterflies
These colourful beauties love flowers with plenty of pollen and nectar, so flower choices should revolve around this. Bright colours will not only make your garden beautiful, but will also attract a range of butterflies, which have seen a decrease in population in recent years, especially the Monarch butterfly. Plants flowers that will be in bloom from spring until autumn so as to give a long season of foods for the butterflies. Hopefully this small gesture will help the butterfly population, as a garden, in my opinion, is incomplete without them.
Bees
Bumble bees are such lovely little things, it's such a pity there aren't as many of them around. So, to boost their numbers, plant flowers such as foxglove and honeysuckle to welcome them into your home.
Birds
A good way to attract a variety of birds to your garden is to have bird feeders available throughout the year. Bird boxes are also a good way to encourage birds to continuously inhabit your garden, and bird baths are an excellent attraction for birds.
Hedgehogs
Hedgehogs are such pretty little creatures and are friends to gardeners as they eat slugs. They like dark and warm nests, so to build a little home for them is simple enough. A conical shaped log pile would be perfect as it would shelter them from the cold and from rain, and would also provide space for them to move about and have their little hedgehogs (or hoglets, but I think that's a horrible name for such cute little spike-balls). Any pile of sticks, branches, leaves or logs would be a good home for them, however, if you're thinking of burning the pile of wood in the future, please make sure there are no animals in there before you light it. Nobody should have the death of hedgehogs on their conscience.
If you come across a little hedgehog venturing outside of the lovely home you've made for it, they like cat food or dog food (break and milk makes them poorly pups).
Frogs and Toads
We used to have so many frogs in our garden when we first moved here. There was an old car pit which was full of frogs, and we also had a well in our boiler room (it used to be a salting room back in the day) and frogs used to occasionally wander into the house from there. The garden was also full of frogs as the garden was relatively unkempt, so there were lots of stagnant water holes. Since the garden has been well looked after and the back field of ferns has been destroyed, there haven't been many frogs or toads leaping around. In fact, I can't remember the last time I saw one.
To remedy this, I just need to simply add H20.
I'm not going to build a full sized pond as 1) I don't have the space and 2) I cannot be bothered. However, I most certainly can build a mini-pond from a large container, some pond liner, some rocks and some pond flowers.
I will be giving an in-depth "how-to" on building a mini-pond as I will take pictures of when I do it and put it on my blog.
Not only will this pond be a place for frogs and toads to hang out, but hopefully it will attract other creatures such as dragonflies to the garden.
If you're more like me and want a little bit of everything in the garden, then these simple yet effective ideas are just for you!
Flowers
Helen Bostock, a Royal Horticultural Society wildlife gardening specialist, did some research into which plants attract the most wildlife. According to her research, these are the top 10:
1. Sunflower
2. Foxglove
3. Thyme
4. Lavender
5. Honeysuckle
6. Rowan
7. Ice plant
8. Firethorn
9. Barberry
10. Purple Loosestrife
Trees and Shrubs
An assortment of trees and shurbs will create food and shelter for wildlife. In addition to that, depending on what shurbs and trees you get for you garden, it may well be that it will provide for you and your family! What a bonus! Trees and shrubs such as crab apple, elder, blackthorn, hawthorn and barberry will produce flowers for the bees and butterflies, but also produce fruits and berries that you can turn into jams, jellies and chutneys. You can even pick the flowers from the elder tree and make delicious Elderflower cordial.
Log Piles
These will make a beautiful shelter for any little critter that needs a roof over its head, whether its frogs, toads, mice (hopefully not rats), voles, shrews and all sorts of insects. Hedgehogs may also be attracted to set up home in a log pile, although they may find it more homely if the pile is arranged in a tee-pee shape as they can happy nest in the hollow. Sticks, twigs, leaves and branches can all be assembled to make a log pile which is also an attractive addition to a garden.
Build Homes and Shelters
As previously mentioned, log piles make wonderful homes for hedgehogs. However, they will also make brilliant shelter for all sorts of insects, spiders and other creepy crawlies. Damp, dark spaces are ideal for these little ones.
This year I am going to portion off a small piece of the garden and create a Wildlife Haven. In this Haven I will build a small log pile, grow some wildflowers nearby and allow the grass to grow slightly unruly (I will have to run this by my father who likes the lawns to be neat and tidy). Then I will plant some shrubs to cordon off the little wildlife area and build a mini-pond amongst the wild flowers. Hopefully this will not only encourage wildlife to visit the garden, but also to create a happy little habitat for them to stay and benefit my garden.
If you'd like to ask any questions or share you ideas or news of your garden, feel free to leave a comment, I would love to hear from you.
Hoping you are all well,
Ruth
These colourful beauties love flowers with plenty of pollen and nectar, so flower choices should revolve around this. Bright colours will not only make your garden beautiful, but will also attract a range of butterflies, which have seen a decrease in population in recent years, especially the Monarch butterfly. Plants flowers that will be in bloom from spring until autumn so as to give a long season of foods for the butterflies. Hopefully this small gesture will help the butterfly population, as a garden, in my opinion, is incomplete without them.
Bees
Bumble bees are such lovely little things, it's such a pity there aren't as many of them around. So, to boost their numbers, plant flowers such as foxglove and honeysuckle to welcome them into your home.
Birds
A good way to attract a variety of birds to your garden is to have bird feeders available throughout the year. Bird boxes are also a good way to encourage birds to continuously inhabit your garden, and bird baths are an excellent attraction for birds.
Hedgehogs
Hedgehogs are such pretty little creatures and are friends to gardeners as they eat slugs. They like dark and warm nests, so to build a little home for them is simple enough. A conical shaped log pile would be perfect as it would shelter them from the cold and from rain, and would also provide space for them to move about and have their little hedgehogs (or hoglets, but I think that's a horrible name for such cute little spike-balls). Any pile of sticks, branches, leaves or logs would be a good home for them, however, if you're thinking of burning the pile of wood in the future, please make sure there are no animals in there before you light it. Nobody should have the death of hedgehogs on their conscience.
If you come across a little hedgehog venturing outside of the lovely home you've made for it, they like cat food or dog food (break and milk makes them poorly pups).
Frogs and Toads
We used to have so many frogs in our garden when we first moved here. There was an old car pit which was full of frogs, and we also had a well in our boiler room (it used to be a salting room back in the day) and frogs used to occasionally wander into the house from there. The garden was also full of frogs as the garden was relatively unkempt, so there were lots of stagnant water holes. Since the garden has been well looked after and the back field of ferns has been destroyed, there haven't been many frogs or toads leaping around. In fact, I can't remember the last time I saw one.
To remedy this, I just need to simply add H20.
I'm not going to build a full sized pond as 1) I don't have the space and 2) I cannot be bothered. However, I most certainly can build a mini-pond from a large container, some pond liner, some rocks and some pond flowers.
I will be giving an in-depth "how-to" on building a mini-pond as I will take pictures of when I do it and put it on my blog.
Not only will this pond be a place for frogs and toads to hang out, but hopefully it will attract other creatures such as dragonflies to the garden.
If you're more like me and want a little bit of everything in the garden, then these simple yet effective ideas are just for you!
Flowers
Helen Bostock, a Royal Horticultural Society wildlife gardening specialist, did some research into which plants attract the most wildlife. According to her research, these are the top 10:
1. Sunflower
2. Foxglove
3. Thyme
4. Lavender
5. Honeysuckle
6. Rowan
7. Ice plant
8. Firethorn
9. Barberry
10. Purple Loosestrife
Trees and Shrubs
An assortment of trees and shurbs will create food and shelter for wildlife. In addition to that, depending on what shurbs and trees you get for you garden, it may well be that it will provide for you and your family! What a bonus! Trees and shrubs such as crab apple, elder, blackthorn, hawthorn and barberry will produce flowers for the bees and butterflies, but also produce fruits and berries that you can turn into jams, jellies and chutneys. You can even pick the flowers from the elder tree and make delicious Elderflower cordial.
Log Piles
These will make a beautiful shelter for any little critter that needs a roof over its head, whether its frogs, toads, mice (hopefully not rats), voles, shrews and all sorts of insects. Hedgehogs may also be attracted to set up home in a log pile, although they may find it more homely if the pile is arranged in a tee-pee shape as they can happy nest in the hollow. Sticks, twigs, leaves and branches can all be assembled to make a log pile which is also an attractive addition to a garden.
Build Homes and Shelters
As previously mentioned, log piles make wonderful homes for hedgehogs. However, they will also make brilliant shelter for all sorts of insects, spiders and other creepy crawlies. Damp, dark spaces are ideal for these little ones.
This year I am going to portion off a small piece of the garden and create a Wildlife Haven. In this Haven I will build a small log pile, grow some wildflowers nearby and allow the grass to grow slightly unruly (I will have to run this by my father who likes the lawns to be neat and tidy). Then I will plant some shrubs to cordon off the little wildlife area and build a mini-pond amongst the wild flowers. Hopefully this will not only encourage wildlife to visit the garden, but also to create a happy little habitat for them to stay and benefit my garden.
If you'd like to ask any questions or share you ideas or news of your garden, feel free to leave a comment, I would love to hear from you.
Hoping you are all well,
Ruth
Friday, 28 March 2014
Flower Power
Good evening,
One of my customers asked me other day what fruits and vegetables I grew altogether. After reeling off a rather long list (and witnessing someone falling asleep with their eyes wide open and staring at me), she asked me what flowers I grew. I explained to this lovely lady that unless I could eat it, I didn't grow it. By the time I got home I started thinking, did I grow anything I didn't have any intention of eating? Yes, I did! FYI: my memory can be awful at times. Despite being able to remember the ISBN number of a box of Crayola's from primary school (1050215304348), I cannot remember simple things from the last year. Inconsistent and annoying to say the least.
French and Mexican Marigolds
The roots of the marigold secrete a substance which repels soil nematodes (horrible little things which can cause havoc underneath the soil where our blessed roots and veggies are).
Herbs are also an effective method of combat against veg-patch nasties... (and used as fresh herbs in the kitchen, it's a win-win situation!)
Rosemary
Deters bean beetle and carrot fly
Mint
Deters aphids, ants and fleas.
Lemon Balm
Repels squash bugs and many other garden pests. Fresh lemon balm leaves also make a delicious cup of tea.
Sage
Repels cabbage moths and flea beetle.
If you know of any other flowers or herbs which repel garden pests, I would love to hear from you. Especially is they get rid of millipedes/centipedes/earwigs.
Ruth
One of my customers asked me other day what fruits and vegetables I grew altogether. After reeling off a rather long list (and witnessing someone falling asleep with their eyes wide open and staring at me), she asked me what flowers I grew. I explained to this lovely lady that unless I could eat it, I didn't grow it. By the time I got home I started thinking, did I grow anything I didn't have any intention of eating? Yes, I did! FYI: my memory can be awful at times. Despite being able to remember the ISBN number of a box of Crayola's from primary school (1050215304348), I cannot remember simple things from the last year. Inconsistent and annoying to say the least.
I digress.
Last year I grew lots of nasturtiums in order to attract bees and repel horrid bugs that would eat and destroy my plants. Vibrant little flowers they are, sweet smelling (and edible, of course), these little beauties are a vegetable garden essential. Not only do they trap aphids in their flower-heads, but they repel blackfly and whitfly from nearby plants. This method worked particularly well with my runnder beans and broad beans last year.
This little memory has inspired me to do a bit of digging - pardon the pun - and find some other flowers which will help fight bugs and insects.
Lavender
A brilliant general pest repellant, lavender, if grown in abundance, will even keep mice and ticks away. Lavender smells great, looks great, and if your plants are getting a bit to wild, then the flowers can be picked, dried and sewn into little fabric patches and used to keep those drawers smelling fresh. Chest of drawers I mean.
Borage
Borage
Fun to say and great to grow, borage repels hornworm and cabbage worm. It is a particularly strong ally to the tomato plant, and seeing as I will be growing a greenhouse full of tomatoes this year, I will certainly be needing my fair share of borage plants. Borage has pretty blue star-shaped flowers which are edible.
Petunias
These beauties repel aphids which are the Godfather of pests in my garden. They also deter asparagus beetles, leaf hoppers and other predatory insects. Maybe I should plant more petunia's next year...
Sunflowers
The mighty giants aren't just eye candy, they attract all sort of lovely pollenators, such as bumble bees which are my favourite summertime critter, which will help surrounding pumpkin, courgette and squash plants. These happy critters they attract will eliminate the horrible little aphids and flies. As if sunflowers couldn't get even better, they also come in the colour red. Totally fabulous.
French and Mexican Marigolds
The roots of the marigold secrete a substance which repels soil nematodes (horrible little things which can cause havoc underneath the soil where our blessed roots and veggies are).
Herbs are also an effective method of combat against veg-patch nasties... (and used as fresh herbs in the kitchen, it's a win-win situation!)
Rosemary
Deters bean beetle and carrot fly
Mint
Deters aphids, ants and fleas.
Lemon Balm
Repels squash bugs and many other garden pests. Fresh lemon balm leaves also make a delicious cup of tea.
Sage
Repels cabbage moths and flea beetle.
If you know of any other flowers or herbs which repel garden pests, I would love to hear from you. Especially is they get rid of millipedes/centipedes/earwigs.
Ruth
Beans, Beans, The Musical Fruit...
... the more you eat, the more vitamin C, fibre, folate and iron you have which helps your digestive system and provides important nutrients to your body. Didn't expect that did you?
There are several things that let me know when summer has arrived.
1. The air always smells like mown grass. Lush.
2. There are bumble bees everywhere.
3. The arrival of fresh peas and beans in the garden.
There's something about those tall, spindly plants which defines my childhood summers; picking fresh peas from the pods and running around the garden with the dogs. Of course, I'm now 24 and still run around the garden with the dogs, albeit new ones, and acting like a child. With peas.
I've planted 3 different types of bean and a single type of pea. They are as follows...
Runner Bean "Prizewinner" - one of the most popular and reliable of varieties, a single plant will give you a heavy crop of medium length runner beans. Last year I had 6 plants which kept my family and my other half's family well fed with runner beans. This year I should have 12 plants, which will provide more than enough runner beans for my Runner Bean Relish, a new addition to this year's menu.
Runner Bean "Jimenez" - a climbing variety which has distinct pink pods. They can be eaten as fresh beans, or the pods can be dried and shelled to leave beans which can be safely stored for future use.
French Bean "Amethyst" - a dwarf variety of french bean which has long, purple beans. Adds a beautiful colour to the garden. Sadly, they loose their purple colour when cooked and change to a dark, bottle green colour. Still pretty though.
Pea "Hurst Green Shaft" - the quintessential summer plant, this traditional pea variety is an excellent cropper with juicy, sweet peas. Sow from March until May to have a long summer full of homegrown peas. Is there anything more perfect than eating peas straight from the plant?
I do love the simple things in life,
Ruth
There are several things that let me know when summer has arrived.
1. The air always smells like mown grass. Lush.
2. There are bumble bees everywhere.
3. The arrival of fresh peas and beans in the garden.
There's something about those tall, spindly plants which defines my childhood summers; picking fresh peas from the pods and running around the garden with the dogs. Of course, I'm now 24 and still run around the garden with the dogs, albeit new ones, and acting like a child. With peas.
I've planted 3 different types of bean and a single type of pea. They are as follows...
Runner Bean "Prizewinner" - one of the most popular and reliable of varieties, a single plant will give you a heavy crop of medium length runner beans. Last year I had 6 plants which kept my family and my other half's family well fed with runner beans. This year I should have 12 plants, which will provide more than enough runner beans for my Runner Bean Relish, a new addition to this year's menu.
Runner Bean "Jimenez" - a climbing variety which has distinct pink pods. They can be eaten as fresh beans, or the pods can be dried and shelled to leave beans which can be safely stored for future use.
Pea "Hurst Green Shaft" - the quintessential summer plant, this traditional pea variety is an excellent cropper with juicy, sweet peas. Sow from March until May to have a long summer full of homegrown peas. Is there anything more perfect than eating peas straight from the plant?
I do love the simple things in life,
Ruth
Friday, 21 March 2014
DIY Salad Bar
Last year my father built me some growing boxes from old wooden pallets which were going unused. I love a bit of recycling and am increasingly becoming more like my Dad in the way that I can't throw something away until I've at least tried to turn it into something different and more useful.
These new boxes of mine are brilliant; they're 25 inches long, 16 inches wide and 12 inches deep and can be used to grow herbs, radish, spring onions and garlic.
With summer just around the corner, cut and come again varieties of leaves will be the perfect addition to any kitchen garden. Easily grown in containers, growing your own salad bar couldn't be easier: a few seeds, some water and sunshine and you have your own summer-long supply of delicious salads in as little as 8-weeks! With regular sowings made each fortnight, you can ensure a continuous supply of fresh, crisp salads throughout the summer months.
Here are some suggestions of types of leaves that you can grow.
Leaves
Corn Salad (also known as Lamb's Lettuce): one of my favourite salad leaves to have. Very easily grown, delicious small leaves and is winter hardy so you can enjoy lettuce through the colder months. I'm in Wales, and colder months include the summer. This salad leaf is a winning choice as it can be sown and grown all year round.
Rocket: another fantastic leaf which is a necessity for any salad (I think), rocket adds a peppery, tangy flavour. It's also good on pizzas and in pasta dishes.
When I was in uni, I used to live with a girl called Lottie in my first year. She used to make this pasta dish which was out of this world tasty and I still make it to this day. It was a prawn linguini with lemon zest, mozzarella and rocket in a tomato sauce. It's actually one of the most memorable meals I have from my 3 years in University! That's another brilliant use for rocket.
Rocket can be sown and grown all year round.
Spinach: spinach will need a little more space than other lettuces or leaves. I am going to allow a whole box just for spinach. As we all know, as soon as spinach starts cooking it reduces down into nothing, so a fair amount of spinach will be needed. If it's solely for salads, a few plants will probably sustain you quite happily. In our house, spinach is eaten in the kilo's, usually on a Sunday evening in the form of Eggs Florentine, and often in curries or just in salads. It can be grown from March onwards, and harvested throughout the summer.
* Spinach Beet, or Perpetual Spinach, is a delicious spinach substitute (and easier to grow). Sow from March onwards.
Mizuna: this is an oriental leaf with a mild, spicy flavour. Baby leaves can be used in salads and larger leaves can be used in stir-fries. Sow from March onwards and pick a few leaves from each plant when approximately 4" high, and for the mature leaves, harvest the whole plant from May onwards.
Lettuce Heads
Lettuce "All Year Round": does what the name says pretty much. Perfect for spring, summer and autumn snowing giving you a year round supply of crisp lettuce heads. As these are whole lettuce heads, more space will be needed for them to be able to grow to a nice size. I would probably be able to fit 2, maybe 3, in one of the wooden boxes I have, they need around 12" of space each.
Lettuce "Little Gem": one of my favourite lettuces, Little Gem in a definite for this year's garden. Again, sow from March onwards and harvest from May. The little seedlings for Little Gem and also the All Year Round lettuce will need to be thinned so as not to cramp the plants: seedlings will need around 12" of space each. Although lettuce heads take up more space than "cut and come again" leaves, continuous sowing each fortnight will guarantee a continuous source. Seedlings can always be grown in cell trays or smaller pots and transplanted to the Salad Box when a lettuce has been harvested and there is space available.
Salad Leaf Mixtures
These are particularly brilliant if you really don't have much space but want an assortment of leaves available on your windowsill or patio. Simply sow the seeds on a fortnightly basis for a continuous supply, and watch a whole variety of delicious salads grow in one container. Ingenious.
Mixed Green Leaves: Mr. Fothergills "Mixed Lettuce Green Leaves" is a brilliant way to get a variation of lettuce leaves from one packet. Sow them from March onwards and have a ready-to-eat salad bowl of 6 different leaves. What could be easier?
Mesclun: this is another mish-mash of small, young salad leaves which originated in Provence, France. The traditional mix includes; chervil, rocket, leafy lettuces and endive in equal proportions. However, modern assortments can contain lettuces, mustard greens, endive, mizuna, lamb's lettuce, radicchio, sorrel and dandelion. I assume that my packet of Mesclun is the modern variety as it came free in my gardening magazine. Sow from March onwards, and enjoy your Provence-inspired salads.
Mustard "Oriental Mix": a spicy blend of oriental mustard leaves such as red giant, red and green frills and pizzo, these quick growing leaves are perfect for fresh salads or in stir-fries. Sow from March onwards, and use when needed.
I can't wait to see my Salad Bar grow this summer and to be able to pick fresh leaves for BBQ salads and sandwiches and lunches and all sorts.
Ruth
Thursday, 6 March 2014
How To Make: Homemade Pectin
Good afternoon,
It's a horrible rainy day in Wales (surprise surprise) so I thought a nice little blog might make it all better, especially when the blog is about making homemade pectin for all those delicious jams and jellies that we will all be making in the beautiful, long summer days ahead.
Pectin is VITAL for jellies, jams and marmalades to set. Fruits which are naturally high in pectin, such as cooking apples, currants, gooseberries and cranberries, won't have any difficulty in setting. However, fruits such as pears, elderberries, figs and peaches are low in pectin and so they will need a little bit of help to set.
With the summer coming up and an abundance of berries and soft fruits to be had, it will be quite handy to have a store of pectin available in order to make some jam or jellies.
The following recipe and "pectin test" are, from "The Gentle Art of Preserving" by Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi. This book is not only one of my favourite recipe books, but it's full of practical information and guidance on how preserve all sorts of foods. It is a definite asset to any kitchen!
Homemade pectin stock
1kg cooking apples or crabapples
1-1.5L water
"Chop the fruit into bite-sized pieces... put in a saucepan and cover with the water. Put a lid on the pan and bring to the boil, and then simmer until the fruit is really soft and pulpy, up to 1 hour. Transfer the pulp to a jelly bag and set aside for at least 5 hours (preferably overnight)."
The juice which will have come from the straining will be the desired pectin. However, this can be tested by doing the following...
"Remove one teaspoon of the cooked juice and put into a small jar or ramekin. Add 1 tablespoon of methylated spirits and swirl them both together. If the mixture comes together in a jellified lump, the juice is high in pectin; if it forms small clumps, then it has medium levels of pectin; if it forms tiny lumps or no lumps at all, your fruit is low in pectin."
This pectin can be used straight away or can be frozen in small quantities. It can also be poured into sterilized jars and then placed in a water bath for 10 minutes, and this way it will store safely for around 6 months.
This is something I will definitely be doing this year, as I have already faced a few issues with strawberry jam not setting properly and also grape jelly not setting at all! It also ensures that good, homemade pectin is being made from produce from the garden (or someone else's) rather than using mass produced stuff. Win-win!
It's a horrible rainy day in Wales (surprise surprise) so I thought a nice little blog might make it all better, especially when the blog is about making homemade pectin for all those delicious jams and jellies that we will all be making in the beautiful, long summer days ahead.
Pectin is VITAL for jellies, jams and marmalades to set. Fruits which are naturally high in pectin, such as cooking apples, currants, gooseberries and cranberries, won't have any difficulty in setting. However, fruits such as pears, elderberries, figs and peaches are low in pectin and so they will need a little bit of help to set.
With the summer coming up and an abundance of berries and soft fruits to be had, it will be quite handy to have a store of pectin available in order to make some jam or jellies.
The following recipe and "pectin test" are, from "The Gentle Art of Preserving" by Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi. This book is not only one of my favourite recipe books, but it's full of practical information and guidance on how preserve all sorts of foods. It is a definite asset to any kitchen!
Homemade pectin stock
1kg cooking apples or crabapples
1-1.5L water
"Chop the fruit into bite-sized pieces... put in a saucepan and cover with the water. Put a lid on the pan and bring to the boil, and then simmer until the fruit is really soft and pulpy, up to 1 hour. Transfer the pulp to a jelly bag and set aside for at least 5 hours (preferably overnight)."
The juice which will have come from the straining will be the desired pectin. However, this can be tested by doing the following...
"Remove one teaspoon of the cooked juice and put into a small jar or ramekin. Add 1 tablespoon of methylated spirits and swirl them both together. If the mixture comes together in a jellified lump, the juice is high in pectin; if it forms small clumps, then it has medium levels of pectin; if it forms tiny lumps or no lumps at all, your fruit is low in pectin."
This pectin can be used straight away or can be frozen in small quantities. It can also be poured into sterilized jars and then placed in a water bath for 10 minutes, and this way it will store safely for around 6 months.
This is something I will definitely be doing this year, as I have already faced a few issues with strawberry jam not setting properly and also grape jelly not setting at all! It also ensures that good, homemade pectin is being made from produce from the garden (or someone else's) rather than using mass produced stuff. Win-win!
Thursday, 27 February 2014
Sowing and Growing: March
Hello everyone,
I've had quite a busy few days cooking in the kitchen, making lots of nice chutneys for you all such as a Mixed Fruit Chutney and a Banana and Date Chutney, which is surprisingly moreish! I've also done some experimenting: I made some chilli pickled garlic which will look really nice once I've worked out how to stop the garlic from turning bright blue... Apparently, this is due to the natural sulphur in the garlic reacting to the acidity in the vinegar. It's still edible though! Anyway, I'm going to try it again making some slight alterations to the garlic used, the vinegar used and I might distill the water in the recipe before adding it to the vinegar, see if any of this makes a difference. I also read online that some garlic would turn pink! Wouldn't mind that...
So, next month is going to be a busy month in the garden. There are lots of seeds to sow and I have a lovely new plastic greenhouse I need to build. Did I mention that my glass greenhouse got pulverised in the recent storms? Absolutely demolished, it's looks like a scrunched up paper ball. So sad, my little heart broke when I saw it.
Here are some of the seeds that I will be sowing next month.
Indoors
Aubergines
The variety I'll be sowing is Black Beauty which will produce large, flavoursome fruits around August-October time. I'll germinate them in a propagator and then transplant them into individual 3" pots until they're big enough to handle and move into bigger pots. I'll be wanting around 12 plants or so, and these will live quite happily in my greenhouse (if I get another glass one before then) or even in a super sunny spot. Last year my aubergine plants got devoured by slugs, so I'll be sure to grow a few "decoy" ones which I'll spare to the slugs.
The aubergines will be used to make Aubergine Relish and Grilled Aubergines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Chillies
I wrote about the chillies I was going to grow in a previous blog entry called "Some Like It Hot" (23rd January, 2014). Have a read if you'd like, but if you can't be bothered to flick back then I will tell you again!
The varieties I'm growing this year are Jalapeno, Serrano and Cayenne, which aren't scaldingly hot chillies but do have a tasty tingle to them. I'll also be growing more daring (and face meltingly hot) chillies such as Padron, Paper Lantern and Bulgarian Carrot. I might even get some Scotch Bonnet seeds because I prefer doing things in odd numbers.
The chillies will be used in chilli jams, chilli sauces, and as fresh chillies in different chutneys and preserves.
Tomatoes
Gardener's Delight and Moneymaker are the two tomato varieties I will be sowing in March. They're heavy croppers and taste delicious, which is exactly the fruits I will be wanting during the summer. I will be needed about 50 tomato plants so will need a fair few seeds to germinate.
My trick with germinating tomato seeds is to scatter the seeds, approx. 25-30, on a damp piece of kitchen paper placed inside an empty plastic food container. I cover the seeds with another damp piece of kitchen paper, put on the lid and place in the airing cupboard. After a few days the seeds will be sprouting little white roots and stems and then I will move them into 3" pots and sit them on a windowsill to continue growing. It's a much quicker way to get lots and lots of seeds to germinate in one go.
Tomatoes will be used for chutneys, relishes and to make Sundried Tomatoes with Garlic and Chilli, or with Lemon and Thyme.
Cucumbers
Cornichon de Paris are the sublime little gherkins found on charcuterie boards. I absolutely love them, completely obsessed. When I go out to France one of the first things I buy (apart from Hoegaarden Rose) is a jar of cornichons and I'll eat them with everything; cured meats, bread, cheeses, salads, eggs and pate. And sometimes on their own. I can't wait to grow these plants and have my own little cornichons to pickle!
Globe Artichokes
Green Globe produce large green heads which are beautiful to look at and divine to eat.
Violetto di Romagna produces purple headed artichokes which are very tender.
Artichoke plants take two years to mature before the flower heads appear and can be eaten. Smaller ones will grow in the first year, but I will remove these as soon as they appear so to ensure a bumper crop next year. I'm a bit artichoke obsessed, love the things, so this will be a test of my patience having to wait two years until I can harvest them and cook them.
These wonderful artichokes will be used to make Grilled Artichokes preserved in Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Outdoors
Beetroot
Detroit is a good cropper and produces good sized beetroots. I used this variety last year and it was such a winner, I'm definitely going to use it again. When I grew it last year, every single seed started growing which meant I really needed to thin the plants out. However, I allowed them to all grow together (truth be told this was laziness, I hate thinning plants as it's the most mundane task in the modern world) and only "thinned" them when the plants had formed baby plants. I then lifted several of the baby beets (probably 2 out of every 5) and ate them, and they were delicious! This year I'm going to use them to make Pickled Baby Beets.
Boltardy is perfect for early sowing which means I can sow these from next month to start my beetroot harvest from May onwards. I'll sow a few lines of beetroot every month to ensure a steady supply throughout the summer and until winter.
Burpees Golden is a stunning, golden (obviously) coloured beetroot which is a really vibrant addition to the kitchen.
Beetroots will used to make Pickled Baby Beets, Beetroot Chutney and the golden beetroot will be made into Golden Beetroot Chutney.
Garlic
I will be planting a dozen garlic plants each month throughout the year (hopefully, if my memory serves me well) to ensure a year round supply to make my Chilli Pickled Garlic and to add flavour to other pickles and preserves in oil.
Peas and Broad Beas
I saw a fabulous trick on a gardening blog that I follow which shows how sowing pea and broad bean seeds in plastic guttering works a treat! And they can continue growing in there until a reasonable size and then be transplanted to their permanent growing place. Ingenious! Am definitely going to give this a go, I'm sure my father has some spare guttering lying around somewhere.
These two beauties or for personal use; I don't think there's anything nicer than fresh peas on a summer's day.
I'm tempted to grow some soya beans too... Will look into this.
I will be posting pictures of all these little plants and their progress as it happens.
Have a great day/evening,
Ruth
I've had quite a busy few days cooking in the kitchen, making lots of nice chutneys for you all such as a Mixed Fruit Chutney and a Banana and Date Chutney, which is surprisingly moreish! I've also done some experimenting: I made some chilli pickled garlic which will look really nice once I've worked out how to stop the garlic from turning bright blue... Apparently, this is due to the natural sulphur in the garlic reacting to the acidity in the vinegar. It's still edible though! Anyway, I'm going to try it again making some slight alterations to the garlic used, the vinegar used and I might distill the water in the recipe before adding it to the vinegar, see if any of this makes a difference. I also read online that some garlic would turn pink! Wouldn't mind that...
So, next month is going to be a busy month in the garden. There are lots of seeds to sow and I have a lovely new plastic greenhouse I need to build. Did I mention that my glass greenhouse got pulverised in the recent storms? Absolutely demolished, it's looks like a scrunched up paper ball. So sad, my little heart broke when I saw it.
Here are some of the seeds that I will be sowing next month.
Indoors
Aubergines
The variety I'll be sowing is Black Beauty which will produce large, flavoursome fruits around August-October time. I'll germinate them in a propagator and then transplant them into individual 3" pots until they're big enough to handle and move into bigger pots. I'll be wanting around 12 plants or so, and these will live quite happily in my greenhouse (if I get another glass one before then) or even in a super sunny spot. Last year my aubergine plants got devoured by slugs, so I'll be sure to grow a few "decoy" ones which I'll spare to the slugs.
The aubergines will be used to make Aubergine Relish and Grilled Aubergines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Chillies
I wrote about the chillies I was going to grow in a previous blog entry called "Some Like It Hot" (23rd January, 2014). Have a read if you'd like, but if you can't be bothered to flick back then I will tell you again!
The varieties I'm growing this year are Jalapeno, Serrano and Cayenne, which aren't scaldingly hot chillies but do have a tasty tingle to them. I'll also be growing more daring (and face meltingly hot) chillies such as Padron, Paper Lantern and Bulgarian Carrot. I might even get some Scotch Bonnet seeds because I prefer doing things in odd numbers.
The chillies will be used in chilli jams, chilli sauces, and as fresh chillies in different chutneys and preserves.
Tomatoes
Gardener's Delight and Moneymaker are the two tomato varieties I will be sowing in March. They're heavy croppers and taste delicious, which is exactly the fruits I will be wanting during the summer. I will be needed about 50 tomato plants so will need a fair few seeds to germinate.
My trick with germinating tomato seeds is to scatter the seeds, approx. 25-30, on a damp piece of kitchen paper placed inside an empty plastic food container. I cover the seeds with another damp piece of kitchen paper, put on the lid and place in the airing cupboard. After a few days the seeds will be sprouting little white roots and stems and then I will move them into 3" pots and sit them on a windowsill to continue growing. It's a much quicker way to get lots and lots of seeds to germinate in one go.
Tomatoes will be used for chutneys, relishes and to make Sundried Tomatoes with Garlic and Chilli, or with Lemon and Thyme.
Cucumbers
Cornichon de Paris are the sublime little gherkins found on charcuterie boards. I absolutely love them, completely obsessed. When I go out to France one of the first things I buy (apart from Hoegaarden Rose) is a jar of cornichons and I'll eat them with everything; cured meats, bread, cheeses, salads, eggs and pate. And sometimes on their own. I can't wait to grow these plants and have my own little cornichons to pickle!
Globe Artichokes
Green Globe produce large green heads which are beautiful to look at and divine to eat.
Violetto di Romagna produces purple headed artichokes which are very tender.
Artichoke plants take two years to mature before the flower heads appear and can be eaten. Smaller ones will grow in the first year, but I will remove these as soon as they appear so to ensure a bumper crop next year. I'm a bit artichoke obsessed, love the things, so this will be a test of my patience having to wait two years until I can harvest them and cook them.
These wonderful artichokes will be used to make Grilled Artichokes preserved in Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Outdoors
Beetroot
Detroit is a good cropper and produces good sized beetroots. I used this variety last year and it was such a winner, I'm definitely going to use it again. When I grew it last year, every single seed started growing which meant I really needed to thin the plants out. However, I allowed them to all grow together (truth be told this was laziness, I hate thinning plants as it's the most mundane task in the modern world) and only "thinned" them when the plants had formed baby plants. I then lifted several of the baby beets (probably 2 out of every 5) and ate them, and they were delicious! This year I'm going to use them to make Pickled Baby Beets.
Boltardy is perfect for early sowing which means I can sow these from next month to start my beetroot harvest from May onwards. I'll sow a few lines of beetroot every month to ensure a steady supply throughout the summer and until winter.
Burpees Golden is a stunning, golden (obviously) coloured beetroot which is a really vibrant addition to the kitchen.
Beetroots will used to make Pickled Baby Beets, Beetroot Chutney and the golden beetroot will be made into Golden Beetroot Chutney.
Garlic
I will be planting a dozen garlic plants each month throughout the year (hopefully, if my memory serves me well) to ensure a year round supply to make my Chilli Pickled Garlic and to add flavour to other pickles and preserves in oil.
Peas and Broad Beas
I saw a fabulous trick on a gardening blog that I follow which shows how sowing pea and broad bean seeds in plastic guttering works a treat! And they can continue growing in there until a reasonable size and then be transplanted to their permanent growing place. Ingenious! Am definitely going to give this a go, I'm sure my father has some spare guttering lying around somewhere.
These two beauties or for personal use; I don't think there's anything nicer than fresh peas on a summer's day.
I'm tempted to grow some soya beans too... Will look into this.
I will be posting pictures of all these little plants and their progress as it happens.
Have a great day/evening,
Ruth
Monday, 24 February 2014
Plants and Trees Wishlist...
Good morning,
It's freezing cold in Swansea at the moment, so to make myself feel warmer and more joyous, I've been reading up about what exciting fruits and veggies I'm going to grow in the summer to liven up the garden (and my plate!)
I love growing fruit and vegetables; tomatoes, potatoes, green beans, fennel, beetroot, strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries et cetera. I love the whole process of nurturing the plant, watching it grow and develop, the excitement of the first flower and finally the fruits. Its a beautiful, natural process with a brilliant end result: food.
This year, I want to broaden my garden horizon. I would like to grow more exotic and interesting plants along with more unusual varieties of vegetables and colourful fruits in order to bring different shades to the garden. Whilst looking around for trees and plants I could grow in the UK, I was incredibly surprised to see the variety of tropical plants which were hardy enough for our cold Welsh winters and relatively non-existant summers.
Figs
I already have a fig tree in the garden, "Brown Turkey". I bought it last year on a spontaneous spree and I had about 12 fruits from it. I'm not completely sure how old it is, but I imagine it's a few years old. I was pretty chuffed with the fact that I could walk out of my french doors and pick sun-ripened figs off my own tree! This year I'm going to buy another tree but a different variety; it's called "Gustissimo Two Timer". It can produce two crops in a single year with a little bit of TLC, which I can an abundance of when it comes to my garden.
Pomegranate
"Provence" is a variety of pomegranate which is suitable to grow in the UK. Therefore, I'm going to get one for the garden. Why not? In the back garden, where all the other fruit trees are, there is a brick foundation of an old summer house which was built with the rest of the house back in 1834. The walls have since fallen down and just the base and a small surrounding wall remain, which, incidentally, has become the perfect place for my greenhouse and other plants as the location in the garden is a great big fat sun-trap.
Kiwi
Up until I googled kiwi plants the other day, I had no idea how they grew. They're such weird little fruits that grow on these vines, and although they sound (to me) like the diva's of the fruit world - they require vigourous pruning and only last a few years - I think it would be flippin' awesome to have a kiwi vine in the garden. "Jenny" is a self-fertile plant which will do good in the garden. I will either grow it (her?) on a south facing trellis or I will grow her inside my greenhouse. Either way, I think she will fit in to my fruit menagerie quite well.
Blueberry
"Pink Lemonade." As if. A pink variety of blueberry! Who wouldn't want a pink blueberry bush?! I don't think anything else needs to be said on this...
Ruth x
P.S Oscar, the little blighter, had a funny 5 minutes on the weekend, darting around the house with huge pupils, jumping in the air for no reason and chasing his tail. He ran upstairs and after a few seconds I could hear some pathetic mewwing. I ran upstairs to make sure he hadn't hurt himself and found him like this...
It's freezing cold in Swansea at the moment, so to make myself feel warmer and more joyous, I've been reading up about what exciting fruits and veggies I'm going to grow in the summer to liven up the garden (and my plate!)
I love growing fruit and vegetables; tomatoes, potatoes, green beans, fennel, beetroot, strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries et cetera. I love the whole process of nurturing the plant, watching it grow and develop, the excitement of the first flower and finally the fruits. Its a beautiful, natural process with a brilliant end result: food.
This year, I want to broaden my garden horizon. I would like to grow more exotic and interesting plants along with more unusual varieties of vegetables and colourful fruits in order to bring different shades to the garden. Whilst looking around for trees and plants I could grow in the UK, I was incredibly surprised to see the variety of tropical plants which were hardy enough for our cold Welsh winters and relatively non-existant summers.
Figs
I already have a fig tree in the garden, "Brown Turkey". I bought it last year on a spontaneous spree and I had about 12 fruits from it. I'm not completely sure how old it is, but I imagine it's a few years old. I was pretty chuffed with the fact that I could walk out of my french doors and pick sun-ripened figs off my own tree! This year I'm going to buy another tree but a different variety; it's called "Gustissimo Two Timer". It can produce two crops in a single year with a little bit of TLC, which I can an abundance of when it comes to my garden.
Pomegranate
"Provence" is a variety of pomegranate which is suitable to grow in the UK. Therefore, I'm going to get one for the garden. Why not? In the back garden, where all the other fruit trees are, there is a brick foundation of an old summer house which was built with the rest of the house back in 1834. The walls have since fallen down and just the base and a small surrounding wall remain, which, incidentally, has become the perfect place for my greenhouse and other plants as the location in the garden is a great big fat sun-trap.
Kiwi
Up until I googled kiwi plants the other day, I had no idea how they grew. They're such weird little fruits that grow on these vines, and although they sound (to me) like the diva's of the fruit world - they require vigourous pruning and only last a few years - I think it would be flippin' awesome to have a kiwi vine in the garden. "Jenny" is a self-fertile plant which will do good in the garden. I will either grow it (her?) on a south facing trellis or I will grow her inside my greenhouse. Either way, I think she will fit in to my fruit menagerie quite well.
Blueberry
"Pink Lemonade." As if. A pink variety of blueberry! Who wouldn't want a pink blueberry bush?! I don't think anything else needs to be said on this...
Ruth x
P.S Oscar, the little blighter, had a funny 5 minutes on the weekend, darting around the house with huge pupils, jumping in the air for no reason and chasing his tail. He ran upstairs and after a few seconds I could hear some pathetic mewwing. I ran upstairs to make sure he hadn't hurt himself and found him like this...
Friday, 14 February 2014
Growing Through the Winter
What weather we've been having lately! I was (naively) hopeful for a sunny day so I could get out the garden, but I think the weather has truly taken a turn for the worse. It's blowing a gale and the trees are bending at frightening angles; my windows are shaking and I cannot warm up. And I'm pretty sure the wind has moved my car, although that could just be me being dramatic.
Oscar is thoroughly hating this weather and being unable to go outside (he hates outdoors at the best of times) he's roaming the house and being bothersome and naughty and rummaging through the recycling bin for empty cat food sachets.
However, just because the weather has turned apocalyptic, doesn't mean we can't be growing some delicious veggies and salads in the garden, or containers if the garden is waterlogged.
Here are some vegetables that will grow through the winter...
In the Garden...
Onions and Shallots
Spring onions grow well throughout the winter. "White Lisbon" is a hardy variety which is champion in the colder months. I grew these last summer and had a huge crop of them in only a few weeks time, which makes them perfect for successional growing. Pair this with their ability to survive in the cold, and spring onions will be available from your own garden all year round.
I grew mine in the garden with the leeks and some beetroot. This year, however, I'm going to grow them in one of my larger containers and save the space they took up in the garden for more beetroots or leeks.
Funny story: I sowed the spring onions seeds in a tray and allowed them to grow a few inches before transplanting them to their little patch of heaven in the back garden. I'd go up every day and water (or my mother would, she likes watering) and they'd all be standing there like little tufts of green hair. One day, I went up and noticed that something had pulled up a few of the tiny little onions and just placed them next to the hole they'd come from. I put them back in, firmed the soil around them and left them alone. This happened for a few days in a row and I put it down to the birds in the garden pulling them out and then not wanting to eat them. After a few weeks of this happening, I finally caught the culprit red-handed: my labrador, who is singlehandedly the dumbest creature to have ever been created, was walking up and down the row of spring onions and pulling them out, ever so gently may I add, with her teeth, and laying them back down again. And when she was happy with what she'd done, she'd totter off to find some apples.
Onion sets and shallots will happily grow through the winter also.
Garlic
I planted my garlic last week. 18 cloves went in, and their little green tips are poking through and it's all very exciting! I have another 2 bulbs to plant but I'll plant those in a months time which will mean I have a relatively continuous supply of garlic through the late summer and autumn, and last us well through the winter. Hopefully.
Leeks
I grew my leeks form seed last year in September/October. They've been growing beautifully throughout the winter since then, and I picked my first few homegrown leeks last week to be turned into my mothers infamous leek and potato soup. I will admit that they didn't grow into the monsters I'd envisaged, but it has been a particularly cold winter so that has most likely been a factor. Still, they were healthy sized leeks and there are some continuing to grow in the garden, ready to be picked another day.
Perpetual Spinach
Spinach, in our family, is as much of a necessity as milk. We love the stuff, whether it's in a salad, fried, steamed, in a stir-fry, curry or in our all-time favourite dish, eggs florentine. The miracle green leaf is notoriously easy to grow and will be quite content in a container. I actually grew mine in a hanging basket last year, which I won't do again as I kept forgetting it was there. If you have a better memory than me, this is a great way to grow it as it takes up no space whatsoever.
Carrots
Again, if these happy little fella's have been planted in the autumn and have nice long green stems and leaves, then they can survive the cold months with one simple method: cover the earth with black plastic (this will keep the ground warm and stop it from freezing) and the cover this with hay to add extra warmth. Through the winter the carrots will put all their energy into growing fat orange roots, suitable for harvesting through the winter and into spring. This is how British farmers grow carrots through the winter; if it works for them, it works for us.
Whether most root vegetables will be able to sustain a cold climate and continue to grow, I am not sure as I've not tried it. I will most certainly be putting this on my to-do list and let you know how it goes.
In the Greenhouse...
Winter Salads
Rocket, mizuna, mibuna and mustard greens are all suitable leaves to grow under cover through the winter. Also, radicchio, cos, endive, corn salad (or lamb's lettuce) and chicory are all suitable for winter growing. Chicory can also be forced once the plant is established and has a good root system. The variety I've grown for leaves is Witloof. I haven't forced any yet, that is also on my to-do list. I may do that tomorrow morning actually...
Pak Choi
Amazing stuff. You can't go wrong with these plants, they are that simple to grow. Plants are "cut and come again" so are long lasting, completely delicious either steamed or fried, and full of that good nutritional stuff. However, less is more. I grew about 12 plants last year and that was TOO MUCH; we probably would've only needed around 3 or 4 plants to keep us all fed.
Herbs
Parsley, chives, thyme, oregano and even mint can survive the cold months if brought inside your greenhouse or even kitchen. They'll live happily with a bit of warmth and sun and can be moved back out into the garden in spring once the frosts have passed.
The herbs are in my grandmothers greenhouse from plants she bought from a supermarket. I think even she is amazed at how well they've grown. She moved the plants from the garden into the greenhouse around October and they've thrived!
The lettuce she has in the greenhouse, which have been used throughout the winter, is actually Little Gem which was grown from seed in the summer. Instead of cutting off the whole head, she simply takes the leaves she wants and allows the plant to re-grow.
These can also be grown throughout the year, but are hardy enough to survive even this ridiculous Welsh weather.
Hoping that you are all safe and dry,
Ruth and her very distressed cat
x
Oscar is thoroughly hating this weather and being unable to go outside (he hates outdoors at the best of times) he's roaming the house and being bothersome and naughty and rummaging through the recycling bin for empty cat food sachets.
However, just because the weather has turned apocalyptic, doesn't mean we can't be growing some delicious veggies and salads in the garden, or containers if the garden is waterlogged.
Here are some vegetables that will grow through the winter...
In the Garden...
Onions and Shallots
Spring onions grow well throughout the winter. "White Lisbon" is a hardy variety which is champion in the colder months. I grew these last summer and had a huge crop of them in only a few weeks time, which makes them perfect for successional growing. Pair this with their ability to survive in the cold, and spring onions will be available from your own garden all year round.
I grew mine in the garden with the leeks and some beetroot. This year, however, I'm going to grow them in one of my larger containers and save the space they took up in the garden for more beetroots or leeks.
Funny story: I sowed the spring onions seeds in a tray and allowed them to grow a few inches before transplanting them to their little patch of heaven in the back garden. I'd go up every day and water (or my mother would, she likes watering) and they'd all be standing there like little tufts of green hair. One day, I went up and noticed that something had pulled up a few of the tiny little onions and just placed them next to the hole they'd come from. I put them back in, firmed the soil around them and left them alone. This happened for a few days in a row and I put it down to the birds in the garden pulling them out and then not wanting to eat them. After a few weeks of this happening, I finally caught the culprit red-handed: my labrador, who is singlehandedly the dumbest creature to have ever been created, was walking up and down the row of spring onions and pulling them out, ever so gently may I add, with her teeth, and laying them back down again. And when she was happy with what she'd done, she'd totter off to find some apples.
Onion sets and shallots will happily grow through the winter also.
Garlic
I planted my garlic last week. 18 cloves went in, and their little green tips are poking through and it's all very exciting! I have another 2 bulbs to plant but I'll plant those in a months time which will mean I have a relatively continuous supply of garlic through the late summer and autumn, and last us well through the winter. Hopefully.
Leeks
I grew my leeks form seed last year in September/October. They've been growing beautifully throughout the winter since then, and I picked my first few homegrown leeks last week to be turned into my mothers infamous leek and potato soup. I will admit that they didn't grow into the monsters I'd envisaged, but it has been a particularly cold winter so that has most likely been a factor. Still, they were healthy sized leeks and there are some continuing to grow in the garden, ready to be picked another day.
Perpetual Spinach
Spinach, in our family, is as much of a necessity as milk. We love the stuff, whether it's in a salad, fried, steamed, in a stir-fry, curry or in our all-time favourite dish, eggs florentine. The miracle green leaf is notoriously easy to grow and will be quite content in a container. I actually grew mine in a hanging basket last year, which I won't do again as I kept forgetting it was there. If you have a better memory than me, this is a great way to grow it as it takes up no space whatsoever.
Carrots
Again, if these happy little fella's have been planted in the autumn and have nice long green stems and leaves, then they can survive the cold months with one simple method: cover the earth with black plastic (this will keep the ground warm and stop it from freezing) and the cover this with hay to add extra warmth. Through the winter the carrots will put all their energy into growing fat orange roots, suitable for harvesting through the winter and into spring. This is how British farmers grow carrots through the winter; if it works for them, it works for us.
Whether most root vegetables will be able to sustain a cold climate and continue to grow, I am not sure as I've not tried it. I will most certainly be putting this on my to-do list and let you know how it goes.
In the Greenhouse...
Winter Salads
Rocket, mizuna, mibuna and mustard greens are all suitable leaves to grow under cover through the winter. Also, radicchio, cos, endive, corn salad (or lamb's lettuce) and chicory are all suitable for winter growing. Chicory can also be forced once the plant is established and has a good root system. The variety I've grown for leaves is Witloof. I haven't forced any yet, that is also on my to-do list. I may do that tomorrow morning actually...
Pak Choi
Amazing stuff. You can't go wrong with these plants, they are that simple to grow. Plants are "cut and come again" so are long lasting, completely delicious either steamed or fried, and full of that good nutritional stuff. However, less is more. I grew about 12 plants last year and that was TOO MUCH; we probably would've only needed around 3 or 4 plants to keep us all fed.
Herbs
Parsley, chives, thyme, oregano and even mint can survive the cold months if brought inside your greenhouse or even kitchen. They'll live happily with a bit of warmth and sun and can be moved back out into the garden in spring once the frosts have passed.
The herbs are in my grandmothers greenhouse from plants she bought from a supermarket. I think even she is amazed at how well they've grown. She moved the plants from the garden into the greenhouse around October and they've thrived!
The lettuce she has in the greenhouse, which have been used throughout the winter, is actually Little Gem which was grown from seed in the summer. Instead of cutting off the whole head, she simply takes the leaves she wants and allows the plant to re-grow.
These can also be grown throughout the year, but are hardy enough to survive even this ridiculous Welsh weather.
Hoping that you are all safe and dry,
Ruth and her very distressed cat
x
Tuesday, 11 February 2014
Renovated Wine Box
I use a lot of props for my markets and events: homemade trays for the tasters, turned wood bowls for the crackers, vintage leather suitcases for the jars; hampers, boxes and church footstools all come together to create an artistic display of my products.
My parents came back from France a few weeks ago with some bottles of wine neatly tucked away in a wooden box. For those of you who know me, you'll be astonished to hear that I was far more interested in the wooden box than I was in the wine. I was given the box, and was as happy as a lamb. Simple things...
It was quite shiny so I gave it a jolly good sanding until it was quite rough and the lettering on the front had started to look quite worn and old.
Ta-dah.
This disgusting concoction is a Kilner jar of malt vinegar and a handful of steel wool. It looks hideous and smells horrendous - I would recommend using this outside or wearing a spacesuit if its raining and you're stuck indoors.
Alternatively, you can do it in your parents house.
Let this rancid mixture sit for a few days. I made mine on the Friday and used it on the Monday, and my box turned out pretty fantastic.
I put on some thick black gloves, pulled the steel wool out of the vinegar, gave it a good squeeze and then painted the box with the wool. It didn't do all too much, it just looked wet. But when it dried...
...it looked like this!
And that's the finished product (although it still smells a bit funky, but I imagine that will disappear in a few days). But I'm super chuffed with how it looks and can't wait to use it!
Ruth x
My parents came back from France a few weeks ago with some bottles of wine neatly tucked away in a wooden box. For those of you who know me, you'll be astonished to hear that I was far more interested in the wooden box than I was in the wine. I was given the box, and was as happy as a lamb. Simple things...
It was quite shiny so I gave it a jolly good sanding until it was quite rough and the lettering on the front had started to look quite worn and old.
Ta-dah.
This disgusting concoction is a Kilner jar of malt vinegar and a handful of steel wool. It looks hideous and smells horrendous - I would recommend using this outside or wearing a spacesuit if its raining and you're stuck indoors.
Alternatively, you can do it in your parents house.
Let this rancid mixture sit for a few days. I made mine on the Friday and used it on the Monday, and my box turned out pretty fantastic.
I put on some thick black gloves, pulled the steel wool out of the vinegar, gave it a good squeeze and then painted the box with the wool. It didn't do all too much, it just looked wet. But when it dried...
...it looked like this!
And that's the finished product (although it still smells a bit funky, but I imagine that will disappear in a few days). But I'm super chuffed with how it looks and can't wait to use it!
Ruth x
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