Vegetable garden update

In case anyone was wondering......

The vegetable garden has been a fantastic success.

I have done several mystery box deliveries to various people for them to cook up as I had WAY too much produce.

I provided my friend Kate with many 'Asian greens' because I had absolutely NO idea what they actually were and how to cook them.

I no longer think a white cabbage moth looks pretty flying over my garden.

My children love apple and rhubarb crumble. OK actually they only like the apple and the crumble but I'm working on it. They do like the beetroot - only because they are still trying to make their wee turn pink. I have one child liking broccoli - that's got to be good doesn't it? And both kids liking cauliflower - plain, no cheese sauce thanks.

I have also been nominated as the best parsley grower in Adelaide.!!

My lovely friend Heidi is kindly planting my new summer veggies and I'm determined that the children WILL enjoy tomatoes by March next year - stay tuned...

Help!

A few amateur questions - please, please someone tell me what I am supposed to be doing.....

The lettuces have gone beserk! Do I just cut leaves off or do I need to pull the whole plant out (I've been cutting leaves off so far and don't seem to have killed anything yet)?

The Asian greens are also going crazy! A few caterpillars have already enjoyed these. Once again - do I cut leaves or pull whole plants? And when?

Some of the beetroots look ready - but how do you know unless you pull one out?

The celery is going well. I'm sure I will have questions soon.

And dear Heidi (or anyone else)- what are these again??

Last but not least - we have a baby cauliflower - I'm so happy - the boys are less than thrilled...

Any advice or suggestions gratefully received.

The first salad

It was very simple.

It was very delicious.

It didn't involve going to a shop (OK I already had the balsamic in the fridge).

It went so quickly I forgot to take a photo of the finished product, but it involved my rocket leaves and the fancy Mizuna Japanese lettuce and a little balsamic vinegar. You can see the other great lettuces that are just waiting to be eaten but I think they need to grow a little bit more.

In the background you can see the snow peas have grown really well too and are slowly making their way up their trellis. Today however, I went to check on them and they aren't looking so happy - brown spots and a bit limp - must google this and see what is going on....

About Thyme...

Hallelujah! The MacBook Pro has arrived and it is beautiful.

I promise I'll write a review this week on a couple of fascinating books written by the same author - I just need these children to go back to school and I can get some clear thinking time.

In the garden this week
I've added broken egg shells to the veggie garden beds - apparently the white shells may confuse the cabbage moth into thinking there are already other moths in the garden and to move on to less populated pastures.

We will see.

 I am also sceptical as to the size of a moth's brain and therefore its ability to think this through?

The last strawberry

Yippee - produce!! Ok the plant did arrive with the last strawberry actually already on it, but it made a good photo...

I spent this morning wiping small yellow eggs off the cabbage and broccoli leaves which I'm assuming were the beginning of cabbage moth caterpillars (well I hope that's what they were and not something else?). I'm not looking forward to the squishing of caterpillars (a la Jamie Oliver) so am hoping to prevent them arriving in the first place. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Tonight I am making a beetroot, orange and rocket salad to go with our fish. Sadly none of the produce is fully grown yet so I will still need to imagine what it will be like digging up my own beetroot and rocket. However, I have decided to add random herbs to the salad (it is normally made without) as I have them ready to go - coriander, parsley and mint - should be interesting?

Heidi (Chooks and Veggies) called today to say that our local newspaper (The Advertiser) wants to do a story on a family that are new to the veggie garden world, who have children and are happy to be photographed - she has offered us up.

It got me to thinking - in no particular order of importance or relevance:
1) Heidi is no longer my friend;
2) The Advertiser will need to take at least 100 photos to get one of me with my eyes open (I will be having sleepless nights over being photographed - trust me);
3) I will need to keep the veggie garden alive until such time as they arrive - hopefully its soon; and
4) Kate B will need to read The Advertiser

Garden source

Have just found Heidi's facebook page which has some fantastic tips and ideas for your very own vegetable gardens and chooks (should you be so lucky as to have your own). Take a look....

Every day is a new beginning....

At 9am this morning we had the start of a shell.

By 5pm this afternoon, we had the beginnings of a real vegetable / herb/ salad garden!

We have rosemary, strawberries (which will be great for next summer), lots of lovely lettuces (what is the plural of lettuce??), thyme, basil (which is on its last legs), beetroot, rhubarb, coriander, vietnamese mint, parsley, carrots, spring onions and snow peas - I'm sure there are more but that's all I can remember without having to walk out there again to check. Is it a worry that I've started to talk to them?

Thanks Heidi - tres exciting!!

A Green Thumb

Martha Stewart makes it look easy...

Tomorrow heralds the start of a new Chapter for me. My new friend Heidi from Chooks and Veggies arrives tomorrow to transform a corner of our back garden into four raised vegetable garden beds. I am extremely excited at the thought of being able to grow our own vegetables and herbs but am equally terrified that I will kill them all in the first month!

I haven't got the greatest track record when it comes to gardening but I really like the idea......

I'll let you know how we go and will attempt to put photos on the blog to demonstrate either:
a) my prowess or;
b) my failure.

In preparation, I have been browsing my Stephanie Alexander's, A Kitchen Garden Companion and am all inspired with wonderful garden grown recipes - will let you know if any eventuate.