HOT HOT HOT

Elderberry Starting to bloom

Well yesterday we suddenly jumped from in the 20's to  36.5c and a "feels like 41". I had a small 4 foot bed I wanted to dig over, and drenched myself in swat in seconds. By 3pm, some of my plants looked a little wilted - shock I am sure. I gave up, found some shade and read.

But here is how things look (picture heavy) . Since Friday was Midsummer's night, Litha,summer solace or first day of summer. Elderberry is usually at its peak blooms and I am sure part of why the world over, it was associated with protecting and enhancing spirit relations. This year, I was have the first couple flowers open, no-where near full bloom.

Leek Flower Bud

 The leek I transplanted and left in the garden to seed, seems to be making every effort to flower. I bet its going to be quiet stunning. I have read of "perennial" leek beds, where the gardener just leaves a few in every year and wonder how sustainable t hat would be.

 In the background is a hops plant, that is in its second year. Its looking really well. The white flowers are from a horseradish plant thats taken to flowering.

Zucchini Flowers

 A closer look at my most tiny Zucchini or squash flowering. I have a few flowering, although currently they look far to small to support any fruit. Mostly male flowers, but I do have one tiny straightneck.  I am hoping I have some fruit in the next couple weeks to go on my BBQ. many people love to eat the flowers, but  have not tried them as of yet. Perhaps I should google a that one up.

Tomatoes

 Nothing is more summer than nice sun-ripe tomato. It looks like I may have to wait on that. On the left is my only non-heirloom tomato, Sungold. I bought them since they suppose to be early and sweat. On the right is the black Krim.  The Krim is a beast of plant and I wonder if Jack would like to try climb one vs the beanstalk. I was trying to threat one of my tomatoes through the trellis and snapped of its  leader. I dont know if I should replace it or hope it grows a new leader. Anyone??

Oregon Sugar Pod

A breakfast staple for me right now seems to be the snow peas and snap peas. I have 3 types growing, Oregon Sugar pod are not the sweetest, but have the best texture. Now I planted the peas, where I moved a couple tomatoes, since last year, peas where done before tomatoes really got going. This year, I may be pulling the peas to make room, as Tomatoes are being getting leggy. I need to plan that different next year.

Now my dropping of all basilica's seedlings made the labels fall out. Here is a most beautiful plant, of unknown type. I suspect it is spigarello, but tried cooking it last night in the microwave and it burnt in 1min. I try again in tinfoil on BBQ or a pot tonight and see if it taste like broccoli. It could be one of the other Brussels sprouts or something though.  My first year growing these, I dont really know.

Along with the unknown, was some cauliflower. It was a little crammed in the garden and got a tiny head, I left it to see if it would develop and it sprang to flower.
So much for home grow cauliflower. I am doing this to LEARN to grow afterall, and not because I am some expert. So consider me a little more learned. I will eat it next time even if tiny.

Broccoli

My "Dino" Kale is doing well now, and I did try make a few Dino kale chips. I took a few leaves, rubbed with olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and put on a cool portion of BBQ. Very nice! Yes yes, I not used the stove in weeks, things go straight from garden to BBQ. I have a bunch of these, that I be harvesting from soon. They are attractive plants and apparently very nutritious.

I had purple sprouting broccoli and broccoli romanesque seeds. This looks like neither one description, but it time to eat it before it becomes flowers like the cauliflower. Very excited about my first home grown broccoli of unsure origin. Should I leave it to see if it sprouts new?

Ping Tung Eggplant

Antohi Romanian Pepper

My Ping Tung eggplants stayed the same size for about a month now, and suddenly they started to grow. Not to self, they need very warm temperatures. Its looks like a long time to go till I be eating these though. I tried a white eggplant from the store a few weeks ago and found it excellent. Perhaps next year I add a white variety.

Other than 1 hot Portugal pepper, that I planted in early January indoors, that carries 1 pepper on the plant and starting to ripen, the rest of my peppers have added 15 cm in last week odd. This Antohi Romanian Sweat pepper (aka I call it the acrobat pepper) has a few tiny peppers. I like these on the BBQ as they thick walled and you can eat them before they turn red. They have a strong pepper smell and taste.

Red Currents

Hinnomaki Red

On the berry front, my red currents are changing colour, but still far to tart and tannic. I prefer the white currents, but the bushes are very small still.

On the right we have my gooseberry's. I have about 6 different types in the garden, in my attempt to make a thorny hedge to discourage the midnight monsters of mayhem. These are Hinnomaki Red and I tend to check them to as a indicator of when the others will ripen. This is my second year with gooseberries and they really grew in size. The fruit is under last years branches only. Yes mother, Cape Gooseberries are very different plant.

Strawberries

Peas may be breakfast but its strawberries that I tend to eat for lunch. Although I loose a fair amount to some creature that eat part of the fruit, There tends to always be 4-8 red ones to be found in the patch right now. They are loving the wood mulch and the plants are huge.

Well it be some time till I get a Okra (still dipole leaves pretty much) or eggplant, but I suspect I will have squash and tomatoes in the next 2 weeks. Lettuce & peas abound with broccoli and kale coming in, I have plenty to eat till then. Friday I started my ) vegetable or fruit food-miles for summer. The next 3 months I will attempt to buy only meat, dairy and grains. (although I suspect I buy a lot less grain, I am not growing wheat to make bread.) OK, perhaps I get some pepper on a pizza I buy, but I will I am sure have more than 3 months food from my tiny, 1.5 year old  garden. A victory garden, maybe not in any other sense than a victory over ignorance. I truly had never seen half the plants I am currently growing and could never have told you what there where 2 years ago.