Well, I broke my promise. I simply did not have veggies to eat on May 21st, so started 1 June with eat only what I grow. This years late spring really slowed things down and I have just got my first first peas. I collected and old Iron tub on the side of the road and expanded my pond. The birds really love it and the bird life has increased 10 fold with that and a feeder. This year, 2 of my vines grape vines did not make it again. They spouting from the ground, but not from last years growth. The other two have though, and so I should at least have some grapes. If you noticed I moved the evergreens up against the fence to my neighbours yard. I hope they survive as they were well over 8 feet. At the back now I have nut, mulberry and persimmon (that has not leafed out this season and I am concerned the move and winter did it in). This allowed me to add a new Anjou pear and 2 plums.
My romance series cherry bushes are really growing, but I only got a few flowers, so I may not have cherries this year again. The currents are very happy this year and so are the gooseberries. On the other hand my Haskaps are tiny, although this is only the second year and so perhaps as they mature more they will grow bigger. They are quiet tasty.
The French Grey Shallots seem happy, well mostly, and the garlic behind looks good. I have a number of tomato flowers already, and expect in 3 weeks to have my first first. I have a few small peppers already. Mostly though my mustards, pak choy and lettuce. (left) with green onions. Another great success for this season has being my Rapini. In particular the 45 Day Zamboni is great even on the BBQ with a little olive oil. As mentioned, I am only starting to get peas now, and it does not look like a great season for them. In the back I added a white privacy fence as a new climbing trellis. I have cucumbers and beans on it.
My beans are growing really well, framed by chives I use around some of the beds. The chives in bloom attract a lot of insects. I am hoping for a good year for climbing beans. There are French purple pod, but even my runner beans seem to be doing well.
Well my ducks decided my Chinese cabbage was a rare delicacy and ate 6 to the ground. I have 2 still growing in the cold frame, but so much for large amounts of Kimchi. on the other hand, the diakons look pretty good. They flowering though and I don't know why. Any ideas? Another discovery has being my Japanese Hakurei turnips. Butter smooth and taste great in a salad. I cant bring myself to cook one. The komatsuna although vigorous, is not as tasty as I had hoped. Well at least raw. I have not really tried cooking it yet. My squash is still tiny, so I am not yet at the squash eating stage, the same with eggplant. but potatoes are doing well and I considering adding a box layer to them.
Its mostly greens still, but its tasty greens after a winter of tasteless food, its amazing. I be sick of salad soon and onto squash. Fruit and Veggies in their season!
