Friday 28 July 2023

That's Shallot!

Lots of harvesting going on in the raised bed at the minute. Rows #1 and #2 have yielded 7½kg of potatoes- I really had not expected the Red Duke Of Yorks to be so crimson in colour. Only 150gm of runner beans thus far, but surprisingly tasty and a vivid green hue. There are more to come. I pulled up the 'volunteer nasturtiums' whose orange blooms were nestling among the foliage of the shallots and potatoes. They add a bright accent to the dining table.
Monty D and Alan T have both said it is time to harvest the shallots. The greenery had started to go over, so I pulled them all up. Maybe they would have got bigger if I'd left them a little longer, but I am happy with my crop.
I laid them out in the sun on the garden table - then later in the day I tidied them up.
I remember watching my FIL plaiting his onions, so I did the same with the shallots. About a dozen shallots in each string. I've suspended them from an empty hanging basket frame in the old garage.
I hope they'll keep ok there
I'm looking forward to cooking with these in coming weeks.
Those unexpected tomatoes in Row #10 are coming along nicely. I do hope they ripen soon [you can just see the salad leaves behind them] The perpetual spinach continues - Liz took a bagful on Saturday afternoon. I'm glad the girls seem keen to eat vegetables. Rosie declared my spuds the best potatoes she has ever tasted. 
I'm sure all this fresh air and exercise in the garden is doing me good - and eating home grown crops is so satisfying.
If you are a gardener, what has been your best crop this year so far?


18 comments:

  1. Your garden is growing so well! What a wonderful harvest!
    I think the snow peas were my best crop this year. The tomatoes are the next best. :)

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    1. Thank you Bless. I'm enjoying seeing other bloggers sharing pictures of their harvests - it inspires me to try new things. But after the mice ate my peas last year, I didn't attempt any this summer. Tomatoes remain small and green - hoping August sunshine will ripen them.

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  2. My outdoor Cherry Toms have done amazingly well this year, although some are a bit late ripening, no surprise really, considering our recent lack of sunshine.
    The Blueberries though, have been astonishing! I've done some jam, made a few pies, more muffins than is good for me, have six very large bags in the freezer, and there are still a lot of berries left to ripen. It's been a bumper crop this year, the best ever! X

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    1. Everyone seems to have ripened their toms ahead of me - I wait in hope. UK Blueberries 🫐 were first grown in Ferndown.. perhaps I should attempt them next year

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  3. One carrot, coriander gone to seed and tomato plants which refused to grow any higher than a foot each! My lemon basil plant also consumed by whitefly! Kind of gave up this year on edibles! Your shallot harvest is ace and will save you a fortune! Well done. Have a great weekend.

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    1. Coriander died the death very early on! Lemon basil sounds delightful, I'm sorry the whitefly ate it. This gardening lark is definitely a steep learning curve!!

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  4. I look back at the times when you told me..'I'm not a gardener'!! You will be able to have your own Harvest festival soon.

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  5. Thank you. You have been such an Encourager since Day 1. Thank you!

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  6. You've got some lovely crops there. My best crop this year has been the cucumbers, at least one good sized one to eat every single day. My poor tomatoes just need some warmth for them to ripen, it's so cold here I'm sat wearing a cardigan ... perhaps I should knit them one!!

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    1. Now that's a thought! I have a couple of cucumbers 6" long. Debating whether to harvest one over the weekend

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  7. That looks like a great crop - you've done well with the shallots.

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    1. Thank you. First year of trying shallots will probably do it again

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  8. My tomatoes are definitely the best thing I've grown this year. I've enjoyed hearing about your spuds, might have to grow those again next year.
    Alison in Wales x

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    1. Mine white ones are Swift and as I said the others are Red duke Of York. I still have tubs of spuds in the back garden waiting to be harvested- but I hope that the longer I leave them in, the larger they will grow. Just been outside to check again on my tomatoes- they are all still green, but definitely some are getting larger. My dream is to be able to harvest salad leaves,tomatoes and a cucumber all on the same day!!

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  9. You are certainly enjoying the fruits of your labours. The nasturtiums are pretty, and they are traditionally used in companion planting to ward off insects!

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    1. I knew that marigolds were often planted among carrots - so I figured I should leave the orange nasturtiums in place. Yes they are really pretty

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  10. Wow! What a jolly lot of Shallots! My most successful crop so far is the kale but the Perpetual Spinach is also thriving.x

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    1. Is that comment from you Kezzie? In recent years you have definitely been a Kale Kween!

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