Who knew? In among the gone-to-seed fennel and coriander, the strawberry and oregano invasion and the giant sweet pea take-over... there lived a healthy crop of carrots.
This was a very nice surprise when I finally decided to clear the bottom vege patch of the over-growns and over-stayers, and install some nice new tenants for the rest of the summer. One and a half kilos of carrots. Grated carrot salad is on the menu... probably for the rest of the week.
I find it really hard to clear plants out of the garden. Even a mess like this, because it's such a fantastic mess. The coriander has been crawling with bees and lacewings, and I'm convinced it's responsible for keeping this bed bug-free for the past several months. Even after I'd pulled it up, the lacewings stalked it into the compost bucket! There are new seedlings sprouted already, so the legacy continues, just on a more manageable scale.
It was these sweet peas that really held up the proceedings though. They grew so tall and sprawled so wide that they've delayed the salsa garden planting by almost two months. I just couldn't pull them up until today. They were so huge, so mad with blooms and generous with scent... I gave them until Boxing Day, thinking it would be a shame not to have them around for Christmas. They lasted through New Year, but today it had to happen. I ripped them up, but not without picking every last bud.
Another surprise find. A rather fatter than normal Lebanese cuke, hidden under the rough cucumber leaves and a sprawling tomato.
We ate it simply sprinkled with salt and white vinegar. So juicy and cool.
The last of the potato crop from next door, where I've claimed squatter's rights to the soil. Boiled until just cooked, then swaddled in mayonnaise spiked with chipotle sauce and lime juice.
After last year's bean crop failure, this abundance is a pleasant surprise. This year I provided some slug protection collars made from toilet rolls, and gave them a couple of seaweed sprays. A little thought and consideration helps us all thrive.
Steamed for 5 minutes, and served with a slick of butter. Swoony.
The first basil plants are thriving under the shadow of the tomatoes, and the leaves are big enough to graze from now.
They ended up in a bread and tomato salad, a spicy and sweet contrast to the tart tomatoes (not from the garden, yet), salt and red wine vinegar.
Filled with laundry on the way outside; filled with veges on the way back.
From farm to table in less than twenty paces. Carrot salad, steamed green beans, cucumber salad, potato salad... oh, and rack of lamb. Definitely an outlier, but more than welcome at our feast.
Happy New Year everyone. I wish you a fruitful, abundant, lush and magical 2013.
Such a lovely post. It's winter here so I can only dream of the beautiful colours and smells of spring and summer. Just planning the greenhouse plants at the moment. Take care.
ReplyDeleteThanks Chel... It's so nice that the blogging community has all the seasons covered all year long. I spend a lot of the winter here drooling over seed catalogs and reading blogs from the Northern Hemisphere. But for now, I'll plant out the basil seedlings and wait patiently for the first ripe tomato.
DeleteI was so relieved so read that you also let things go a little overgrown. Makes me feel so much better about my tangled messes. To find carrots underneath though is edible gold. I love sweetpeas too and have 4 towers which are flowering like crazy right now so I shall cut some and bring them in the house this week. Having time off work has meant I've finally been able to get on top of weeding, tying up and feeding everything. Dare I say it but now all we need is a spot of rain :o)
ReplyDeleteOh yes, there's plenty overgrown in this garden...it's so small, even normal crops feel overgrown. And yes, some rain would be great, preferably gentle, without wind, and overnight!
Deletewhata wonderful harvest! the sweet peas have long finished here - i pulled out the dessicated vines yesterday - so it was beautiful to see yours, such a pretty variety. i have bean envy too; mine are just starting.
ReplyDeletefinally i have shiny-silver-colander envy too!
That colander sure gets in its fair share of photos! I've got a dream to have as many gorgeous colanders as Nigella Lawson. So far I've only got three, but it's a start.
DeleteA belated Happy New Year! Where has January gone?? I don't think I would have been able to pull up the sweet peas either, they are just so gorgeous!
ReplyDelete