Friday, June 05, 2009
Strawberry jam!
Mmmm I got such a wonderful crop of strawberries this week, over two kilos! Enough to freeze a tray of fruit and make 5 pots of jam! yum yum. The fruit is the pride of place in the garden.
I also dug up some of the early spuds and once again I was quite disappointed, as the yield is not great, just a couple of potatoes per plant :-( However they are smooth, fair sized and healthy and the taste is good (this is "Anoe" variety). I am hoping that the Charlottes will be better? The late spuds have loads of foliage, maybe they will give a better yield. In the meantime there is plenty for potato salads at least!
Another harvest this week was some lettuce, which for once I successfully grew from seed. Does anyone know though how I can stop it wilting the minute I pick it?
My rhubarb seems sick! The stems are small and the leaves seem to be getting attacked by something! I will have to look up some ideas on diseases that attack rhubarb. I am awfully disappointed as this year it is hitting its cruising speed and I already had several tasty stems.
I also dug up some of the early spuds and once again I was quite disappointed, as the yield is not great, just a couple of potatoes per plant :-( However they are smooth, fair sized and healthy and the taste is good (this is "Anoe" variety). I am hoping that the Charlottes will be better? The late spuds have loads of foliage, maybe they will give a better yield. In the meantime there is plenty for potato salads at least!
Another harvest this week was some lettuce, which for once I successfully grew from seed. Does anyone know though how I can stop it wilting the minute I pick it?
My rhubarb seems sick! The stems are small and the leaves seem to be getting attacked by something! I will have to look up some ideas on diseases that attack rhubarb. I am awfully disappointed as this year it is hitting its cruising speed and I already had several tasty stems.
Labels: potato, rhubarb, spring, strawberry
# posted by antipodesgirl @ 2:28 PM 
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Stick the lettuce in cold water about half an hour before eating, then use a salad spinner to remove the excess water. Certainly puts the crunch back in...
www.waark.com
www.waark.com
Hmmm I do that sometimes but it also scares me to see that the time I get home, the lettuce is all floppy!! It never looks like that in the greengrocer's!
Well I'm going to stick my neck out here and tentatively suggest that the paucity of new potatoes, and the thin scrubby rhubarb may be related. By lack of watering.
Not that I have the slightest idea how often you water of course, but just that both these plants really need from gallons & gallons of water to crop well, and the results you describe can be associated with natural under performance in dry conditions.
Feel free to shoot me if I'm wrong, ....or just plain annoying of course!
GM
Not that I have the slightest idea how often you water of course, but just that both these plants really need from gallons & gallons of water to crop well, and the results you describe can be associated with natural under performance in dry conditions.
Feel free to shoot me if I'm wrong, ....or just plain annoying of course!
GM
I have special plastic container for salad. Even if the lettuce is really limp, wash in cold water, drain, but leave a little water on the leaves so they have something to soak up. Lock it away in the fridge for at least three hours.
Oddly enough, my rhubarb was under performing until I planted a row of peas by it. Now it's huge!
Oddly enough, my rhubarb was under performing until I planted a row of peas by it. Now it's huge!
well perhaps there is a water problem, but I am surprised because we got lots of water naturally in APril and May, the ground always stayed pretty fresh and cool, there was only a week or so in May where it was pretty dry. I admit that I don't water by hand that much but the spuds got watered a good bit as I watered Bordeaux mixture on them...
The rhubarb seemed to have picked up over the weekend, as it got cooler, perhaps the hot sun was a bit much for it. I gave it some Bordeaux mixture just in case but the crown looks healthy??? mystery...
The rhubarb seemed to have picked up over the weekend, as it got cooler, perhaps the hot sun was a bit much for it. I gave it some Bordeaux mixture just in case but the crown looks healthy??? mystery...
# posted by 
: 12:02 PM
: 12:02 PM
I keep a box of resealable plastic bags at the allotment and place the clean whole lettuce, immediately after pulling, into the bag with about 10ml of water. At home the bag is put straight into the fridge until needed. It keeps perfect for at least 3 days.
PS I do like your blog. I am changing my domain slowly to allaboutallotments from allaboutliverpool.
PS I do like your blog. I am changing my domain slowly to allaboutallotments from allaboutliverpool.
Ta for the lettuce hint! I am embarrassed that you are seeing pics of my plot! yours is just so perfect! But i am pleased that you like the blog at any rate.
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