There is not much to eat in the garden right now, since we had a disorganised autumn followed by an uncommonly wet winter. The ground is cold and sodden, and the garden is looking very un-appetising for the most part. For all that, we are still enjoying some tender garden salads made from corn salad, radishes (cherrybelle and black Spanish radish), and winter lettuce. This has been our first crop of winter lettuce, the seed for which came from Koanga Gardens. True to its name, this lettuce has proved to be extremely hardy over the winter, escaping the ravages of the slugs that have plagued some of our other winter crops. A few leaves of arugula and cilantro are livening up our salads also. Also from the garden: some Swiss chard (silverbeet), collards and kale, celeriac, Jerusalem artichoke, plus onions and garlic stored from last season. Otherwise, we are pretty much holding out for spring!
Winter salad
The last couple of days have finally offered enough sun to get outside and continue work on clearing more of the garden beds for spring planting. There’s still a lot to be done, but I’m inching my way through! Early August is a time full of hopes and plans here on the Farmlet, as I think ahead to the spring and summer. I’ve ordered seeds for the coming season, and plan to plant the first of these (inside) in the next few days.
Favourites from last year include: Asian red lettuce, tree lettuce, red cabbage, collard greens, squire kale, corn salad, leeks, Welsh bunching onions.
New kinds to try: multiplying spring onions, half-century lettuce, deer’s tongue lettuce, Oregon Trail peas, tat soi (Chinese flat cabbage).
As always, it will be fun to see which vegetables perform best in our conditions.
I’ve actually just penned a note in my garden diary for this time next year, inviting myself to think back and draw a comparison of what vegetables we are picking from the garden (then vs now). I’ll be sure to share my observations when the time comes! I’m hoping that we’ll be better-organised this coming autumn, and will have a better selection of vegetables in the garden this time next year!
Deer’s Tongue is a definite winner! Drop me a line if you have any trouble sourcing seed for it, as I’ve plenty saved from last year and will gladly pop an envelope in the post.
Hi Mike,
Thanks for the offer to send the Deer’s Tongue lettuce. That’s very kind of you. Luckily we already have a supply of seed, and the ones I’ve planted have already germinated well. Reading your recommendation makes us keener than ever to try this new kind of lettuce. Let’s hope it does ok for us.
Cheers and good luck with your bees!
Rebecca
Hi Mike,
Thanks for the offer to send the Deer’s Tongue lettuce. That’s very kind of you. Luckily we already have a supply of seed, and the ones I’ve planted have germinated really well. Reading your recommendation makes us keener than ever to try this new kind of lettuce. Let’s hope it does ok for us.
Cheers and good luck with your bees!
Rebecca