The garden is still providing us with plenty to eat, mealtimes are quite interesting still. We will never be self sufficient, would have to turn all the garden over to fruit and veg for that to happen, but it is nice being able to grow what is most expensive in the shops. Must grow more rhubarb, there was plenty for us to eat while in season, but it would be lovely to have some to freeze for crumbles etc. in the winter.
The few greengage that we had were absolutely delicious, so sweet, our small tree is producing more and more each year as more fruiting spurs are being formed when I prune it.
Damsons are ready waiting in the freezer to be turned into something delicious.
We had quite a few red gooseberries from the one bush that we have, but nowhere near as many as from the other gooseberry bush.
This one bush provided us with 12 pounds of fruit, once again, most of them are waiting in the freezer, I can see us needing a bigger freezer soon, the one we have is only tiny ! Can’t say either of us like gooseberries as they are, but made into a fool, layered with crushed ginger biscuits – heavenly !
The blackcurrants were absolutely amazing, we had a lot of rain in the few weeks before picking them and they ended up so big, just like grapes.
They weighed in at 11 pounds, that should keep us happy for a while.
We only grow Autumn raspberries as the birds seem to leave them alone and therefore they don’t need netting. There have been plenty to eat every other day, but if I buy a few more canes then I will be able to freeze some! Someones all time favourite pud is Raspberry Pavlova !!
Once again our Bramley cooking apple tree is groaning with fruit. This tree was already here when we came to Devon and now gives us so much fruit each year. We reckon the birds get 1/3, we give 1/3 away to anyone we can find who doesn’t have their own apple tree and we have 1/3, most of which are stored as puree in the freezer ready to make something lovely for a cold winter’s night.
My small pear tree is getting into the swing of producing fruit, like the greengage and damson, more fruiting spurs are being formed each year, so it just gets better and better.
Beans are still producing like mad, having a few each day, there are still plenty to freeze for the winter.
I was very late planting my sweetcorn, so it is fingers crossed that the cobs will ripen before we get any frosts.
Courgettes are forming each day, we can just about keep pace with them. I like this yellow one, makes the veg on the plate look very colourful.
Reading this through, I think its a miracle that we can close the freezer door, maybe you had better come and help us eat everything! Each year I try to grow something new, it will have to be fruit and veg that doesn’t need freezing !! Which new vegetables can you suggest that are easy and foolproof ?
Dear Pauline
I am so so so impressed by your fruit and veggies. I would love to do this, but it will have to wait for another garden / another life. cheers, catmint
Thanks, Catmint, we have grown fruit in other gardens but this is the first time we have tried veggies. We were quite successful with onions and spinach last year, don’t know why we didn’t grow them again this year. Would love to grow carrots but our soil is too heavy even with added extras to lighten it, maybe growing them in a pot is the answer, will give that a try next year!
Pauline how yummy, I planted 3 gooseberries this year and despite the weather they are growing well so I hope to have some fruit in a year or two, the wind took all the blackcurrants left none for me or the birds, like you I need more rhubarb, what if you made a small raised bed for your carrots, just a thought, Frances
You should have loads of gooseberries next year if you have 3 bushes but what a shame you lost this years blackcurrants. A raised bed for carrots sounds ideal- will have to have a word with “he who hates gardening” to make another deeper one for me, thanks for the tip Frances.
Pauline. you are going to have to pass on your wisdom with growing raspberries and black currents. I hope to be able to start my own little garden here next spring. Do you have any suggestions on what a budding green thumb can cut his teeth with?
Tim – lovely to hear from you here! Where can I start? Summer raspberries will need netting to stop the birds eating them, but the birds don’t seem to be interested in Autumn raspberries. Autumn ones just need cutting down to the ground when finished, so I feel are much easier, they sprout again next spring – could you plant them now, then you would have a few to enjoy next summer/autumn. The same goes for blackcurrant bushes – plant now for fruit next year, both these are easy for a beginner, but good soil is needed and lots of water when the fruit is swelling. Fruit bushes and canes are going to provide a lot of fruit over the years so good preparation of the soil is essential for lots of yummy fruit for you all to enjoy!
Hi Pauline, your post read like all the fruits I would love to grow but the conditions aren’t right here. I’m especially envious of the Bramleys’, there are cooking apples here but nothing is so good as a softly cooked Bramley. I have a black currant bush (I planted 3 originally) but they need a cold winter to set fruit (like apples) and lots of water; mine are irrigated with enough water to support melons etc. but it is just not enough! It’s going to be dug up this winter and given to someone who lives higher where it is a little cooler.
I certainly wish I could come and share your bounty!
Christina
I think the joy of these blogs Christina, is seeing what others grow that we can’t manage for one reason or another and also learning from each other. I hadn’t realised that blackcurrants need a cold winter – they certainly got that last winter with us – maybe that was why we got such a super crop this year, you learn something new every day, thank you.
Remarkable knowledge! I have already been trying to find something such as this for a time now. Appreciation!
Thank you for your kind comments Quincy, much appreciated.
I know people who do grow lots of things in pots, I guess it is the answer if you have the wrong kind of soil.
I think that a pot with a bag of special soil may be the answer Catmint, as we have added all sorts to our heavy clay soil, compost, leaf mold, ash from the wood burning stove, soot from the chimney sweep and grit, but still the carrots weren’t happy!