More Winter Veg

 My gardening post this month brings you my attempt at trying to get more out of the veg plot over a longer period of time. It is three years old and for the first three years I have essentially put the garden to bed at the end of September. This year I have tried to extend the season by growing different things.

My first ever go at leeks has been successful. I only tried six pre bought plants to test out the soil and they were good so I will do this again. I grew half of my tomatoes outdoors. This has been good but they don't taste as good as the indoor ones but are perfect for cooking with. The spinach is ready to pick and I have a winter variety to put in next. My lettuce are running out and I have winter varieties of these to sow but I might have missed that window.

I am trying some cauli, purple sprouting and some cabbages for the first time but I fear that the butterflies might get the better of me but it is worth a try.

My friend Beth's wedding florist garden is looking fantastic at the moment with lots of roses, dahlias and asters.

I have been picking some stuff to dry. Who knows I might try to keep my table vase going with some dried flowers in the winter months.

Talking of my table flower challenge, I have has some lovely dahlias from Beth and some asters from my garden.

And this pretty set of Penstemon, Anemone, dahlias, September Daisies, and the odd last Lupin.

I have brought my pepper plants indoors and it is making the fruits turn yellow which is fabulous because I am not a big fan of green peppers.

The autumn raspberries are still killing it and I love to pick apples from my neighbours.

Those outdoor tomatoes made a wonderful soup and I was pleased to get another crop pf radish.

Leaving you with our favourite seasonal cake of the moment - spiced apple cake.

Thanks for popping in. Jo xxx

September...ing

 I am coming at you early with my September post this month because it is changing so fast. There have been extremes of weather here in the UK (some more adverse in certain parts) So this is the September food/forage edition.

Finding - more ways to use up the courgettes. Yes, they still keep coming! Courgette and walnut loaf was only a hit with the kids when I added copious amounts of butter icing.

Using - up the last of the summer veg in cottage pie. The green beans, peas and the three carrots I managed to grow have all gone now. We still have a few more spuds.

Bottling - up my jostaberry wine above and my gooseberry wine below. The gooseberry is sharp, as you would expect, but with some elderflower cordial and gin it makes a fab cocktail. Ideally, you need to wait six months to a year for it to mature. I have some wine from last year so it doesn't feel like waiting to us.

Joining - forces with my wider family to make a 23 litre batch of cider. It is our first time using the press and it involves a lot of planning and manpower. We joined up with my brother, his wife our kids, my mum all alongside Andy and I.

 

Cracking - out a Penang curry for 7 to feed the troupes. This curry doesn't traditionally have courgettes in. Mine does! We have about a year to wait until we can all share the cider.

Picking - damsons from the hedge in the field. There were not as many as last year but I was secretly glad. We are drinking last years damson wine which is wonderful but this was just enough for some jam and a damson cobbler.

Wasting - nothing by making a couple of bread and butter puddings for the freezer from the drier ends of bread. Two of us like it, two don't so I make them in small dishes for Heidi and I.

Introducing - some green peppers to our meals. I don't really like them but I can see that my pepper plant fruits are going to turn yellow at best. This is chakchouka a meal that previously Andy and I had enjoyed but I hadn't managed to get the kids to eat it. We all like it now and with a few of my green and yellow peppers mixed in with some shop red ones it was a winner served with garlic bread. It may have had some courgettes in too!!

Sharing - my table flowers from the garden for this week which are a simple bunch of asters, although I have other beautiful variations to share with you.

Watching - the sun go down on our productive an bountiful small holding.

See you soon for a another catch up. Jo xxxx