Well, this summers seems to have turned into a veggie/ fruit, berry picking, jam making season. We moved in here in the winter so I had no idea that we had an apple, cherry plum and blue damson *I think* tree in our yard. On top of that, I started a veggie garden for the kids to play around with caring, picking, watching how food grows and all though I have no clue what I’m doing, quite a bit turned out quite good. And on top of all that, we’ve been doing day trips to the farm to pick the berries as they ripen which I’ve been making jams out of. Cooper LOVES to help cook and I love what they’re learning going from the farm/veggie garden to the table. For lunch today we had cherry tomatoes with cucumber slices that we had just picked with assorted jams on toast. We tried our raspberry and blueberry jam today and they were great. The blueberry jam is just wonderful and with each bite I was imaging what else it would be good on. I’m thinking warmed up a bit and put on top of ice cream. mmmmmm…..
Raspberry, cherry plum and blueberry jams. There’s also a yellow plum chutney there. Tomatoes, cucumber and banana peppers from the garden.
banana peppers that I can’t wait to pickle. They are VERY hot raw.
Blue Plums almost ready. Might be the first few weeks of September for these.
This is the bean I’m not too sure about. The seed pack said green bean (I guess I need to look for more specific types of seeds as these are definitly not what I thought). I’ve been told they’re Fava beans. I don’t think these will be repeated next year…. I don’t really know what to do with fava beans and the plants grew a lot taller than I had planned for.
And the mini rose bush has bloomed again. I thought something had gotten to it as every petal and leave fell off after it’s first blooming. I thought it was completely dead until one day I came out and there was a single bloom on it. Now it’s as if it’s coming back to life. it’s turning green again with new leaves and more and more buds. I don’t know anything about roses, so I don’t know if this is this plants normal growing cycle….?
You’re doing really well I see! Raspberry jam is my favourite!
They’re runner(green) beans not broad(fava)beans that you’ve grown. I’m picking lots of the former at the moment but the latter were one of my few failures this year.
Roses often bloom a second time. It’s usual to deadhead the flowers, when they’re past their best, if they’ve not been picked, to help them along!
Like you I’ve been harvesting, and eating, lots of things with just the sweetcorn to come in a few weeks.
Take care! xx
Thanks
What can I do with runner beans? And when are they ready for picking?
Cook and eat them!
http://www.eattheseasons.co.uk/Archive/runner_beans.htm
It’s best to pick them when they’re about a hand’s length. You’ll probably have lots but keep picking them, and if need be give them away! xx
How fun that you are having such wonderful success in the garden. The boys must surely enjoy eating what they’ve just seen growing. That blueberry jam sounds delectable.
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About the rose dropping all its leaves and petals — sometimes roses do that. I have one that does it annually after its major spring flush. It looks like it’s about to die, but I think it’s just exhausted! Just trim off anything that looks for sure dead (woody brown or black stems, crispy leaves that still hang on). If you are fertilizing your veggies, fertilize the roses as well. You can even use lawn fertilizer — just go lightly. Even better, if you have access or are making compost, give the roses a little heap. They’ll return the favor with great blooms.
You’re obviously good at gardening, cooking and photography….a lot to be proud of!