Gardening Magazine

Harvest Monday - 28th April 2014

By Mwillis
My harvest this week has again comprised mainly Asparagus and Radishes. I have lots of stuff growing, but not much that is harvestable. The story will be very different in about a month's time...
Harvest Monday - 28th April 2014
The radishes I am picking at present are the "Cherry Belle" type - round and bright red. Since my garden is so close, I just pick as many as we want to eat straight away, so somewhere between 12 and 20 each time. This week we have had three lots like that.
Harvest Monday - 28th April 2014
Harvest Monday - 28th April 2014
The radishes are normally picked, washed and eaten within the hour!
Harvest Monday - 28th April 2014
Harvest Monday - 28th April 2014
We eat them most often as a pre-dinner "nibble" [aka "hors d'oeuvre"]. Before serving them, I remove the roots with a sharp knife, and also most of the leaves, just leaving about an inch of stem, to be used as a "handle" to facilitate dipping them in salt.
Coming along after the "Cherry Belle" I have a row of another type of Radish called "Flamboyant 5". I bought the seeds in France while over visiting my daughter. Here are the first few:
Harvest Monday - 28th April 2014
They are basically another variant of the ubiquitous "French Breakfast".
Harvest Monday - 28th April 2014
At the weekend I sowed another patch of Radishes, this time in the place where I am planning to plant my Leeks. The Radishes will hopefully be ready before the Leeks need to go in. I have put a piece of plastic clematis-netting over the seeds to stop animals digging in the freshly-turned soil.
Harvest Monday - 28th April 2014
The latest batch of Asparagus is not so impressive. The plants initially produced some nice fat spears, but then along came these rather skinny specimens.
Harvest Monday - 28th April 2014
With all the rain we have had these last few days, I expect the plants will put up another flush of spears very soon. I hope so anyway!
Harvest Monday - 28th April 2014

Harvest Monday - 28th April 2014

When cooked, the Asparagus goes a very bright green colour!


The herbs are just about at their best now, covered in fresh young growth. I don't normally reckon them as a harvest, since they are a constant feature of or diet, but I just want to put in a word for my Parsley. This is the stuff that over-wintered so well. I don't think I have ever had Parsley so good. It has been very prolific and has lasted for ages.
Harvest Monday - 28th April 2014


Back to Featured Articles on Logo Paperblog