Veg Diaries – Feels Like Summer
Oh Joy!
The first of the real ‘summer’ crops went into the ‘huerto‘ this week. I couldn’t help smiling with anticipation at all the tomatoes, peppers, chili’s, cucumbers and aubergines to come. These are the real Mediterranean vegetables of summer and the reason I garden.
More of all these will go in again in another few months. They are all such heavy croppers its good to have some replacement plants in case the first ones exhaust themselves.
Without successful tomato plants over the years I don’t think I would have really got the veggie gardening bug. Even when garden space meant all we grew were hanging varieties on some steps, those toms always came through. City dwelling in the UK meant the gardens were warm (if a tad moist) and those tomatoes romped away. Back then we didn’t have sunshine to dry our tomatoes but we always dried some in the oven to give us fake sun-dried tomatoes during the winter.
Oh my folks tried to get me into gardening but sadly I declined their offers that I learn about such things as mud and digging. I preferred TV and sitting on the stairs, being moody I suppose. Funny how we change. I can still do moody you understand, but not with quite the same ‘its all So Unfair and Someone Else’s fault’ way I managed as a teenager.
Being outside is my favorite place to be. And, watching things grow is a real tonic for the soul. I am a firm believer that EVERYONE should grow something. Even basil on the kitchen windowsill improves life. As it improves the flavour of your supper and puts you in touch with a world away from supermarket trolleys and car-park rage.
As happens every year the weather turned windy once the summer crops were planted. But, they mostly seem okay and its amazing how much those little crops will recover from a little blast of mountain air.
Well I’m a girl set to enjoy the rest of this day, feeling summery OUTSIDE.
So Adios, the weekend has rain forecast and cooler temperatures. So the weekend is when I shall be sat indoors typing. Not Today!
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I feel really summery too. Shame I haven’t started planting anything yet (except Giant Redwoods!!). I’m waiting to hear if I’m moving house or not before I start planting, but I am itching to get going.
Gardening and growing food is a real tonic to me too.
Jeni Treehugger’s last blog post..Earth Hour 2009
It’s been absolutely glorious recently hasn’t it! In fact it’s been too hot for me to do anything on the veg patch in the afternoons, so summer’s definitely coming.
Jan’s last blog post..There’s Blossom on the Fruit Trees
Hope you have a great growing summer with lots of beautiful veg. We are sadly heading towards the end of those gorgeous summer things – courgette just giving us occasional one now, tomatoes still incredible – in 2-3 weeks we will have to pick many kg of green ans put in windows to ripen – peppers and aubergine still happenning (peppers still ripening). Still we have (experimental to try and get earlier crop) winter things in and growing (snow peas, peas, broad beans). also still pulling carrots, salsify and parsnips. I so much love to read what is happening in Northern hemisphere!
JoHart’s last blog post..School of the future?
It sounds wonderful! Your zone is about 4-6 weeks ahead of me here in Virginia, USA. I’ve got the radishes just about peeking out of the soil now. Heavy rains for the past week. The locals here call them the equinox rains, and sure enough, you can set your watch – and planting- by them. We’ve got radish, swiss chard, spinach, broccoli rabe, onions and lettuce starting outside and under the grow lights in the basement, the tomato, pepper, eggplant, perennials and herb seedlings are all thriving. I’ve also managed to start some of our favorite shrubs – crepe myrtles – from seeds. Here’s to spring!
Jeanne’s last blog post..Spiders
Glad you were all feeling the buzz of spring/summer too (sorry JoHart but since you never get proper cold I shan’t feel sorry for you!).
As predicted temps dropped dramatically, wind and rain today. So I am mostly staying in! Veggies are looking good for the rain though. No amount of watering is as thorough as a quick sharp shower!
In the strange but true category… We have had a very cool March here in Tucson. So I haven’t done much gardening yet… But I do have the itch.
gwen’s last blog post..Free Phone Service From Google
Ah, I am jealous that you’re heading into summer! Ours is departing and everything that goes with it is coming to a close for a good ole while! A bit like JoHart, I am about to cull the remains of my toms and ripen them up inside, or make green chutney. Will have to flick through my books and choose some winter veggies to plant.