Well hello all!! It has been a while since we last wrote a post, but we have lots to update you on, so here is what we have been up to lately.
We have been on a few foraging walks. We collected Rosehips from some Japanese Rose bushes that we found, which are currently in the process of becoming Rosehip Vodka!
We also collected some plums, which I stewed and put into Jars to use a later date. I had some stewed plums left over, so I soaked mixed fruit and peel in it, then made a plum cake. I made up the recipe as I went along, but it turned out lovely.
We decided to try out one of our potato sacks, seeing as it had flowered and the leaves were looking a bit droopy. It turned out to be way to early so we ended up with new potatoes and not many of them at that. But they were the tastiest potatoes I think I have ever eaten.
We have also managed to grow the tastiest carrots I’ve ever eaten too and the peas are growing prolifically. We have about enough peas so far for a meal for 4, but they are still growing and flowering. So next year we will have a lot to think about in how we decide to grow certain vegetables, like the peas, carrots and potatoes. This year how ever, it has all been trial and error and we have succeeded in actually growing food, so we are definitely happy with that.
We bought some new planters the other day, they were the cheap kind with no holes in the bottom. So it gave me a great excuse to try out my ace birthday present off Tony……….. 😁
We have also got a few new trees and bushes. We got a peach, nectarine and an olive tree, that we need to find space for and I have only so far repotted one of them, but we need to get more pots for the other two. We also bought blackcurrant, redcurrant and white currant bushes. They were bought very cheaply and weren’t doing very well in their pots and weren’t retaining water. Having no where permanent to plant them at the moment, I bought a large pot that for now, they can all go in, until they get a bit healthier looking. We managed to salvage the gooseberries that were on deaths door, and are now massive, I’m sure we can do the same for these.
Quick update on the Peppers. The Bell Peppers are now flowering, I have taken them out doors occasionally, but decided to pollinate using a paint brush, because they are indoors most of the time. We chose to keep them inside, because the ones we planted outside just didn’t do very well and are still very small. The Chilli peppers are now re-potted and doing really well. We have also re-potted the mini pointed peppers, having only planted 2 seeds they both grew really well and fast!
The pride of our garden (well for me, not Tony haha 😂 ) are the pumpkin plants. I have always wanted to try and grow pumpkins, and I love how they are sprawling out. I can’t wait to see the orange pumpkins start to grow. 🙂
I think that is us all caught up, and I will try and keep more upto date from now on. I am sure we will have a few more foraging posts with all the lovely fruits and nuts coming into season.
Bye for now, Stay safe and stay well.
Kiera & Tony
Totally Off Our Grid 