It doesn't always pay to be over tidy in the veg' garden.
At Haddock's I am now harvesting three types of sproutings; The pukka purple sprouting (centre), Cavolo Nero sproutings (left), and Curly Kale sproutings (right).
Many gardeners have already grubbed-up their old plants by this time of year, depriving themselves of these delicious little gifts from otherwise spent plants. Even those old Brussels Sprouts plants will send out sproutings, and they're delicious.
So, don't be too quick to tidy-up before your Spring planting. Let nature take its course, and benefit from her bounty. You'll be pleased you did.
Personally I always cook twice the amount I need for my evening meal, and have the rest as a salad for lunch the following day. Lovely Jubbly.
re Haddock's. Yesterday was a perfect gardening day. I rotovated, raked, and planted. The first to go in were the Red Onions (always an easy crop), a few Red Cabbages, and some Caulis. The 2015 campaign has begun!
I also had the first few sticks of forced Rhubarb. Heaven!
Your whole lifestyle sounds delightful but tell what do you mean by forced rhubarb ?
ReplyDeleteWe put big pots over the Rhubarb crowns in late winter, and the darkness forces it to grow much faster than it would otherwise. It also becomes very sweet and tender.
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ReplyDeleteMr Opinel is probably a penniless Rhubarb forcer by now!
DeleteForced rhubarb is, Mr Smith, a very British thing and unknown in France except by Brits living there.
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DeleteTell that to Monsieur Opinel junior! He'll send a gunboat.
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DeleteAh, a rotovator, so no backbreaking digging this year.
ReplyDeleteI note the knife is working overtime.
Unfortunately I bought a cheepo job, which means I have to dig the entire plot BEFORE rotovating... i.e. twice as backbreaking!
DeleteI haven't heard you complaining about the digging this year. Did you pay a boy from the village to do it for you?
DeleteNo, I suffered in silence. Lady M did help a bit too.
DeleteOur neighbour is going to plough Paul's potager with his big red tractor!
DeleteI couldn't get a big red tractor into my garden... it's all fenced. Design fault.
DeleteMy purple sprouting is just ready as well. I've given up with red onions as I find they always bolt- what variety do you plant and do you grow sets or from seed?
ReplyDeleteMine never bolt. I buy sets, and they are 'Red Barons'. I still have a load from last year; they keep well too.
DeleteOh, it all looks delicious. What a great crop. My veg patch has been a total disaster this summer, what with the lack of rain and the birds eating everything.
ReplyDeleteWe are just about to start work on our allotment again, very late by neighbouring standards. It saddens me when I see the 'old boys' just pick the usual parts of a plant to eat, when there is so much more to be enjoyed in what most would discard. Some good sprouting bits there Cro.
ReplyDeleteYou have inspired me to plant red onions next spring. And that boorarb looks wonderful!
ReplyDeletegood gardening! Red onions are probably more suited to where you are, which is why they are more hit-and-miss up here
ReplyDeleteI almost picked some leaves that were sprouting from the compost heap this morning. But I'm not entirely sure what they are - could be beetroot or chard, or hemlock!
ReplyDeleteWorth a try, I would say..... Don't tell anyone I said this!
DeleteWe're no where near the stage your garden is...in fact, we had snow the last two days. My rhubarb is buried under the white stuff.
ReplyDeleteRight now, after the extra long winter we had, I am thrilled to see a weed - but not enough to eat it.
ReplyDeleteWe had snow yesterday. The asparagus bed still has at least six inches of snow on top of it. I found two turnips in the fridge that started to sprouting, so used the bottoms in my stew and put the sprouting tops in a pot I have indoors.
ReplyDeleteI usually have plenty of greens left from winter but this last fall I was forced to grub out everything to make way for some changes in the kitchen garden. I have planted a row of leeks and a very healthy border of chives. This week if good health prevails I shall plant three trays of Cipollini onions that wintered in the greenhouse. I just love this time of year.
ReplyDeleteIf I had to choose between asparagus and purple sproutings I would be hard pressed to choose.
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