Purple Sprouting Broccoli

I am ashamed to say that I have not been in the garden gardening for over a month.  But over the weekend, with our Cornish holidays behind us.  It was time to really focus and get down and dirty.  

The weather was much cooler, so I've been weeding and clearing the ground most of the weekend.  It still feels like we have hardly made any progress in the garden, hence the reason I am not sharing any progress pictures of it today - maybe next week when I am a little more proud of my work. I am hoping to return to it next Sunday, or maybe in the evenings if we have the energy after coming in from work.  

So here is my very small harvest which I am sharing with Harvest Monday.   Its been a month since I participated in Harvest Monday which is hosted these days by Dave over Our Happy Acres.   The white sprouting broccoli has been replaced by the Purple Sprouting Broccoli.  

I harvested some earlier in the week too, whilst my mother in law was here as she accompanied us on holiday in Cornwall.  It was the first time my mother in law had PSB and she enjoyed it, saying she preferred it to the traditional green bushy head variety.  

I also came across some surprise spring onions.

Whilst gardening, one of our older neighbours called out to us and said did we want some beetroot seedlings ?!  Yes please. and Thank you very much.   

PSB in July!!! How?

As much as I like purple sprouting broccoli (PSB), and eagerly await its arrival during the Hungry gap, I don't understand why I am harvesting it right now. Yes right now and its only July. Has anyone else harvested PSB recently, or about too?

The seed packet is from a reputable company. The seeds were packed early this year and expire 2011. According to the seed packet Broccoli (Sprouting) Early broccoli. Sow in March -May which I did and harvest the following year between February -May NOT July!
If someone can tell me why this has happened I would be pleased to know. Thanking in advance. Yours confused mangocheeks.

By the way, it was truly lovely, simply steamed and drizzled with a bit of olive oil.

Unexpected gifts from nature

Just spent a couple of hours on Ds plot today. The weather is not too inviting today. Typical as its the official start of my holidays. The sky was clouding over as if it were to burst with rain any minute, plus I got the sniffles and I don't want it to get worse especially for my travels and visit down South. The lupins are looking quite pretty with the water droplets on them though, like little diamonds.
D had to put in the last of the maincrop potatoes in the ground, so while he was doing that I cleared up one of his beds that was overgrown with weeds. And guess what I found, some purple sprouting broccoli - Yipee. I am so delighted with this unexpected gift from nature, as I thought all my PSB had been nabbed by those pigeons. This will be part of a light lunch later.

All the potatoes are in now.

We have asked Fitzy to water the plants in the greenhouse while we are away visiting family and friends down London way. But I will still be worrying about the plants like a mother leaving her children behind, or a pet behind. Who would have thought that growing fruit and veg would have such an effect on you. Plants are a bit like children I guess, you water them, feed them, nurture them, tend to them...

Please note my dear in-laws don't have Internet yet, so I will not be able to blog for the next few days, so please be patient with me. I will however be back with some photos and reviews of my visit to the Incredible Veggie Show and maybe some images from Covent Garden. Who knows?

No Purple sprouting broccoli

This was our first proper working day at the allotment. The good weather also brought out a lot of the other plot holders, all digging over their plots.
This sunflower plant that grew over 10 foot, was finally pulled out. I dug over some more of the plots, mainly the brassica plot. My PSB did not do too well, I am so disappointed. It had become a favourite vegetable of mine. I am not too sure what went wrong. They grew, but did not sprout. I planted out some Stutgarter onion seeds and in pots Aquadulce broad beans. D dug out the old soil from both the greenhouse and the carrot box, later replenishing these with fresh compost.

I harvested some more Jerusalem artichokes and my very own winter salad, one of the benefits of having a greenhouse. The salad leaves smell fantastic, very peppery.

Progress: My daffodil seedlings seem to be doing very well. They will soon be in bloom - hopefully in time for this welsh girl in Scotland to celebrate St Davids Day.