It's been a little while since I've done a gardening post so I thought I'd do a little update, report in to you folks who may be interested, just in case you thought I'd given up on it. I can assure you I have not.
I've had two harvests from my vegetable garden since beginning it around August last year and have been very pleased with the results. It's not been enough food to live on, and I've supplemented the produce with market-bought items, although it's been a rewarding process and it's certainly been enjoyable eating foods I've grown myself - They taste better.
The third plant-out
Winter is approaching so over the last couple of weeks I've been emptying my beds of the last of the second crop and preparing the soil for my winter planting which has now been done. Due to the season I've had to think out my choices well and I'm also space-limited so had to work around that constraint as well. Here's what I decided to plant:
Spinach, mini cauliflower, mini cabbage, brussel sprouts, brown onions, French Dwarf Bonaparte beans and baby broccoli.
I've had to select mini versions due to that space issue and it's great that these varieties are available, designed for garden beds like mine specifically. I also figured these items would be good winter vegetables for soups and stews which make good winter-warmers...with crusty bread slathered with butter.
Everything is looking good, small but healthy, and as they grow I'll do some pictures and post updates; of course I'll post about those stews and soups as well...if I remember before actually eating them!
Strawberries
When I planted out my first crop I put strawberries in with grand visions of having bucket loads of them...which didn't happen.
I managed to get several bowls of the delicious little red buggers, but I'd hardly say I was up to my ears in strawberries. All they did was take up precious space in my garden beds so I ended up removing them into some tubs right before I put in my second crop; they've survived there since then.
I still get strawberries off them which strikes me as quite strange - although I'm not an authority on strawberries so it could be normal. They went through the summer and actually still look pretty healthy which I'd not expected. I ate about twelve of them today, (without ice cream unfortunately), and they were pretty tasty. The two images above show what they look like; the top one has since met it's grizzly end in my mouth and those just above will do the same in time.
Red jalapenos
About a year ago I bought a red jalapeno plant from an ancient Italian man who grows and sells them from his back yard. It cost me about $30 AUD but he assured me, in broken English, I'd get a couple years of produce from it and considering red jalapenos are about $30 AUD per kilogram here I thought I'd invest.
The first crop yielded about 1.5 kilograms and the second, (which is still going) has produced just over 1.2 kilograms so far - I think that's pretty cool.
I gave some away, traded them actually, however kept most. They went into pasta, on my home made pizzas and I even put them into scrambled eggs - Trust me on that last one, it's legit. Don't use too much mind you, and chop them into tiny pieces. They freeze well so that's where many of them went, and I dried some and pickled them too, but the coolest thing was the chilli jam I made. It is, quite simply, legit!
Here's the recipe if you're interested.
Ingredients:
- 120g red chilli's (I used my red jalapenos of course)
- 1 red onion (finely chopped)
- 3 cloves crushed garlic
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Third of a cup of water
- Half cup of brown sugar
- 1 tablespoons of fish sauce
- 1 tablespoons of hoisin sauce
Method:
Split the chilli's in half lengthwise, remove seeds, chop finely. Combine with the other ingredients in a small saucepan and cook for 10 minutes on high heat or until reduced by 50%. Reduce to low heat and cook for a further 5-10 minutes or until thick and sticky. Spoon into (sterilised) jars and tighten lid. I refrigerate mine at this stage, although they can be stored in a cool, dry place like a cellar or pantry until they are opened. Once they have been opened store them in the fridge.
I use this jam on toasted cheese sandwiches mainly, it's bloody fantastic. I also slather it on baked potatoes that have been halved and buttered and even used it as a glaze on baked vegetables once - That was tasty! It can be served with just about anything you require a little chilli-kick on though, but remember it's sweet, like jam, so it has its limits.
Anyway folks, that's about it. I'll provide some images of my garden beds as they grow; right now they look like great expanses of brown dirt dotted with little green things.
I'm off now to make home made pizzas for dinner, with garlic bread of course. I hope y'all have a great weekend.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
All images in this post are my own
Is there anything you can't do, sir? 🤣🤣😂 Your last post led me here. I've always been a fan of Strawberries but have never had the opportunity to grow one. I had the opportunity to grow lemon on dad's old land but it was quite a distance..I couldn't keep up. The last time I visited, I noticed it grew tall but the person I gave the land to, to use for raising his goats couldn't help either... The goats didn't eat it but lack of care made it wither away. A lot of people told me I was even lucky to have it grow to that size because Lemons thrive on a specific type of soil.
It's always fun to eat your own produce. I know this when I planted tomatoes as a kid. That was the easiest for us to grow then and I remember how I always go there to watch it. It's always refreshing to pluck too.
I can't play soccer. Well, I can but I'm bloody terrible at it. Lol.
I grew tomatoes in my last two crops but it's too cool now. They were splendid, so much better than store bought ones. They actually tasted like tomatoes! Add some buttered bread, cheese, salt and pepper and I was in tomato heaven!
😂😂🤣😂😂🤣🤣 tomato heaven... That's a first. There is this extra taste that comes with it when you know it's your product you are taking. It's a good feeling.
Hey G-Dog
Your friedly ancient Italian bloke clearly knew what he was talking about - over 2kgs is a good yield from one plant! Man you made that jam sound freaking fabulous. Unfortunately I'd probably not be able to eat it.
I'm not really one for chillis: My taste buds, sinuses and olfactory glands tend to all start crying in unison when faced with the consumption of anything chilli. It can be embarresing in a restaurant setting especially when you don't want to appear rude so you keep eating the food that is making you cry 🤣😢
Your strawbs always look so bloody handsome. You have magic green fingers. Our strawb plant is still growing albeit slowly, I have a suspicion that it may take over the planter box later on. I'd be strangely ok with that.
Have a wonderful weekend and hope your pizza turns out well.
If I couldn't eat chilli I'd die, although I'm not one to like it so hot that my head explodes or anything. It sounds like you're best off not eating the chilli though, don't worry about offending people.
The strawberries are ok, a little disappointing but that's mainly because there's not enough of them! 🤪
I made a potato and rosemary pizza which was bloody awesome, and the next is vegetarian, with pineapple of course. It's almost done.
Hahaha have you seen the videos of those people trying the hottest chip challenge? Freaking hilarious. I am quite happy for other people to enjoy chillis, I often feel I'm missing out but I just can't, my mouth just won't allow me to.
Hmmm that pizza sounds scrumptious. Yes, of course it has to have pineapple, I am a firm believer in pineapple on pizza!
I am sure that next season your strawberries will make you proud. I have a strawberry story I'll write about some time. Ever had a strawberry food fight before? It's not nearly as fun as you would think.
I've seen those hottest chilli things, not my style. I like my tastebuds.
I'd not be very good in a strawberry fight, I'd eat all the ammo!
Now that's a recipe!! I am just getting ready to plant my chili seeds. It has been too cold up in the bitter North so far.
I love growing chillis. I bet they were totally legit in scrambled eggs!
Your gardening post reminded me of the one I saw a while ago where you got some jasmine. I thought it sounded awesome so even though it's not hardy enough to survive up here I got a plant too. It's a pretty little thing!
It's so good mate, I hope you try it. (It'd fool proof to be honest).
Ah yeah, the jasmone plant. It's going well. I erected a mesh for it to creep along but had to take it off and replace it with a steal one as the plastic trellis wasn't going to hold up to the weight. I did that a couple weeks ago, carefully unthreading the jasmine that had grown, and it's now going well. I'll do a post-update on it at some stage. Jasmine smells so nice huh? And yeah, nice flowers too.
Yeah I will try it big style. I love all things chilli. Glad you picked some as well. I have done that with mine and the difference between shop bought picked jalapeños and you own is night and day.
I must have missed the update. I just have a pyramid bamboo trellis thing going on because I want to take it in over the winter. I do like it though. It is a great addition to my deck!
You'll not regret making that jam I think, it's addictive, like methamphetamines but better for your health.
One needs jasmine on one's deck. No doubt about it.
I like addictive things that don't kill the fuck out of me 😀
Like donuts and coffee brah.
Thems the faves!
And mine just started to bloom :-)
Probably your strawberries can also stay through wintertime and will give berries next year.
Have a great weekend
Yours look really healthy! I agree with you, and think mine will survive the winter. I'll probably plant some more later on, a different variety, although I'll use the tubs I have them in again, not my garden beds. I like strawberries...but need many of them...🙄
Those on my photo are a wild form with very little but incredible intensive taste. I brought them with me from Bavaria.
Normally they mostly can be found in the woods. Hm, dont know if they exist in Australia? Wild strawberries in the forest???
Oh that's cool! Nope, we don't get wild strawberries here. Well, maybe down in Tasmania we might, but I'm pretty sure not.
Sounds like your little garden has been quite the success and although I know there are winter veggies that can be grown, I don't know many that go to the trouble in the cold. I can only imagine that can be quite rewarding in the dead of winter though, to be able to have something fresh to eat right out of your own yard.
My Dad loved gardening and always had a good one as I was growing up. We ate all the fresh beans and corn and tomatoes and etc we could in the summer and Mom and Dad froze and canned the excess. Tending a big garden takes quite a bit of time and work, but with 5 children, it sure did come in handy that Dad loved doing it. The bad thing is, it spoiled us to be use to the good food and caused anything from the market, frozen or canned to taste inferior. LOL....
Good luck on your winter garden.
It's a bit different here Jacey, our winters are mild, here in Adelaide at least. Days of 12-21 degrees Celsius and nights of 2-12 degrees Celsius. No snow. Other parts of the country get cooler, but not by much. It allows for a winter crop mostly.
I've been really happy with my garden and it's been enjoyable to be gardening again (veggies). My parents did so, (I grew up in a small rural town) and I used to help and whilst I'm a little space-limited it's brought back a lot of good memories.
Well.... if it never gets too cold, that is certainly more understandable.
For part of my life, there was a big field a distance behind our yard. Power lines crossed it, so nothing else could be done there. My Dad asked and the "powers that be" said a garden would be fine there, so that is where Dad's garden flourished. I wonder now if we are all radiated from eating food from under there. LOL... oh well... it sure did taste good !
Chili jam! That sounds like a great recipe.
I just planted some lettuce, spinach, and onion seeds in pots on my deck and will be waiting to see them begin to grow. I hope my efforts are as successful as yours!
It's good to see the little buggers pop up and grow; rewarding. They taste better than produce from the shop, the fact that they are chemical free and all, plus the fact they are self-grown.
Nice, we're actually on task to get some of ours planted today. I haven't seen yet how many she picked up, but will be hauling out of the garage and down to the garden today to play in the dirt.
It's sort of nice to get one's hands in the dirt right? Growing things is rewarding and getting to eat them, or enjoy looking at or smelling the result, can bring a lot of enjoyment.
I hope you guys have a nice day.
Awesome stuff Galen!
Don't you just keep checking to see how fast the colour changes from green to red?
We've been meaning to get some chilli seeds or even a plant because we use chilli in all our meals.
As for the strawberries, it's been my dream to grow them for a long while. I must add both to my agenda.
You've done a great job with your gardening and how nice of you to add a recipe, I'll try it one of these days:)
I think a chilli would go well in a sunny spot on your boat!!
Yes, we are convinced of that too. I will get dome seeds when we reach the next town. I have compost and pots ready :)
The plant is potted and near my back door so I see it a lot...It's exciting to see those little red things go from green to red and nice to pick them when they are ready...They just keep on coming.
Wow, that chili jam sounds delish! Over cream cheese on a cracker, as filling in small tarts, oh man..time to break the fast
I knew someone would come up with way better uses for it than me...I'm a simple man and somewhat of a knucklehead after all. 😊
No way lol....far from a knucklehead. It's just how I like to eat cowboy candy so it would be good for your recipe as well 😋
😊
Now I have to try it on toasted cheese sandwiches LOL😂 Thank you for the garden journal link, I have found many new people to follow and posts to check out.
My gardening efforts are going on on a daily basis and so now must work up the courage to make a post on my wonky garden lol
Doh it wasn't a link...it was the community 😆
Red chilis grow in my country so well and of course they make stew and soup great but not to much. Hehe... Sadly the weather here does not support growing of berries, well I hope one day I can grow them.
Best regards💪🌹
Maybe you'll be in a situation conducive to berry growing someday. I love berries so having some in my back yard is nice. 😉
Thanks I hope so too, have a nice weekend 😊
Those strawberry plants do look great :) However to get enough for bucket filling, you'll want them somewhere other than your garden - you'll want to either use pots as you are doing, or devote space strictly for that.
Indeed, I thought the same thing.
Where I come from gardening is a leisure activity or something left for the old and aged. But growing up, my mother had a farm that was only cultivated in the rainy season, that farm was a source of good food for a season, seeing that fresh foods are very expensive.
Thanks for sharing your experience @galenkp
Hmm ok, so either I'm old or I'm gardening as a leisure activity.
Haha 😂. I didn't say any of those. But if I were to guess, I would think you do it for the later.
The latter it is...Although, I'm 52, so almost as old as the dinosaurs!
In medicine, being 52yrs old puts you in a category called "middle age". But I guess your reference to dinosaurs 🦕 refers to the library of experience you have gotten in your years on earth.
Haha, middle aged huh? I'll most likely be dead inside of twenty years from now, but I'll take middle aged. 😁
Probably.
Or you could probably be sitting in a rocking chair telling your grandkids stories about the journeys you took.
You know, I was chopping jalapenos for hot sauce today, and thought yo myself... Don't do all of them and save some as you might want to make something else with them. Did I listen to myself ?? No. And now I read this post from you... Chilli Jam sounds rocking!!!!
I'm with you... Chilli in eggs is the best. Maybe I'll send you hot sauce and you send me jam??
Even if I have a big garden I still like to grow those mini varieties. Do you think you'll expand a little now you have had such successes?
Bloody chilli jam recipe, you arrived just a little too late! 😁
I don't really have the room to expand much more than I have to be honest, my yard areas are all developed and I'm not keen to tear it all up. There's a few opportunities though and I'll be taking advantage of them. I'm pleased with how my stuff is going and my fruit orchard also, it's going well!
I'll have to make some more chilli jam, I only have a half jar left and that's not going to last long. :)
Dang, that recipe looks amazing. I am forwarding it to Liza as I write this - yum!
It'd go well with some brats mate.
Man, even on some cheese this sounds good
Indeed mate, cheese sandwiches with this chilli jam on is legit.
Nice! Chilli jam is one of Ben's favourites, so I'm going to try and make some for him. Thanks for sharing, @galenkp
Annabelle 😊
It's a winner, there is no doubt.
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Plants and recipes! Woww! :)
Yep.
That first photo of your strawberry looks amazing! Greetings from the Philippines!
Thanks.
You're welcome (^_^)
I remember the Jalapenos you got from the little Italian man! That's great that you've gotten quite a few out of that crop, you could turn around and plant those seeds and start a side business - jalapeno ass burning plants for sale, 35$ a plant! (To not compete too much with the old Italian stallion of course)
Interesting that your strawberries have kept producing fruit. When my parents had them in their yard we would get a good harvest for a few weeks but it would be finished the rest of the summer.
I think I have a green thumb, meaning I have a little understanding about growing things. That, or I just get really lucky. Lol.
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Look at you!!! You have totally turned into Mr. Green Jeans! A fictional character in a child's show. But, the man could garden!
You really had a great year.
I want to say thank you for the chili jam recipe! I do one, but, this is different and sometimes fun to try! It sounds amazing. Look for the review, later this summer when mine is ready!
I hope you are having a great Monday!!
I've never owned green jeans but I'd give it a go...Maybe rock it, maybe it'll be a fail.
I had a good season for sure, our weather helps a lot though. I had a few fails, a couple I wrote about, but they're more learning experiences Swigs. I'm better for it. You're welcome for the jam recipe too, there's a few out there and this is one of the most simple.
I'm having a good Monday, my last with this company as I finish up Thursday. I hope you have a good week ahead.
Wow! Thursday!! I will definitely be thinking of you, but will cross paths before.
Enjoy your last Monday!