New found treat... broccoli leaves

We buy and eat broccoli pretty regularly so it was on the list of things to grow this year. What the shops and markets usually supply are florets so that's what we have been eating. Since we were growing our own and eager to try anything edible so we added them to our plate of dinner greens. Apart from the fact that they cook well, taste good, grow quickly and plentiful, the slugs also seem avoid them!

The florets are the flower head of the broccoli so won't show up for a while in our plot, maybe in a few weeks or even months. But I'm really happy eating the leaves and wonder what the farmers/shops do with their leaves. 

I hope they don't just go into a compost heap. I've seen them once in a while in our local farmer's market but I think shops should really start selling not just the florets, but also the leaves.

We have pigeons!

Since we've moved in, I've noticed pigeons landing on other roofs but not ours but recently, there have been signs that they have arrived... Tuffs of coco lining from a planter, strawberry tops out of the compost bin, and droppings scattered around the terrace. Thankfully, I think they didn't meddle with the strawberries on the plants but I think they might be culprits who nipped of my first pea flower shoot.

I then remembered that the previous owners had a cat and thus their avoidance until now. They must have been spying for a while and finally picked up the courage to land (and destroy).

So whilst we would love a cat, it's not something we can afford to have so after the 3rd day of coco lining bits floating around, we made the hasty decision of hanging old CDs around the terrace.

DIY bird scarer

Not the most attractive thing and sometimes feels a little like a discoteque rather than a calm green environment, but it's preventing the pigeons from landing. 

We also put a small dish of dried cloves, chilli and pepper near the coco liner planter just in case they get brave. Don't know how long the CDs will keep them away but will try to change their placement once in a while. So for the moment, we (don't) have pigeons! 

Blooming vegetable flowers

We've had lots of sunshine these past few days and the plants seem pretty happy starting to show their blooms. We had quite a few first with flowers.

First pea flower

However a couple of days after this photo was taken the tip of this pea shoot seemed to have been snipped off. The end was on the ground so I don't know if I can blame the pigeons? But another flower has formed and hopefully lots more will come.

First courgette flower

It's been a bit of a struggle deciding whether to eat or leave that first courgette flower. We've never had courgette flowers but heard only good things about them, but we thought to leave this very first one to mature and we'll have the opportunity to pick others. 

Bolting salad flowers

Some salad varieties have bolted which is a bit disappointing considering they hardly matured. Produced about 4-6 tiny leaves and then bolted. But at least they are producing pretty flowers that I'll try collect seeds of.

Second batch of broad bean flowers

The broad bean plants have produced a second batch of flowers. The main stem was producing side shoots and I wasn't sure if I should cut the main down but looks like that worked! 

Tomato flowers and buds

The first lot of tomatoes planted have shot up quickly into proper plants after months of being trapped in small containers as little two inch seedlings. A few tiny flower buds have appeared and I pruned them back as the books, cutting everything under the first bloom (and also anything that didn't have a bloom - I got a little enthusiast with the seceateurs) so hope I haven't pruned too harshly but they seem to be holding up alright.

Onion flower buds

I know you are meant to dig up onions before or when they start to flower but I had a look at mine and they were so tiny I thought I'd leave them in to bloom and collect the seed. I did plant them from an old onion so maybe that's why they didn't swell up.

Potato flowers

I can't wait to dig up the potatoes and I think the flowers and yellowing leaves are meant to be a sign that it's soon. I'm hoping it's not going to be an anticlimax (like with the onions) where the tops are doing well but nothing much beneath the soil. 

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Concrete pots

I've been looking online on how to make pots and I rather liked the look of the concrete ones so I had a go at making a couple using two yoghurt pots and a bag of concrete from my local hardware shop. Only made two so far but hopefully will have the time to make more soon. 

Basil in concrete pot

Chilli plant in concrete pot

June garden update

Our potato plants seem to doing well. Very green and leafy, and I wish the leaves were edible! 

Potato plants

The broad beans plants have only 5 pods from our 9 plants (one plant had 3 pods, so 6 plants didn't have any) so I'm not sure if it was really worth growing them. There are new shoots growing from the bottom so I'm thinking of pruning the main older shoot and hopefully the new ones will flower and fruit. 

Broad beans

Strawberries are doing well. Probably the most rewarding plant so far. 

Strawberries

Salad have been left to grow but some are annoyingly bolting. I read it's normal because of the longer hours of daylight and nothing much can be done but sow more seeds every few weeks. A bit tricky when you have little growing space. But I won't complain as I love the long summer days.

I've let the pak choi and mizuna go to seed but at least I'll have some seeds to harvest and use next year.

Pak choi flowers and seed pods

Mizuna seed pods

The courgettes are getting bigger, so are the tomatoes. Borlotti beans and peas are starting to trail up the fence. Bitter gourd, cucumber don't seem to be growing as fast as the rest but at least they are looking healthy. 

Butternut squash seeds germinate really quickly. I decided to plant them just over a week back and they are already bigger than some I planted 2 months ago.

Butternut squash seedlings