Monday 2 November 2015

Harvest Monday - 02 November 2015

Well, I think this is my first proper Winter veg harvest:


It's a "Mila" Savoy Cabbage. It's not big, but it looked bigger when it was still growing! The rather ratty outer leaves were discarded of course.


Actually that Cabbage was just the right size for the two of us. The Savoy type provides a good mix of light and dark green leaves - just what we like!


Meanwhile, we're still eating salad. This is "Amaze", another one of the trial varieties kindly supplied by Marshalls.


Yesterday I picked another batch of Carrots, and there are still plenty more to come. This has been probably my most successful crop of the year. They wouldn't win any prizes for good looks or uniformity, but the main things is they are fly-free. I have had to throw away one or two split ones, but the vast majority are fine.


Now what about this: I know they say "If you pick it, you can count it", but this is ridiculous!


That one solitary Radish was the only harvest from the batch I sowed on August 23rd. I re-used the compost in which I had earlier grown some Carrots, and it was a mistake. The Carrots also had failed completely. Their foliage was weak and twisted, whilst the roots were tough and insignificantly tiny. I feel sure this was once more attributable to contaminated compost, because Carrots grown this way (in plastic crates) have done quite well for me in recent years.

This week I'm also counting this:


They are Celeriac leaves. I keep pulling off the outer leaves of the Celeriac, in order to promote "bulb" growth and it seems a shame to just compost them. I have kept the best bits for adding flavour to soups, stews or stock. They impart a lovely savouriness, verging on the umami.


Well, that's my harvests for this week, but please take a look at Harvest Monday over on Our Happy Acres, and see what other gardeners have produced.

11 comments:

  1. Savoy is my favourite type of cabbage, we all love the dark coloured cabbages best, in fact we're having savoy cabbage with our dinner tonight except mine isn't home grown.

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  2. I love the look of that savoy cabbage. I haven't grown it in a few years, but I think I need to give it a try again. I remember it having a great flavor and texture. Of course it's decorative in the garden as well. I bet those carrots are tasty too!

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  3. Thanks to my granddaughter Savoy cabbage is known as Prinkly cabbage and enjoyed often in the family. I have always grown Ormskirk in the past but did not grow any this year, I concentrated on ESB, Kale and pointed cabbage for greens and hearted cabbage. That size would be perfect for me, I will look for the seeds.

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  4. This is a mouth-watering harvest post. While reading it, my mind was making "green" soup with discarded cabbage leaves, celeriac leaves, any allium and a small potato with skin (adds a mushroom taste). Blend well. Add butter and chicken broth granules to taste. Serve with toasted cheese sandwich. "Cheese and Leaves." Yum.

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  5. That cabbage is lovely! I prefer smaller cabbages as well - the larger ones often end up languishing in the refrigerator for far too long. And I am so jealous of those carrots! Mine are dismally tiny, but we are still going to eat them. I like to use baby carrots on veg trays and to pack in the kids lunches & these are nice and sweet, which offsets their size...somewhat ;)

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  6. I've not tried removing leaves from celeriac to help the root grow. Do you see any difference since you started the treatment? Very pretty cabbage. And those carrots look good to me.

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    1. I'm doing it because it is considered "Best Practice". So far, my Celeriac-growing efforts have not met with much success. The bulbs have perhaps increased from "miniscule" to simply "tiny", but whether that has anything to do with removing leaves, I know not!

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  7. What a fantastic harvest you have gathered this week. We had a cabbage like yours but sadly ours wasn't from the garden! How frustrating that your crop of radish was so small. That is a good idea of using the celeriac leaves. I always pick up some great tips from you! Sarah x

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  8. Ditto, that savoy cabbage looks wonderful.

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  9. The savoy cabbage is beautiful, a favorite cabbage of mine. I am amazed at how perfect it looks. Did you have it under cover? Around here, it would be thoroughly perforated by an assortment of pests.

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    1. Dave, the cabbages have been grown under nets. White butterflies are a menace here too.

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