This is the journal of my endeavours to grow a range of fruit, veg and flowers from seed, grow organically, and my attempts to create a personal paradise with 1/2 acre of maintained gardens and 1/2 acre wild meadows. Northern Ireland's average daily high temperatures are 18 °C (64 °F) in July and 6 °C (43 °F) in January. Soil type: Clay

Wednesday 18 May 2011

Veg - Courgette,Chive, Potato, Seedlings

I've had my first courgette (zucchini) flower! I've started to harden off some of the plants as they need to go outside. I've 4 plants that will provide me with yellow courgettes and two plants that will provide green courgettes. I think I see a little courgette forming above! (The flowers of courgette and chive are edible).
 Chives are starting to flower.
 Potatoes have been earthed up. A little pest damage; the two plants behind this big one have been eaten down to the ground. I picked off a few snails last night so will have to keep a watch on this.
 The Veg Box has been 'cat proofed' (all the sticks over it) and planted with Radish, Turnip, Carrot, Kale and Spinach. I've no structured crop rotation plans. I'm just gonna plant as I wish.
Above: I think this is turnip. Looks like I need to do a bit of thinning. 
I've started hardening off the Dwarf Purple Queen Beans - taking them outside during the day and inside the  conservatory/sun room at night. They're getting too big to be inside.

14 comments:

  1. The courgette glut will be up on you before you know it now that they're flowering. Mine are a little way behind your's but I can't wait for the flowers to start.

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  2. The zucchini flowers look good to eat! You will be busy transplanting all those healthy seedlings.

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  3. They look good! Love your 'cat proofing'!

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  4. Hi Kelli, I think you were right about slugs in my veggie boxes. bugger!! At any rate, bravo on already getting flowers on your zucchini, you're way away of me. It's time to harden off my indoor sown seeds, this will be the first time I've ever done this. Fingers x'd. You're inspiring me to try chives! You're going to have to share any recipes/menu ideas on all this great fresh food you are growing! Cheers, Jenni

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  5. It is all looking great, Kellie. Every year I plan to try to eat the zucchini flowers and always forget. Next season!

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  6. Your courgettes are a few weeks in front of mine. I too need to get my dwarf french beans planted out as they're getting leggy indoors. Our chives are in flower and covered with bees.

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  7. Lots of lovely harvest to come! Love the zucchini & chive blooms! Your cat proofing is very creative and makes for some very interesting photographs.

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  8. WOW! I can't believe how much further ahead your courgettes are! Excellent!

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  9. You are going to have loads of yummy veggies!

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  10. Your courgettes are really well on - ours are still just overgrown seedlings!

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  11. can you eat the courgette flower?
    your plants are looking realy healthy you have given me some more ideas I definatley need a bigger garden.

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  12. I've seen a recipe for lightly battered courgette flowers. So many good things to eat here for later on too. Pleasure to have stumbled across your blog

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  13. Hi Kelli, are you suffering the wind damage we have down here?Its been blowing a gale for nearly 2 weeks now and tender plants need to be protected or left at home to grow on while we hope for better conditions.
    Fantastic to have flowers on the courgettes already!

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  14. Hi Peggy, yes we've had gale force wind and lots of rain for about 2 weeks now. Today some dry weather but windy. Its been very difficult to get out in the garden or to harden off plants. Hope the gales stop soon! Kelli

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