Cabbage 'January King'

My cabbage called 'January King' is growing nicely and I can see the heads developing. There's some pest damage on the leaves - I think this is mostly caterpillars from Aug-Sept (maybe even Oct). I'm sure slugs and snails are nibbling a bit too. However, the plants are looking good. These were grown from seed in a glasshouse in June and then planted outside.

The seed pack says,

"A very hardy variety with distinctive purple tinge to the leaves, and really solid hearts that hold for long periods in the cold weather."

I'm thinking they'll be ready to eat in March? I adore the flavour of cabbage and looking forward to eating my  own organic home grown results! Fingers crossed they turn out well.

Cabbage 'January King' 

Copyright: All words and photos are property of Kelli's Northern Ireland Garden.

Still Feeling Like Autumn

It's less than 3 weeks to Christmas and apart from gales and one or two frosts, it's still feeling rather like Autumn - with leaves still falling from trees, pine cones on display and Autumn colours in the garden. 

I celebrated Thanksgiving last weekend and cooked with home grown potatoes (Maris Peer and Charlotte) dug up in October and stored in cotton sacks in a dark kitchen cabinet. I think I have just enough for Christmas and then they'll be used up. They have stored well this year.

I just love all the Autumn colours - beach trees are great for this!

Above and Below: Birds are feeding on sunflower seeds and berries in the garden. (A few bird feeders with nuts and seeds help out too!)

Above and Below: Variegated holly and red tinted leaves remind me its getting close to the Christmas holidays!

Hope your holiday planning is going well!

Copyright: All words and photos are property of Kelli's Northern Ireland Garden.

Herbs in December

This year I've started a little herb garden with rosemary, lavender, mint and thyme. Pictured left you can see two lavender plants and a rosemary bush (centre). I grew the lavender from seed about 2 or 3 years ago and the rosemary I bought in early Summer. Slugs and snails don't seem to bother much with herbs (thankfully). I hope to grow more herbs from seed and add them to this area each year. The wood log was washed up along the local shoreline and I thought it would add some interest along with some slate rock. A work in progress really.

Above: Some of my seed packs - I really enjoy growing things from seed.

Above and Below: Thyme grown from seed this year. It started off so very tiny (above) however,  it has ended up a decent size by the end of Summer (below).

Above: Mint has had its ups and downs over the Summer. It had some sun scorch on the leaves - I suppose from watering at the wrong time of day. I have this plant sunken into the ground in a plastic pot in the hopes that it won't be a thug and take over the bed.

The rosemary thrives even now in December. I used some of it for Thanksgiving Day cooking! I suppose it has been the star herb this year!

Happy Late Thanksgiving wishes to American bloggers!

Copyright: All words and photos are property of Kelli's Northern Ireland Garden.