This is a "Mila" Savoy Cabbage. It is one of the "Reserves" - spare plants that nearly didn't get planted at all. I'm glad they did, because although still small they look very healthy.
I love how the raindrops sit on the cabbage leaves like little silver beads!
One of my raised beds plays host to Leeks, Parsnips and Celeriac, all classic Winter vegetables.
The Parsnips are in the foreground in that photo above. I haven't harvested any of them yet. They say that their flavour improves after the first frosts, and I can afford to leave them a bit longer because I don't need the space for anything else just now. I have however had a furtle around to try to establish how big they are and I rather fear I should be saying how small they are! This year the foliage is a lot less luxuriant than normal. I wonder if that is related? I expect so.
The Leeks are also looking pitifully small. I have three different varieties growing in that bed and they are all equally pathetic. These ones are about the best, and I would say they are about as thick as my thumb.
The diminutive size is definitely not caused by problems with the soil in that bed, because I have more Leeks from the same three batches growing in some containers and they are just the same. Oh well, maybe they will taste extra special this year!
The Celeriac is growing next to the Leeks. I won't pretend that they are big...
They are slowly "getting there". In about another 3 years' time they should be ready!
In addition to all of the above I also have my Brussels Sprouts to look forward to, as well as PSB and Brokali , but I wrote about those only the other day, so I won't mention them again. And as reported last week, the Carrots are still going strong. All in all I think I am fairly well set up for the Winter.
I always fall down where winter veg is concerned, my parsnips didn't even germinate this year but Eleanor and I love them so they won't be off the menu, I'll just have to buy them in.
ReplyDeleteSeeing your rich choice of winter vegetables, I feel sorry I haven't planted any leeks and broccoli this year. And the Savoy Cabbage looks so healthy and beautiful. I will do that the next year. But, I have celeriac, kale and parsnip. It stays out the whole winter.
ReplyDeleteGrowing celeriac is a real test of a gardener's patience. And apparently leeks are as well. The leeks are certainly testing my patience or tolerance perhaps - I'm ready to tear the whole lot out because they continue to bolt, one after another and they are full of rust too. I won't be growing them again. The cabbage is very pretty with the collected raindrops.
ReplyDeleteYou have quite a lot going on in your winter garden! I recently purchased Eliot Coleman's "Four Season Harvest" book which I plan to dig into over the coming months. He lives in a climate that is very similar to mine. Still, I'm quite skeptical that I will be able to harvest much over the winter months - doesn't mean I won't give it a good try at some point though.
ReplyDeleteOur leeks are only small as well. We were really quite late planting them as the soil was so dry.
ReplyDeleteThe first shot of the cabbage with the raindrops is stunning!
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