Last time I was complaining about the frost scorching my pumpkin seedlings, and this time I am going to mention that the extremely hot sun this week has made my vegetable patch almost dessert like! What I would really like now, and I am sure many other gardeners would agree, is some rain to hydrate my seedlings automatically! Anyway, earlier this week I served up a salad made from my homegrown lettuce and rocket with some spring onions that I planted from seed in the Autumn. I thought I would astonish my teenage daughters and their friends with my organic offerings, but sadly this generation are not easily impressed! I still get enormous pleasure from growing my own fruit and vegetables and providing this nourishment for my family … I hope that when they are grown up they may be inspired too!
The weeds are sprouting at a great rate with these perfect growing conditions … I have been hoeing regularly and although I have been taking great care around the seedlings, I have reapplied some Slug and Snail Deterrent around my lettuce plants to ensure there are no gaps allowing access to the slugs. I have also applied the Slug and Snail Deterrent around the bases of my hostas that have, as if by magic, reappeared in my tubs.
Now that the weather seems set to stay warm, I have been busy planting up some hanging baskets and tubs …. my father-in-law very kindly shared with me some beautiful plants including Geraniums, Bizzy Lizzie’s and Petunias that he has been nurturing in his greenhouses. I am also experimenting with a hanging basket with tomatoes this year too, and have just given it the first feed of EcoCharlie Tomato Feed
And as for my hens …. well they love this sunny weather, and have been laying consistently well … in fact now is the time of year I make meringues and lemon curd with the left over egg yolks …. I have made one batch already, and will be making more this weekend. This is the recipe I use for the Lemon Curd
LEMON CURD
Makes 2 small jam jars
zest and juice of 4 unwaxed lemons
200g sugar
100g butter
3 eggs and 1 egg yolk
Put the lemon zest and juice, the sugar and the butter, cut into cubes, into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the basin doesn’t touch the water. Stir with a whisk from time to time until the butter has melted.
Mix the eggs and egg yolk lightly with a fork, then stir into the lemon mixture. Let the curd cook, stirring regularly, for about 10 minutes, until it is thick and custard-like. It should feel heavy on the whisk.
Remove from the heat and stir occasionally as it cools. Pour into spotlessly clean jars and seal. It will keep for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator.
I have been using the automatic plant watering system for my indoor conservatory houseplants, and my final job for today is to go and top up the bottles with water on the Aquadrip spikes ….
Tags: Automatic Plant Watering System, Frost, Greenhouses, Houseplants, Vegetable Patch
