Wednesday 6 March 2013

Digging Up the Last of My Winter Crops

Last of the Curly Kale and Cavolo Nero

I am being rather naughty, in that I am supposed to be working. But hey, it is 10 pm - I don't want to be doing that! Anyway, in between frantically working I have managed to squeeze in a couple of visits to the plot. The last of the curly kale and cavolo nero has been dug up to make way for planting the potatoes in a month or so.

Whitefly on Kale

Inspection of the kale revealed that the underside was home to lots of these cabbage whitefly (Aleyrodes brassicae). Although they hadn't done any damage they are definitely a pain, and are not something I want hanging around. According to this fantastically named blog post - Shoo (White) Fly Don't Bother Me - they don't like garlic. There is a recipe for a garlic foliar spray on the aforementioned post, which they supposedly hate. I think I might give it a try myself this year. If that doesn't work, maybe some guests will check-in to my insect hotel (now installed on the shadiest wall of the shed) and kindly eat them all for me :D

Last of the Leeks

I also dug up the last of my leeks. These are destined for Winter leek soup and a leek, tomato, and 2-cheese tart (which I will hopefully get the time to post about soon). 

I would like to say thank you for all the lovely comments people have left recently - I am sorry that I haven't replied, I really have been super-busy with work and I will reply very soon (hopefully tomorrow). Back to work for me now :(

4 comments:

  1. All I have left are a few scraggy psb plants that aren't producing yet - it really is a lean time in the veg garden. Your kale looks good hope you enjoy it.

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    1. My kale went in the compost bin tonight as I'd left it unloved in the fridge for rather too long :( The cavolo nero and leeks were very nice though, we had them for dinner. To my utter amazement, I even got my 2 eldest boys to eat some of the cavolo nero!

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  2. You're lucky to have had these to dig up and use. Flighty xx

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    1. Got nothing left to eat from my plot now (except for some parsley). At the rate I am going I won't have anything to eat for the rest of the year either - virtually none of the seeds I have sown have sprouted :( x

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