LUT Garden Report #2
Let's go with the positives first in my LUT Garden Report.
Wolfberry
I'm very happy with how these have developed this month. Nearly all the twigs have sprouted, and there are multiple shoots in one twig, compared to when I was growing them in water indoors, there was only one long shoot per twig.
The other difference is that the leaves are much smaller and darker when grown outdoors in soil. I'm guessing that means a more intense flavour which is great as ultimately I will be harvesting the leaves to make soup.
Until then, I'm very happy to see my Wolfberry coming along so nicely. I think they're a hardy plant, so should have no problem (I hope) making it through the winter.
Pak Choi
Now for the negatives
This was always going to be an experiment to see if I could defy nature. Not a good idea. First of all, within a week of planting my pak choi, the bugs came to help themselves. I had already covered my pak choi in plastic cover to protect them from the cold, and the compost is all newly purchased, so I have no idea where the bugs came from. I couldn't see anything on the plants or soil. I quickly sprayed some neem oil onto the plants. It seems to make a little difference but the invisible bugs kept gnawing away, albeit at a slower pace. In the end I gave up.
Oddly enough, the bugs didn't get to this planter, even though all three boxes were placed together.
New leaves are growing on these pak choi but I don't think they will grow bigger as it's simply too cold. The weather is predicted to fall further next week, so I'll see how much longer there poor little things will last.
Garlic
This is the first time I've grown garlic. I'm told it's very easy. Just pop the cloves in the soil, and wait till next summer. That sounds perfect for novices like me. I have 8 cloves in this box, spaced out as per the instructions from internet.
I've covered them loosely with a plastic sheet as I read wildlife may peck on the garlic cloves. Let's see how they go in the next month.
Chayote
And finally another new experiment for me. Actually this is more of an accident plant. This is a chayote seedling, a veg that is part of the gourd family. My sister's chayote plant had a bumper harvest this year and she gave me a few. Each squash has one seed only which is quite big and flat. I was very careful to cut around the seed to not damage it because it wanted to save it to plant in spring.
But for some unknown reason the seed split, so I had to keep it in water and let it germinate. I'm keeping it away from too much sunlight and warmth so it doesn't grow too fast in the hope it will last through winter and I can plant in spring. I think that's going to be a stretch as we're talking at least three months away. Even if my seedling will last three months, I have a feeling it won't be very healthy.
Anyone, this is all experiment for me. If all fails, it makes a very pretty table display 🙂.
I hope you get a good crop. Despite having a big garden I do not have green fingers. I ought to plan ahead to get more produce.
Once I get round to do my raise beds, I'm going to try plant more stuff next year. In theory it should help to cut down my veg bill a bit,but most important of all I can grow some Chinese veg which are very expensive from the supermarkets
The little bugs always know how to find what they want 😂 But weird enough that they attacked two planters and one left untouched. 🤷♀
Garlic - the harvest of that one seems easier and more probable. Fingers crossed for all of the plants 🤞 to survive the cold.
We've just had our first fall of thin frost last night, so far so good, let's hope they will make it through the next few months
Bring them to Spain, and they survive for sure 😉
That's something I've always wanted to do, but haven't yet got around to it. Too bad the bugs got to some of them, but hope the others survive. The garlic should make it at least. My inlaws (who are farmers) say the same, that you just throw them in and ignore them and they will grow fine.
You can get plenty of tips from your in laws, or perhaps its easier to leave it to the experts and harvest their crops 😁
I’m not in to gardening but I like all these as ingredients to a dish. I love wolfberries (the red berries) in a Chinese Herbal soup because of its subtle sweetness and texture also.
I got these cuts from my brother in law but I don't think his plant has ever had berries. Then my sister has a goji berry tree with lots of berries but the leaves are different. But the two are supposed to be the same. 🥴
Anyway I hope I can harvest some leaves to make 枸杞 soup next year
I haven't tried a soup with wolfberry leaves in it (or maybe I did but I'm just not aware of it). A long time ago, a colleague of mine told me about the benefits of wolfberries for eyesight. Ever since that day, I have eaten it whenever I have the chance. So far, my eyesight is still okay 😅
I love these reports. It's a nice experiment you are doing and you learn about the practice. It's time to warm up the plants.
Research on the internet how to create your own insecticides, with natural products.
(I harvested my pumpkin, and already made two soups with it, there is a part reserved for the pudding).
Two soups and a pudding!! Sounds like massive pumpkin!! Did you get many this year?
😁 Nah, midsize. Only 2 pumpkins came out, the other one I have not harvested. I hope it will grow more.
I'll drop some seeds in the yard from this one to see if other plants come up.
Good luck with your garden! We'll keep in touch.
I hope they are hardy enough to survive the winter I look forward to seeing either their journey, or demise. Nice quality compost you are using by the looks of things.
I've been trying to see what you can grow over the winter,but there doesn't seem too be anything other than garlic. Just as well as it'll be too cold for me to go out
LOL, wuss!
I had the first frot of the year overnight saturday that was a shock toi the system seeing the car all white when I went outside
Good! You shouldn't expect 100% success, but the wolf berries look very nice. Garlic will be very useful to you in winter. It's the best natural antibiotic.
I really have a lot of respect for farmers, you can have all the experience but there are still natural causes that you can't control which can wipe out all your hard work for the season.
And that's terrible. I hope no farmer has to go through that. What could be worse than a whole year's work going to waste?
amazing experiment 👍😊
Great update and I hope you will have a nice amount of Garlic and wolfberries soon. By the way, do you have any plans to plant chili?
I just pulled out the chayote as the vine went willlld and not great to maintain for whoever looks after the house.
You use wolfberry leaves in soup? My goji berry died. Stupid mofo.
Seems once the bugs start munching seedlings when they are that small, they die off fast. So annoying.
Keep up your gharden experiments! The garlic will probably appreciate some fertiliser half way through the growing season - something mild, like cowpoo in water or horse poo.
That chayote seedling is so cute!
I think experimenting is definitely the way to go when it comes to gardening. You can follow all the recommendations, but no garden or growing situation will ever really be the same as another, so you learn from watching how your experiments work, then tweak things into they work the best for you.
Good luck with the garlic. I've never really gotten the hang of growing it properly like the professionals recommend, but over the years it's just gotten better, as my garden soil has improved I think. I've learnt that it doesn't really matter when I plant it or how, it figures itself out and they are all ready to harvest when harvest time comes, pretty much. Some casualties along the way, but shove enough in and the strongest make it through.
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