It’s Canning Time Already?

Where has the summer gone? One minute I was inundated with seedlings in the greenhouse and then the Tomatoes were ripe and the Japanese Anemones were flowering. It all happened so fast this year but what a year it was?

In Portland the weather was very hot very early which meant that everything was shifted forward by about a month. And now that we are entering Autumn I have even harvested a pumpkin already!

The nights are getting chilly and so it’s time to get the vegetables in. The top photo is of my canning Tomatoes – Paisano. I bought them at the Master Gardener plant sale and they have done me proud. Pans and pans of Tomatoes, all skinned and cooked with some fresh basil, olive oil, balsamiq vinegar and a little sugar. I find everything tastes better with a little sugar!

 

 

These Japanese Anemones were moved from my side garden when the orchard was planted. I put them into the kitchen garden because I had nowhere else to put them. I thought it would make a nice nursery bed until I could find a more permanent position. Now they are flowering and look great paired with the ripening Tomatoes behind.

I always grow a little purple Basil. I don’t know why, the taste is a little too ‘liquorice’ for me and I always let it flower and go to seed instead of using it. But I love the colour. It’s a great foil for Fennel on the left of it.

Now the nights are drawing in. It’s 8 o’clock and the greenhouse lights are already on!

But I’m busy thinking about next year. I’ve sowed some Wallflowers – Fire King. And made some notes in my garden diary “Grow some Cornichon next year” or “Try Sweet Potato” or “For goodness sakes grow less Beetroot, what were you thinking girl?”