Monday, 15 May 2017

Harvest Monday - hello radishes

I noticed the radishes were starting to get to a decent size, just a little way off from being large enough to harvest. I also knew that coming up were several days in a row I wouldn't be able to get to the plot, and that they'd maybe then get too big. So, with a slight dilemma, I gave them a watering to bring them on a bit quicker and nipped down a couple of days later.

 

Well it seemed to work, there were loads (I can't remember the varieties). In fact there were so many I gave some away to our neighbours.

I think these might be the best radishes we've had from the plot. Very little slug damage too, maybe because it's been so dry plus I've been trying to keep any nearby weeds clear and the grass paths cut (hidey places for slugs). There were no signs yet of parsnip germination, but they take ages to get going (we sowed the radishes and parsnips in the same rows at the same time - this is pretty standard practice and works well because the radishes germinate quickly, mark the rows of parsnips, and can be harvested well before they get in the way of the parsnips.)
I picked some more chard too. Last year's plants are starting to bolt (run to seed), but there are plenty of new seedlings germinating where I've previously let plants seed. I'll probably leave some to grow-on in-situ and transplant some others.

Here's a chardy, radishy dish. Oh which also included wet garlic from the plot...I think it's all got rot so will have to lift it all. At least there will be more space for other crops to go in there then (not from the onion family though, as they'll just get the rot as well in that bed).

So next time I head to the plot will be a bit of a surprise...how will everything be doing? How high will the grass be? Will there be any radishes that aren't too big? It's kind of exciting as at this time of year things can change quickly. Also the weeds will no doubt have got a foot in the door but I had a hoe around as much as I could. That blimmin couch grass will probably need rootling out too.

 

Thanks for reading, I'm linking in with Harvest Monday, kindly hosted by Dave at Our Happy Acres

 

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12 comments:

  1. Lisa16 May 2017 at 05:33

    That chard is glorious!

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    1. Lou@RainbowChard18 May 2017 at 21:01

      Thanks Lisa and Rob, chard usually does pretty well on the allotment and doesn't need too much looking after either, which is a bonus.

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  2. Sue Garrett16 May 2017 at 09:35

    I have never inter-sown radishes and parsnips and have always wondered whether harvesting the radishes disturbs the parsnip seeds/seedlings.

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    1. Lou@RainbowChard18 May 2017 at 21:05

      Hi sue, I've intersown them a few times and not had any problems. The parsnip seedlings are so tiny at that stage (if germinated at all), so doesn't seem to affect them. You could always intercrop instead (sow row of radish in between a row of parsnips), which wouldn't disturb the parsnips at all.

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  3. Michelle16 May 2017 at 14:45

    It seems to be the season for radishes, I just harvested a big bunch of them also. Things certainly do grow fast at this time of year, I'm always amazed. Such a shame about your garlic, I hope you can rescue what's left.

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    1. Lou@RainbowChard18 May 2017 at 21:08

      Hi Michelle, cool, great radishes. I'll be heading to the plot on Saturday hopefully, and will see what's been happening, erk.

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  4. Kathy16 May 2017 at 16:03

    The radishes in the first picture look like an arty painting!! Just glorious

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    1. Lou@RainbowChard18 May 2017 at 21:09

      Thanks Kathy, the iPad takes quite a good pic if the light is good!

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  5. Dave @ HappyAcres16 May 2017 at 19:25

    Those are beautiful radishes! I will have to admire yours from afar since mine have not sized up yet.

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    1. Lou@RainbowChard18 May 2017 at 21:12

      Thanks Dave. I'll be seeing if there's any edible ones left on Saturday (in amongst the weeds no doubt). If I was clever I'd have sown some more to follow on (though I've found that later sowings don't do so well for me anyway).

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  6. Phuong17 May 2017 at 02:59

    That is really too bad about your garlic, at least there's lots of time to get something else in their place. Radishes are such pretty things and you got such a lovely harvest of them. Some varieties have green seed pods that are really tasty in stir-fries.

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    1. Lou@RainbowChard18 May 2017 at 21:17

      Hi phuong. Yeah, I had a little bit of garlic rot last year but not as bad as this seems. I'll find out in a couple of days how far the rot has spread, when I'm next on the plot.
      Ooh that's a good point about the radish seed pods...if some have gone a bit 'over' I could leave them to produce pods instead, keeping an eye out for any parsnip seedlings that might get affected by larger radish plants.

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