This summer has been very good for tomatoes and cucumber which last summer we did not have any much luck growing them. On the other hand, what did well last summer like chili, watermelon and honeydew is not looking good and we have troubled germinating the seeds. The growth of the sprouted seedlings were also so slow. We have cooler nights this summer which can contribute to many set backs for really warm-loving vegetables. I can just imagine how my plants are struggling to adapt the very hot days and cold night. I am glad that I kept some of our chili plants sowed last summer that survived through winter and now bearing many fruits which provide endless fruit for the kitchen. This is what the garden has gifted us some of it last week.
Many of the harvested tomatoes this week were Rouge de Marmande. The ones that have been grown in partial shade has also ripen and they are not affected by the scorching sun. The Romanesco zucchini is also producing better with better pollination ( have to help hand-pollinate them as I was too busy and been ignoring them hopping the bees were doing it for me). Its a busy time to hand-pollinate all the cucurbit that has female flower on it ~ cucumber, zucchini, squash, bitter gourd and melons.
We also harvested our first time 'Tender and Crisp' celery seeds. One bolted plant sure provide many seeds. How or when do you use celery seeds for cooking? I know that sometimes celery seeds is also use like spice since I saw them in the market spice shelves. But I myself never used it before.
It's great that you can grow celery! Never tried cooking with celery seeds before, but have seen some recipes that uses this, cannot remember from where though! Your mom is still with you over there? I've read your very amusing comment on my post which I have replied. I have sowed the coriander seeds you sent, how long does it usually take to germinate? Will it take as long as two to three weeks?
ReplyDeleteBagusnya hasil kebun diana ni:) entah bila lah Cm dapat kutip hasil yang begini.Tak terlintas nak tanam pokok celery sehingga baca n3 Diana .
ReplyDeleteOh ya selalunya Cm gagal tanam pokok tomato kerana banyak musuh.Tak ada rezeki.
Great harvest!
ReplyDeleteNow I am setting new planting beds and I wanna plant celery!
Beautiful harvest!! I love the colors! I'm going to try growing celery from seed for the first time this year. I received some seeds in a trade. I hope it goes okay! I've seeds celery seeds used in pickling recipes. Oh and I once read about using it in things like chicken noodle soup. Good luck with them!
ReplyDeleteYour garden is really producing well for you and it looks like you have had lots of luck collecting celery seed. a small amount of crushed or whole celery seed goes good in rice dishes...that's how we like to use it.
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting my blog and leaving some words of encouragement. May all your plans for your garden this year come to fruition as well.
ReplyDeleteYou sure have been blessed with a bountiful harvest in your garden. May it always be so each year.
Looking at the baskets and harvest, it seemed like I am seeing a small girl bringing all these in a Hans Christian Andersen's story.
ReplyDeleteYou harvested your sunflowers as well? I admire your diligence in harvesting seeds. Do you harvest the sunflower seeds only when the whole flower head turn brown? Do you have to cut the stalk and let it dry? I left them in the soil and they are still green weeks after the petals have fallen off.
ReplyDeleteYou hand pollinate your vegetables? Excellent!
ReplyDeleteYour harvest basket look good!
I can imagine how happy you are when harvesting the veggies from your home garden. You have so much sunflowers, i really admire ;)
ReplyDeleteMarvellous seeds, flowers and vege! I wish that I have talents like you. Have another great week!
ReplyDeleteNever had the luck to come to this stage for celery yet... we have harvested dill seeds and they are also very flagrant...
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid neither celery nor celeriac seem to like our soil. The extremes you are having between night and day are the most challenging for any gardener so you are doing really well to cope as you do!
ReplyDeleteAlways envy your harvest Diana.How do you hand-pollinate those cucubit family, you use small brush or just pluck the male and shake the pollen on the female flower? I need to know cos my timun jepun success rate of producing fruit is next to nil!Only one deformed timun but still very crunchy n sweet.Seldom heard of celery seeds used in cooking. I planted my celery solely for garnishing only.
ReplyDeleteMarvelous celery seed...looks so healthy. I like the flowers too...so beautiful. Remember me about Rahimah Rahim Song 'Gadis and Bunga'. Anyway thanks for sharing.... i really love to see your harvest. Don't know when I can start my new garden... the new land still got many works to be done.
ReplyDeleteThat is an amazing harvest! Now I am looking forward to the summer more and more, but first spring, well and winter too... so much to wait.
ReplyDeletegreat harvest! wish i can have big enough land to plant many things.
ReplyDeleteWoW to freshness! Great harvest indeed. This inspired me to cultivate and take extra efforts in gardening in order to be rewarded with such a bounty of fresh produce. Great photos.
ReplyDeleteWow, that is a lot from one plant! I need to stop pulling out my celery when it starts bolting because we like to cook with celery seeds. I really enjoy it in soups, with cauliflower, and in curries.
ReplyDeleteKitchen flavour~ The coriander seeds will take 2~4weeks to germinate will depend much on the weather temperature though. Once I even have coriander seeds germinate in just after a week.
ReplyDeleteCikManggis~ Harap cuba tanam tomato lagi. Mungkin masa tu timing tak kena sahaja. Elok tanam tomato masa bukan musim hujan. Saya pun tahun lepas tak menjadi tanaman tomato. Nak dekat dua tahun baru tomato menjadi.
Takaeko~ I think you will have big success with celery this year as your place has many rainwater.
Holly~ Thank you for the tips of how celery is also used. Hope you have wonderful celery harvest this year as well.
Mr. H~ Oh what a wonderful idea. I should try put some in the rice since we eat rice almost everyday. We usually put fennel for cooking rice sometimes with other spices.
Solitude Rising~ Thank you for the wish. I wish for you as well.
Rainfield61~ I feel a bit giddy with my summer harvest this year arranging them in basket. But I think I am too big to be little red riding hood. Mr. Wolf won't believe me :).
Kwee Peng~ How to pick sunflower seeds~maybe my new post about my seed inventory in the second picture can help a bit (second collage). After the flower petal is long gone and the centre is easy to rub off and reveal the seeds inside, you cun cut them and dried them. Make sure in place where the birds or mice won't get them. Because they really like the seeds.
Malar- Yes I hand-pollinate them sometime to ensure more success.
Milka~ Not much sunflower bloom left but I hope I have time to sow another batch and they can bloom before to cool weather hits.
Stephanie~ I wish I have more success in growing flowers like you.
Lrong~ I have not tried dill yet. I wonder if their seeds look similar as they belong to the same umbellifers group.
Sue~ I don't have luck growing celery in one part of our veggie patch which is a bit sandy. The celery growth usually are stunted or won't grow that tall there. But they grow ok in clay or loam.
p3chandan~ I rub the male pollen directly and gently to the female flower. The celery seeds very fragrant, imagine how my hands smell now sometimes like coriander or celery. I think it will be great to try them in rice or soups.
Orchid de dangau~ I know it takes a while to get started on the new land. But that is one of the fun part in gardening. Imagine so many things you can grow there and expanding your plot.
Fer~ With your special banana fertiliser, all the plants will have quick growth when spring comes.
Hafiz~ I have only a small plot to grow things and the rest are in containers.
Eliza~If you leave only one plant bolting, it will be enough celery stock for using in kitchen and planting them:).
Our soil is heavy clay but the celery and celeriac still don't seem to like it - must be doing something very wrong - although our plot neighbours celeriac was a failure too!
ReplyDeleteI have trying to grow chinese celery in Malaysia for the 3rd times but unsuccessful. Any tips to share with me? The real chinese celery seed are so tiny like 1mm size, while the ordinary celery seed are much bigger at 2-3mm. But as of now, I'm still unsuccessful.... :(
ReplyDeleteBulletyap
bulletyap~like celery, chinese celery likes lots of water. I found that chinese celery don't like sandy soil,very fussy on what kind of soil it prefer to grow.don't have to sow the seed deep just cover lightly with soil.Try sowing the seeds when it is much cooler weather in Malaysia (avoid dry or drought season).
ReplyDeleteThanks for your reply. I have grown tomatoes, white radish, green amaranthus and somehow chinese celery is giving me tough challenge. I do water my celery seeds routinely depending on soil wetness. The first time, i try growing by the kitchen windows but unsuccessful, then I move it out to the shade outdoor and it grow but died within a week. 2nd time i try to regrow outside but unsuccessful. :( Currently, I'm moving on to grow lady finger, onions, eggplant, four angle beans but i still like chinese celery/cilantro :)Happy gardening to you!
ReplyDeletecan you sell your celery seeds to me? i can't find it anywhere in malaysia :( if you don't mind selling some to me, please email me!
ReplyDeletethanks! i will be waiting for your reply :)