This will be the last harvest post before arrival of the winter solstice. In a lot of ways, December 21st will mark for me the end of one growing year (my first) and the beginning of another. Winter hasn't even officially started yet and already I'm looking forward to the increasing light. I've been feeling rather unmotivated during the past couple of months, but I'm sure this will change as the days grow longer again. Before you know it, our seed-starting shelves will be running at full capacity again.
Today I picked several Meyer lemons to make another batch of marmalade for Christmas. This time around, I think I'll add some vanilla to the mix.
I also cleaned up my carrot bed today and pulled the remaining few that the voles hadn't gotten to by now. They're rather pathetic looking but tasted mild and sweet nonetheless.
This week's numbers:
Meyer Lemons - 1.62 lb
Carrots 1.20 lb
Total harvest this week - 2.82 lb
Total so far this year - 690.28 lb
Happy One Year Garden Anniversary!
ReplyDeleteYou have had an awesome year and I have enjoyed watching you grow not only in your garden but as a gardener. Looking forward to the next year. I'll be getting my seed starting area setup during my vacation between Christmas and New Years. I can't wait! I'll be sure to blog it.
I think your carrots look delicious, and the Meyer lemons are so gorgeous I want to cry! I do wish mine would blossom again. Do you think there's a chance I'll ever get a lemon from her? I've had blossoms once, last summer, but they dropped without setting fruit.
ReplyDeleteI found a few carrot tops in my greenhouse this weekend and I remembered your problem with voles. Next year I should plant some marigolds around, that could help keep them away.
ReplyDeleteI do so wish that I will have carrots next year. I am working on it. Love the lemons.
ReplyDeleteI don't think though carrots look pathetic at all. I would so love to have them myself. Oh and the meyer lemons. Sadly I once again have a house that isn't good for having a lemon tree. I really need a south facing window.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your first year of gardening!! The lemon picture is Beautiful!! Those carrots look good to me!
ReplyDeleteThanks for you comments everyone!
ReplyDeleteGran - I'm sure you will get some lemons next year. It's probably best that the blossoms you had last summer fell off as it puts more energy into growing the plant itself. I highly recommend hand pollinating. In my experience, it ensures that you get the most lemons that your tree can handle.
I did tickle the blossoms with a soft paintbrush, not sure if that was the proper way to pollinate. Still got blossom drop.
ReplyDeleteI've not been able to find citrus tree fertilizer down here, except for the big tree spikes. We'll be going to CA next week, so I'll check at the nursery at Ace Hardware, where they seem to carry a lot more of that kind of thing. In the meantime, Leona looks as though she has an iron deficiency. I don't know if it will help, but I've been boiling water in a cast iron pan, letting it sit overnight and using it to water her. Hopefully some of the iron leaches into the water.
No no no, those carrots don't look at all pathetic! And I can't believe how perfect your Meyer lemons look. I like your idea of putting vanilla in the marmalade. Extract or vanilla bean? I bet little vanilla bean seeds would look pretty in there. I just made a batch of Meyer Lemon curd this weekend, yum yum.
ReplyDeleteI'm envious of your "pathetic" carrots!! My best carrrots don't usually look this good! And, your lemons are so beautiful and perfect!
ReplyDeleteI am down to small and not so great looking carrots and they are definitely more "pathetic" than any you are picturing here! I tend to use the holidays as a declared break from the normal routines - plenty of time to get jazzed up about the coming gardening season on the day after Christmas! :D
ReplyDeleteThose lemons are amazing, and the carrots look quite good as well. Happy Solstice, on to 2011- hope it is a good one for you!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful lemons! I'm missing an old (San Francisco!) apartment where I had so many Myer lemons I didn't know what to do with them. Sigh. What a problem to have..... :)
ReplyDeleteIf those are pathetic what would you say to mine>? LOL They look great. Your lemons look truly exceptional too. Mine always have marks and spots. What do you do to keep them so perfectly?
ReplyDeleteNice! Happy new year to everyone, and a great 2011!
ReplyDeleteWhat impressive meyer lemons! Sorry to hear you're having vole problems again; we are too. When I checked under covers yesterday I discovered my best cabbage plant had fallen victim to those dang rodents :( Warfarin will be going out soon. I hate to use poison but they'd eat our entire garden if we didn't...
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