I have said many times that I am no great gardener. I can try to keep things fairly tidy, but I do not know too much about plants or when to grow them. This is why I like plants that reliably provide produce every year. The various berries are good for this.
The strawberries have been good this year and are maybe a little early. I really ought to clear out all the old, dead leaves to give the snails and slugs less places to hide as they are getting a few. I have been hunting them down to reduce the damage. Our second patch is spreading out into the woodchippings that surround it, but that is okay.
The gooseberries are also doing well, but we do not tend to use many for cooking. The other bush has some that are dark skinned and can be eaten raw, but they are not ripe yet.
The blackcurrants are starting to ripen. They grow next to the raspberries that are not showing signs of fruit yet. I do cut those right back each year and they grow back fine.
The jostaberry bush is getting overgrown by a buddleia that has got massive and some brambles are creeping in too. I need to get those and use some netting to prevent the birds getting the berries. These will turn almost black and are quite tasty.
Not a berry, but the rhubarb can be relied on to come back every year. These plants are decades old and were there before we moved in.
I have only got a couple of beds with any new plants. The one at the rear had some garlic and now has carrots. The bigger one has a couple of runner beans and a brassica of some sort. I planted some beetroot and noticed them coming up today. Those should be ready fairly soon if nothing eats them. You can see the wandering strawberries here. They are a different variety to the other bed.
The greenhouse has not been used for much this year. Some panes blew out and need replacing.
We give away some excess produce to reduce the waste as we cannot use it all and are not too into preserving it. We just enjoy the fruit in season.
I have a josta-berry, too; a mix between JOhannisbeere (currant) and STAchelbeere (gooseberry) - I thought it was a German thing, only :D
The berries here look very much the same - I just don't have strawberries.
The jostaberry was planted by a Polish lady who used to use that part of the garden as she didn't have much space at her place. It was a way to get more of the garden cared for with no cost to me.
I have been cloning it to like 10 plants by now...
Just bend a branch down to the ground (they kinda do that themselves), fix with a brick or heavy stone, wait for a year. It will shoot new roots and you can plant it in a new spot. Could not be easier.
I may try that. I would think I could pass it on to someone else. I like the fruit. At least it lacks the thorns of a gooseberry. I have put a net over it to keep the birds out.
No need to put down your gardening skills. You’ve got a great output. The strawberries look great.
Cheers. I must be doing something right.
This looks good and fresh 🍓🍓👌👌👌😋😋😋😋 I hope you get lot them.
I'll try to make the most of them. I do like this time of year, but there's lots to be done in the garden.
!BEER
All gardens need small time , but I'm sure you get all works done soon :)
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BEER.Wow! Look at the Rhubarb 😮 I like the taste of it. Can be a bit sour sometimes, but I have grown to like it. Our Strawberries also did very well this year. You have quite the plot of them there. Nice Haul! How did they taste? Ours tasted awesome as well as looked good. Every other year I take the mower, set on a high setting, and mow them over. Usually in the fall and that helps the plants the following year.
Enjoy your garden! Sure looks like you have a green thumb to me 😁
I don't eat a lot of rhubarb, but know others who will take it. It's no trouble to have it growing there with minimal maintenance. I've not tried mowing the strawberries, but they do need the dead stuff clearing out. I think they taste good and am having them every day whilst they last.
!BEER
Yes .. The season for Strawberries is way too short. ☹️
This is a look at my haul this year (the pictures of the dogs was from the previous year. Pepper, the black and white pup, died this past September) ...
Thanks for sharing the garden shots and THANK YOU for (Almost supplying) the Beer 😁
Sorry to hear about the dog. Looks like a good harvest. I have picked a load so far and there are more to come I hope.
Sorry, out of BEER, please retry later...
😳😱😩
OMG - because the Germans lost in EM? ;-)
Everything looks so fresh and healthy.
You are so good with nature 👌
Everything is looking just grand.
Do you go out at night with a torch to get the slugs?
Best way!
I haven't been out at night, but I've found a few anyway. They get chucked over the fence :) There's nobody living there anyway.