It's not much of a quote, I'll admit, but sometimes the best things are the most simple. It's truthful though; there was a little snail and he did get thrown over the fence.
Over the weekend I've been attending to my garden; I've been so busy with work, and it's been bloody cold, so I've left it to its own devices for a week. Bad move G-dog. It seems a little bastard snail moved in and was feasting on my produce. He's made a mighty mess of my cabbages...Ok, so I might be embellishing a little; the mess isn't so mighty at all, but that little fucker has been chomping away on my cabbages so I made him fly...over the fence.
I'm pleased to say that everything else is looking pretty good though, healthy and bastard snail free...now.
For winter I planted things that I'll use in soups mainly: Cabbage, spinach, cauliflower, brown onions, brussel sprouts, dwarf French beans and broccolini. All things that will survive and thrive in the current weather conditions and all are going well besides the cabbage which is feeling a little abused right now...You know the bastard snail situation.
I harvested some broccolini and spinach today and will be using that in a potato and broccoli soup with some onions, parmesan cheese, garlic and spices combined with a low-salt chicken stock which I think should be pretty good. I plan to serve it with crusty bread slathered with butter. That sounds like a good plan right?
I say it a lot but, growing my own food is so rewarding; those who do it will know what I mean.
So much satisfaction comes from seeing things sprout up from the ground and develop into something edible and then, when cooking with the produce and eating the end result, that satisfaction deepens. I have to augment what I grow with market-bought produce but I don't mind, it's still pleasing to eat foods that contain my home-grown food and the market produce combined.
So what's up folks? What have you grown for yourself and eaten and do you get the same enjoyment from it as I do? Have you had bastard snails and had to fling them over the fence? What gardening did you do over the weekend, if any? Feel free to share in the comments section.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
All images in this post are my own
My block looks fairly small, but we've got $50,000 worth of lettuce in at the moment.
Lol, yeah with the cost of lettuce at the moment you're probably right.
#adelaideslettucemogul
Your greens look so beautiful. And that snail ahhmmm... got what it asked for. 🐌
Meal plan sounds 👌! It's hard to grow veggies now here in the UAE coz it's so hot like the sun just decided to take residency here, so we don't have anything at the moment. My basil seem to be thriving though I'm not sure for how long. But during good months we get to grow some pumpkins, tomatoes, etc. And yep it's a different feeling when we get to eat what we sow. Fulfilling.
It all looks pretty good except for the little chomps out of my cabbage.
I know the UAE is hot and that probably prevents much growing at the moment. I'd imagine tomatoes to go pretty well there with the sunshine. Do you have to shade them a little though?
Also, any bastard snails over there? Lol.
Yep, we have to put net over the plants to provide a bit of shade but otherwise they are good during the cool months here.
LOL. I don't think I've seen snails pestering our garden. The place is too dry for snails to thrive. So far there had been caterpillar, grasshoppers, and I don't know that those tiny black bugs that infested my basil. They seem to suck the life out of the leaves so quick.
We do the same here as we get up to 47C in summer.
The little scallywags are all at my house eating my cabbages!
It seems you have your share of scallywags though, I hope you make some of them fly.
We have a big bush near the house which the kids appropriately named the "caterpillar city" because there's really a lot of them on there. We were lucky to see the "magic" happen when hubs brought one chrysalis inside the house. 😂
I like caterpillars...My eyebrow's resemble them. I like the sound of that caterpillar city...Maybe someday my eyebrows will get to go there. 😂
I can imagine the feeling..
Seeing it pass through all the stages
Yes! It's a great experience for everyone in the fam. We witness the "magic" right before our eyes. ✨
I know exactly what you talk about - the feeling of eating home-grown food. I don't have a beautiful garden like you because I am living in a tiny flat. All I have is a sunny window where I grow basils, tomatoes, spring onions. Love the satisfaction when I pick some green onion leaves for my Pho - noodle soup or adding some basils to my pizza. Absolutely brighten my day.
I think it's so great that you're making the effort to grow a few things despite not having a lot of room. It shows that it can be done, that the enjoyment can be felt, even with a lack of room. 😊
Thanks for taking the time to read and comment.
The bastard snails also ate my Chinese cabbage back then. Oh, goodness! Harvest time is my favorite. Your harvest will be perfect for the soup you will cook sir @galenkp.
It's a snail conspiracy! They'll be taking over the world soon. 🤣
How good is harvest time huh? I love that moment iof plucking or snipping stuff out of the garden. I wash it all and lay it out and just look at it whilst soaking up the enjoyment of knowing I grew it.
We’ve found that slugs and snails are alcoholics. Dig a little hole near a plant that’s under attack and insert a small cup/glass into it, flush with the soil.
Then pour in a bit of beer. By the next day, you can usually find several that have drunkenly drowned themselves.
A little for the snails...a little for me...a little for the snails...a little for me. 😂
This is a great idea though, I'll be making it happen this weekend. I have some Peroni, Corona and Great Northern in the fridge...I wonder what they would like. (If they ask for a lemon wedge with their Corona I'll know I have fancy bastard snails.)
Lol
I remember way back then, our cauliflower was also eaten by snails. My partner got so pissed so he threw it too but if there's still more coming to his plants, he put salt in them.
Salted snails. Hmm.
I once ate snails, (in Paris), and they weren't too bad...But the bastard that ate my cabbages got flung over the fence in anger. Lol.
Those snails deserve to be thrown outside the fence. Lol... Oh, I had tried eating snails too when I was younger but I didn't like the taste of it.
Yep, those little buggers aren't very tasty but I was at Moulin Rouge for dinner and the show when I tried them, so I was too distracted to notice.
It's hard to be completely self-sufficient. Much better to be part of a community and trade stuff XD It is most definitely deeply satisfying to be popping out into the garden to get most of the stuff you need for whatever you're making at the time :)
The poor snails and bugs and things get sacrificed to the chickens around here ^_^;
I look forward to having more time (and space) to get a little more active with the gardening so I'll have more to trade with others. It's fun. My parents used to do that a lot and I have a healthy respect for those doing it. I want to be one. 😀
Eating the plants that we care for many months is worth hearing for. Sometimes it can't avoid to be eat by pest, that's why we must be watchful on them.
We must be ever-vigilant for freeloaders and bastard snails, you're right.
Those snails loves to eat my newly grown tomato seedlings ruining my schedule to plant them huHu. I'm putting ashes from firewood all around my plant since then to keep them away. It's effective sometimes and sometimes those snails becomes immune to it.
Bastard snails are everywhere it seems...I wonder if they're planning world domination and what means they propose to conquer humankind? Should we be worried you think?
I always wanted to grow my own produce but for the following reasons, I am not able to:
I once visited a lettuce garden in the province and I realized how fulfilling it is to grow your own food. 😊
Great post!
Space is always a constraint although I knew a few doing potted vegetables. I guess it all comes down to the individuals situation. It's certainly rewarding though.
Hey Galenkp your bustard snail quote made me laugh it was good and I'm not sure if u have ever seen the series avatar the last air bender because when u spoke about your cabbages it reminded me of the poor cabbage vender whos cabbages always got destroyed and would then scream (MY CABBAGES!!!!!!). Oh yes I would also like to ask is growing cauliflower difficult I would like to try growing some myself.
No I don't think alive seen that series, but my cabbages! is similar to what I said when I saw the bastard snail had eaten them.
As far as growing cauliflower, there's no difficulty in it and nothing special required, it's the same soil preparation and watering as with the other things. You should give it a try.
Your plants looks healthy despite being attacked by a snail. Snails and worms are also our enemy in our squash, eggplant, and spinach at home. My mother would often tend her garden in the morning and in the afternoon, just to make sure that those pests wouldn't manifest on plants anymore.
It pays to be attentive to the garden when snails are around. I don't use chemicals and sprays so have to deal with them but finding them and making them fly, over the fence. 😊
That's great, then. Not using chemicals would be much healthier. Haha, making them fly over your fence is surely satifying to do when you caught them.
It is indeed...I think they like flying, but not as much as they like eating my cabbages.
The vegetables looks so green.
I do not know how it feels to plant things but I think the feeling of nurturing something till it is fully matured must be a good feeling.
But having your food fresh also, might be a plus in terms of healthy eating..
Fresh food is always great and growing it oneself is a bonus.
Lol...I never knew you had a beard!
!PIZZA
!PGM
!LOLZ
PIZZA Holders sent $PIZZA tips in this post's comments:
@matons(3/5) tipped @galenkp (x1)
Please vote for pizza.witness!
Those snails loves to eat my newly grown tomato seedlings ruining my schedule to plant them huHu. I'm putting ashes from firewood all around my plant since then to keep them away. It's effective sometimes and sometimes those snails becomes immune to it.
Lovely veggies! Damn, I must take out my camera too and capture some of it when it still is there :) And about the snails. This year I got Ducks and they are putting down their numbers at ease. They are my tactical team. Special sometimes, but certainly tactical.
Snail hunting duck security? Sounds like you've got a good defence system.
Ouuu yes, they got frantic when they found one. However, if there are many in the garden I would open doors for them there too, but since there is much more salad than snails, I am not sure about this. Salad is their second favorite food and they can go full command on salad as well :)
Hmm over the years I realise I don't have green fingers. I currently do have a terrarium, which is pretty easy to maintain, and they are still growing well after 4 months. fingers crossed
I had a terrarium once also and managed to keep it going for a while. I hope you have success with yours.
I agree, snails in my garden must go flying.
Too bad there wasn't any big birds around the other day when i pulled a dozen big snails out of a hole they were hiding in.
I'm sure snails have a purpose, some valid reason for being around, but they can stay away from cabbages and still fulfill that purpose I think. If not, then they have to go flying over the fence.
Insects have their contribution too but sometimes they are so annoying, lol
Indeed they do, and this snail is making his contribution on the other side of the fence, if he survived the impact.
^This quite instantly popped up on my mind after reading that line hahaha. 😂
It was much like that. 😉
Knew it lol 😂
I like the menu, it sounds tempting.
Around here I have only planted onion, chili and paprika because they grow in pots, but they have not lasted long. I must keep trying.
It's great to go to the garden for some food for cooking.
Hopefully the snails stay away from your plants.