Sunday, June 9, 2024

In the Garden on Saturday

The Nectarine Tree

Lady Ella had asked about my nectarine tree, so I took a picture of it.  It is doing well, with lots of leaves, as can be seen.   It's harder to find the nectarines, though!

Baby Nectarine

There are only about half a dozen fruits, ranging in size from this smaller one, which might or might not continue to grow to a couple of larger ones:

One of the Larger Nectarines

They are all still quite green.  Last year, we didn't get even one fruit, so, if we get half a dozen, this year, then, that would be a good crop!  

However, the persimmon tree is looking a little more promising:

Baby Fuyu Persimmons

Last year, too, we had many such small persimmons, but, they all dropped off except one, so, I'm not actually counting the fruits to see how many might be growing.

What I am counting on is the Serrano chili plant:

Serrano Chilies

I decided to go ahead and pick most of the Serrano chilies, today:

Serrano Chilies

I picked a colander full!  There are a few smaller ones left on the plant and I am hoping the plant will produce more chilies during the summer, too.  

I also picked the first peach of the season:


The First Peach of the Season

Then, while I was picking the chilies, another peach fell off the tree, and I picked up that one, too, and I noticed that there were at least two peaches, higher up in the tree, that had been pecked by the birds!  I rather suspect the mockingbirds I've seen in the garden.

Saturday's Harvest

I washed the chilies and the peaches after I brought them inside.  I will freeze the chilies for now, but, I looked up a couple of green chili sauce recipes, too.  It might be something to try, later.

Of course, I had to try the peach, after my dinner (of leftover rice and curries):


The First Peach

Lady Ella prefers her peaches peeled, but, I went ahead and ate my first peach of the season, peel and all!  It was delicious!  

On Saturday, I was grateful for:

- The first peach from the garden
- The abundance of green chilies from the garden
- The promise of nectarines and persimmons 
- Having a garden with fruit trees and some vegetables
- M's help with the garden 

Saturday's joyful activities included picking green chilies and eating my first peach of the season.

What is growing in your garden?

16 comments:

  1. The peach 🍑 looks luscious

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    1. It was, Angela. :)
      I've just realized that I haven't received notifications of your latest posts, so I need to catch up on your blog!

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  2. Your nectarine tree looks very promising especially in comparison to last year. All things in perspective, right?
    Wow! look at that serrano chilie harvest. You like things spicy so that will be put to good use.
    And your first peach of the year. I'm glad it was delicious :)

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    1. Yes, the nectarine tree is looking very promising and any fruit will be better than nothing!
      This has been the biggest chili harvest in my years of growing chilies! Last year, the plant looked half dead and we (M and I) were wondering whether to pull it up, but, we decided to let it be and this year, it has been producing like crazy!
      The first peach was wonderful. Last year, the peaches didn't have a lot of taste and they were split at the top and sort of soft and spoiled at the bottom due to all the rain. This year, we thinned the fruit quite a bit and we didn't have any rain in May, so the fruit have remained dry.

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  3. Very nice harvest. That number chili's would last me 2 years - and that would be after I gave some away. :)

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    1. Thank you, June. Yes, that's a lot of chilies, even for me! I will be giving some away, but, I'll freeze most of it to make green chili sauce for later.

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  4. The peach looks simply perfect in your photograph. And I imagine it tasted delicious.
    Potatoes, beetroot and pumpkins all appear to be growing well here. I've had to prune the lemon trees as the larger leaves began to weigh down the branches. Xx

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    1. Thank you, Jules, and yes, it was quite delicious. Your garden seems to be doing really well! Your lemon trees will do well after the pruning. :)

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  5. How wonderful to be able to pick fruit and vegetables from your own garden. Your first peach looks delicious, I eat peaches with skin on too.
    I only have a cherry tree and sometimes pick some to eat but mostly I leave them for the birds. I have to pick up the fallen ones so Tilly doesn't eat them stones and all!

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    1. It really is wonderful, Eileen. I haven't bought peaches from the store in at least the last couple of years. My peaches are fully organic, so, I am happy to eat the skin - extra fiber! :D
      Oh, how wonderful to have a cherry tree! It's very kind of you to share the fruit with the birds!
      How is Tilly doing, today? I hope she is feeling better.

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    2. Thank you for asking about Tilly Bless, she is much, much better now. I took her for a short walk yesterday and she seems to be walking OK, thank goodness, I was so worried about her.

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    3. You are welcome, Eileen. I'm glad to hear that she is much better and able to go for a short walk without much discomfort. :)

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  6. Thanks for satsfying my curiosity! I will keep my fingers crossed for your 6 nectarines :o) I can't say I have ever eaten a peeled peach (unless from a tin). I just thought I would try one of your special homegrown ones - to be polite - and I knew I would enjoy it much more without the fur! Normally I just avoid peaches all together in favour of furless nectarines - and I only like those if they are fully ripe and soft. Here, you often buy them "to ripen in the fruit bowl" and if it works, it's great, but sometimes they can sit there for weeks, hard as carrots, and then suddenly spoil. Grr! The only fruit I peel to eat are kiwis and persimmons. Persimmons because that is how they are eaten in Japan, where I first had them ... however, Mum eats them with the peel on. As for kiwis, recently a TV cook showed how she ate them with skin on "and it won't do me any harm at all!" I thought, "Well I never thought it would - but what a horrible texture in the mouth!"
    That's all on fruit for today.
    PS. Your chilli haul is great!!

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    1. You are very welcome! :) Thank you for keeping your fingers crossed for my nectarines! I wouldn't eat a kiwi with the peel, myself, but, I don't mind the peach fuzz, which seems to wash off when I wash the fruit, anyway. I like to eat less than ripe peaches and nectarines with a mixture of salt and chili powder, with a little sugar added, although the sugar is optional. We call that mixture "lunu kudu" (which translated means salt powder). Most unripe fruit is eaten with this mixture sprinkled on it or as a side dip. If you add a little vinegar into the mixture and put the cut up pieces of the unripe fruit into it, it becomes a sort of fresh pickle that is eaten as a snack. :)
      Thank you; I'm very pleased with my chili harvest! :D

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  7. The peach looks lovely. DS would have to have it peeled, as right from a child he never liked the fuzzyness of peaches, or even fuzzy clothes!

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    1. Thank you, Bushlady; it was delicious. Yes, I think my daughter would like her peaches to be peeled, too. But, I don't mind it. :)

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