Flowering broccoli looks like yellow fireworks
During yesterday’s hour in the garden I took advantage of the warmer weather and planted out some of the plants I have been hardening off on the picnic table. The purple sprouting broccoli plants had bolted – producing a shower of bright yellow flowers that the bees loved, and then a meal of tasty leaves and flowers for the chickens. I did intend to harvest some of the flowers for my meals, to see what they were like, but didn’t get around to it.
In their place I have planted three courgettes – Tromba d’Albega – that grow lovely trombone-shaped fruits. I have also planted one Friulana in a half barrel pot with some nasturtiums. I have two or three more courgettes to find homes for, and a couple of climbing mini-pumpkins. Which sounds like a lot of squash, but the chickens will help us eat them and I’m also going to try eating the flowers this year.
Another bed has become a haven for South American plants. There was a potato volunteer already growing, so I have left that in peace and given it a yacon for company. An achocha plant is going to try growing up my handmade willow obelisk and I found space at the front for half a dozen oca plants (having given away all of my other oca tubers at the seed swap).
Several more achocha plants are dotted around the garden, wherever there is something for them to climb up. When my neighbour removed his hedge over the winter, it revealed a low chain link fence, and I am hoping to smother it in plants this summer. So far I have climbing nasturtiums and achocha in place; the Hooligan mini pumpkins should also scramble.