I'm laughing so much - even my own cabbages look SOOOO much better on your plot than at my house!!! There's some kind of magic filter over your camera, I'm sure 😂😂😂 Lovely video Clare - amazing harvests ❤
That made me laugh out loud Kerry! Look at the roots on them! They are epic. I’m very pleased with them. Thank you ☺️☺️ So pleased with the harvests. So pleased. ❤️❤️
How wonderful to see your excitement for the harvest. I've started harvesting cucumbers and strawberries and feel a "wow" is appropriate for every bite.
Wow indeed! It’s just amazing and blows my mind every time. I hope the joy of harvesting never grows old. I love it! So rewarding isn’t it? My cucumbers are behind yours. I cannot wait for them to be ready! 😍😍😍😍
To see you excited about your harvests was lovely to see Clare. It makes it all worth it, doesn't it!! Here's to many many more harvests! What a lovely video and you seemed so so happy on this video. Lovely to see 😊😊 Danny 🌱
We must have been watching each other’s videos at the same time! Had picked up my phone to comment on yours. Those lettuces Danny.. I’m envious! 😍 I was so excited for the garlic. I think I got so giddy my voice went to a pitch only dogs could hear 😝😂 I have learned not to pull by the stems for future years though. Big whoops 😅 It’s been lovely to enjoy the sunshine and enjoy the rewards from all the hard work of building the plot. Slowly but surely the imposter syndrome is drifting away Thanks ❤️
Morning Clare, I don’t like fail I prefer learning opportunity. Onions look great and even if can’t store I like that we can chop and freeze them. Some of your onions are huge 👍. Cabbages look excellent Kerry nice share. Shallots are as big as you want or need them if your pickling them those are a perfect size. 😮 garlic envy or what. Such well trained cows 🐮. Hope Sir Duncan of the Shorts is having a great week too after his loss 😢. Have a fab weekend Clare and happy harvesting, Ali 🌞🇨🇦
That’s a much nicer way of looking at it! I’ve had a lot of opportunity for learning this last 12 months. It’s been fabulous. Who knew growing our own food would be so therapeutic too… even with the pests and weather. I love the garlic. Was so happy with it. Cattle were very well behaved weren’t they? I clearly have the way with them 😂 We are all coming to terms with losing Bess by focusing on how lucky we were to have had her for so long in our lives. It’s really does help. Hope you are all well your end xx
So beautiful around your gardens! Happy horses! The polytunnel is looking great! Fantastic onions! Garlic is looking good too! What a great way to install a fence post!!! Your cows are so gorgeous and placid! Perfect strawberries! Slugs have been a nightmare! I am sure the sweetcorn will catch up! Lovely sweet peas! 😘🌸💕
That’s a proper farmer’s way of doing the fence posts. He’d be lost without the telehandler, Nanou. Hope the seeeycorn catches up. Duncan is going to put in an order to eat some of Jo’s otherwise. 😂 Hope you’re well x
Wow Clare! Those onions and garlic are fabulous...well done. One thing I have learnt about harvesting onions, leeks and garlic is to use a hand fork to gently tease them out...reducing the risk of damaging the necks, especially if you have some stubborn ones. But wow...what a harvest!! Take care, Annie 🐞 🐝 🌱
Thanks Annie. A few people have advised me this for next year. Funnily enough I saw Liz Zorab’s post about garlic on Saturday night, where she also mentioned it. Instantly thought whoops 😂😱 Every day is a school day 😅🤗
Oh wow! What a great harvest! I've not really done anything with onions and have never tried garlic. One day I will. Everything looks very good! And those lovely sweet peas at the end!
Thank you Shelby. We don’t eat that much garlic here but I think we will definitely eat more now I’ve grown my own. I never buy it fresh either, so this is a whole new era 😍😍 Sweet peas. I wish I’d grown more for the actual gardens too. They are just a joy 😍
Thank you Maiju. I’m really enjoying this first full season and cannot wait for the abundant harvest table images, like the ones of yours I still vividly think of from last year 😍
@@TheFarmyardGarden Aww, that's great! Its the most positive feeling to harvest from your own garden 😊💚🌿 Haha, I am even hoping to get similar harvest this year as I did last... but the way things are going, it might not happen lol😂
Hi Clare, the Onions are fine when they have bolted it just means that once they start to set seed/bolt the Onion won't grow anymore, and they don't store well either. But Onions that have bolted are still edible and will taste fine, so dig them up first and eat them, leaving the others to mature in the ground. Don't worry about the skins accidently coming off they have to dry out first to get that dry outer skin that we know, the necks bend on their own to say they are ready for digging up if there are stragglers that haven't bent yet, just give them a little squeeze at the neck and if it feels even a little soft just bend it yourself the Onion will be fine. Dry the Onions out don't cut anything or wash them just shake off any big bits of soil still hanging on them, you can peel off any loose outer skin then just leave to dry out on a rack or feed through upside down on some slatted seat/bench or even feed through some metal sheeting that has small squares on it errrm a bit like the sheet to grow peas up and place in a dry area with a good airflow around it, your big shed would do, even your polytunnel until the long stems dry out into a brown colour. Once the Onions are all dry snip off the roots and the stems, leave about 2-3 inches of stem, any soil you can just brush off and that's it your Onions are done, if you intend to braid the Onions leave about 6 inches of stem, braid the Onions then snip off the leftover stem, otherwise put the Onions in an Onion sack and then hang up. Sorry for the long comment i should have just emailed you instead, anyway this is how i do my Onions and i hope it all helps, people do them differently so go with what is the easiest for you. Take Care. Barry (the Wirral)
Hi Barry. Lovely to hear from you again. I hope your garden is doing well now the weather has picked up. I have managed to put all the onions and garlic upside down, threaded through the old greenhouse racking. It’s in Duncan’s outside office on the farm to dry. Think I’ll chop and freeze all the bolted ones I don’t use quickly and see if I can dry the others to cure for storing. Thanks for all of the pointers. I’m learning so much from all of your experience. The last 12 months has been a steep learning curve and the next 12 will likely be even steeper with the harvesting and storing to work through. Thank you. ☺️
Love watching you lifting your onions and hearing your oohs and has. Just a word df advise to use a fork to lift them as if you damage the basal plate. At the bottom they can go mouldy/rotten quickly. Your garden is amazing and I’m very envious of your polytunnel and greenhouses.
Thank you so much for the advice. I did see a post by Liz Zorab on Instagram last night about not lifting by the stem and instantly thought “whoops!” Bizarrely I know not to handle seedlings by the stem but didn’t afford mature plants the same courtesy during harvesting. Silly me. Would have been easier too. Oh well.. every day is a school day and it’s a lesson learned for next year. Really appreciate you telling me too ☺️ Thank you for the kind words about the garden. Hard to believe it was a field less than 10 months ago 😊
Wow how fantastic does your polytunnel look Clare ❤ Onions look fab, some of ours have bolted too. Exciting isn't it, only gardeners understand how excited we can become over onions and other vedge 🤭😂 Hope you had a nice time at the Gardners World event. You must have one of the tidiest polytunnels and plots on UA-cam. 👏 Even your messy corner is tidy 😂 Have a great weekend ❤
Hi Linda. I think things only look tidy because it’s new. Clutter invariably arrives over time. It’ll happen. You’ll see 😝 I love that I can share this excitement here with everyone. No one else gets it the same as other gardeners. Most people just think it’s easier to the shop to buy it (probably cheaper too .. let’s gloss over that bit ha) Gardeners World Live was very much like a giant garden centre. A very different vibe to Malvern. Are you going there in September? Have a fab weekend. Hope the sun is shining for you too xx
I sprayed with neem oil mixed with horticulture soap and they all seem to have gone now, thankfully. With my glasses on, when I got in, I did think they looked more like aphids. Couldn’t see properly at the time 😅😂 He used to say I was insured just enough to pay for a pretty nanny for the children when they were little. 😂
I’m so happy with them! I saw the one you harvested for dinner too. Very impressed also. What did you make with it? I can’t believe how well we are all doing, in spite of the battle with weather and slugs this year. What a time to start growing our own food 😍
@@TheFarmyardGarden it was smaller than yours but was delicious! I popped it in a lasagna… looking forward to making a lasagna with all of my own veggies (celery, carrots, onions and garlic!) You’re so right, and isn’t it extra rewarding when there’s success 👏🏻
Ah Clare you were so excited by your harvests, it was lovely to see. Those cabbages from Kerry looked great. Were your onions sets or seed? I find sets always bolt for me. Beautiful harvest table, yum yum, a lovely job I would say 😊
Hey Bethan. Harvesting is just such a joy and a reward for all the effort to get to that stage isn’t it? I love it! Everything tastes so much better too ❤️ The onions were from autumn sets. I have a feeling they’re Radar, but don’t quote me. Lovely job indeed. I love that you always say that in your videos 😍
I think you said that the space you grow on used to be a field? Definitely some magic juice in your soil - those oinions are awesome! I was just outside and put more cowmanure compost on my garlics in hope they will grow bigger before harvest-time.
Hello, yes.. it was a paddock until the September last year. Was a bit of rough ground more than official grazing. A place that linked fields together. Never fertilised in there. The horses would generally eat it off in autumn, and Miss P is happily grazing in there at present. She’s old so can’t chew shorter grass any more. There is manure in the beds though, I forgot about that! 😂 Good luck with your harvest too 😍
Just a thought about avoiding white rot on onions in the future…I always grow onion family on a different site each year…and…don’t put onion skins/roots on my compost heap…but put them in council food waste bin…Jinxy…and well done on your harvests😀
Thanks Jane. I did wonder what to do with some of the “risky” parts of the onion. Good to know I was ridge to have some concerns. You are such a valuable member of this community. Really appreciate you giving this new grower these tips. Thank you 🤩
Great video , thank you 🙂Claire, a tip for you, you need to lift the onions with a hand fork, on any onions you intend to store, as tugging them out can damage the roots which can result in poor storage capability, alo you need to keep the skins on to dry also for better storage. I always grow Provence Wight s it size at maturity i said to be not far off Elephant garlic bulb size with nice fat cloves! I have always been pleased with mine, I m still growing cloves from my first purchase- great, great, great, great grandchildren! Fab harvest, my lovely. . Congratulations 🙂
That’s so lovely to hear you’re still supporting your first growing with your own saved cloves to re-plant. I’ll have to find the smaller one that came out easily to use for planting in autumn. Funnily enough I saw a post by Liz Zorab, on instagram yesterday, talking about how not to pull the garlic by the stem and instantly thought WHOOPS. Every day is a school day when you’re new to growing. I won’t make that mistake again. Thank you ☺️☺️ I will likely chop the onions but hope some of the garlic will store. ☺️
Your onions are still bulking up. Your supposed to wait until the foliage starts to die off and fall over before harvesting them. Great harvest all the same, well done Clare.
Thanks Stephen. Most had bolted and I’d cut off the flower stems. From what I understood they won’t bulk up after bolting, or I would have left them. There would have been two or three left. I have some in the main garden that are seed sown ones. I have high hopes they’ll bulk up in the next couple of months and be utterly amazing 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Thanks Jessie. I made up a neem oil sprayed mixed with horticulture soap and it seems to have done the trick for now. We had an ant issue in the greenhouse earlier in the year but that’s sorted, so I guess they really were farming the aphids as they took over once the ants left.
Ha! I’ve been saying I went to a pitch level that only dogs could hear 😂😂😂 I get so giddy over harvesting. Used to edit it out as I felt my screech might break people’s TVs or mobile devices 😂😂 Love the thought of your dad saying you sound like a little guinea pig. So funny!
I still think I should hate you 😂😂😂but honestly well done hunnie! You deserve great achievements with all the hard work you put in x it’s not a phobia re hearing ppl eat its called misophonia xxx
Impressive work Clare those onions look amazing 🤩. Cabbages from Kerry look great, have some that desperately need to get planted myself but space is an issue! Nice result with the garlic, am going to give it go later this year. Use loads of the stuff but have never grown it 🧄🧄. Haha good to see you so excited with it! It does look great 👍. Yum 🍓🍓. Beautiful sweet peas 😍. Cheers 🌱🌱
Kerry’s cabbage is doing well. It’s lovely to share produce like this. I also had a tray of Rudbeckia from Kerry too, which I’m very excited about. I wasn’t going to grow garlic, as I’m not a fan myself, but it does smell lovely and my family love garlic everything. Sweet peas are just divine. I’m so glad we’re all growing them. The house smells lovely with a vase full of them. ❤️ Did your Kalibos red turn red at all yet? Mine is still very green. Fotgergills seeds
@@TheFarmyardGarden Nope to the Kalibos 😂. They are hearting up so maybe once that happens lol, I don't know 😆. I can't remember where I got the seeds but will let you know if I can find the email 👍🌱
@@TheFarmyardGarden Thompson and Morgan my packet is so who knows 😂. Maybe just still wait and see and they'll miraculously turn red⁉️ Like you though I'll be rather surprised if that happens with how they are looking at the mo! I'll be happy whatever the colour though if I get a nice heart of cabbage 🤞
Thank you Rebecca. I am so lucky to live here and have this green space around us. I try not to take it for granted. Just a shame there’s a big road running through the back of the farm. Can’t escape the traffic noise. I grew up in a town. Feels like my soul was crying out for country living. Met Duncan in 2000 and instantly felt at home here. Thanks for the lovely comment ☺️
Epic is definitely the word Clare! The onions, garlic and strawberries were just WOW! You are a green fingered pro! So fun to watch you harvest and your reactions! You can look back over these with so much pleasure. The sweetcorn will pick up, I find they seem to do better for me in poorer soil 😁 sweetpea’s such a joy at the end!
Thanks Amir. I was smiling to myself when editing this one. It made me all happy again. I did nearly put up a message warning dogs may howl when I got super high pitched and squeaky 😂😂😅 I honestly didn’t expect much from either the onions or harvest. My beds were waterlogged most of winter. I feel it’s beginner’s luck. I very quickly ate that strawberry off camera though. So delicious 🥰
Hi Clare. They look lovely! I'm sure you can still use them ok. Allium leaf miner is Horrid! Defo learnt a lesson there though 😂 Get those onions hanging somewhere nice to dry, then they'll be ready about 5-6 weeks later 😊 Looking forward to seeing the brassicas growing in there. I was very excited when I harvested my first ever garlic last year! Didn't do much but they were fab. Yours look fine, again, hang up to dry like the onions before doing anything 👍🏽 Strawberry's look fab ❤ And I didn't know that about sweetpeas so I'll be cutting mine too Enjoyed this video Clare 💚👏🏽
It was so exciting pulling them! I didn’t know how big they should be but I knew they were a proper bulb compared to the tiny cloves I planted, so I was totally over the moon. Did my high pitched, exciting squeaking make the dogs howl? 😂😂🤪 They’re hanging in a rack in Duncan’s farm office. He says it smells lovely in there 😍😍 I hope you manage to avoid allium leaf miner in your new place for growing them this year xx
Oh Claire, your enthusiasm is infectious! I laughed along with you at your onion harvest! This is also my first year at growing certain things, leeks, dwarf beans, beetroot, pumpkins, and sprouts. I danced around the garden when I saw my first beans two days ago! Keep up the good work. You are doing amazingly well 😊
I dance around almost daily at the moment, it’s so rewarding and completely addictive growing your own isn’t it? Only fellow gardeners truly understand the sheer joy it brings us. It’s been a whirlwind first full season for me, as I’m sure it is for you, but the rewards for all of our hard work are rolling in now. I’ll be ecstatic if the French beans produce this years they seem behind at the moment. French beans, broccoli and carrots are my favourite. I adore peas too but think they may not fit the effort versus reward category by the time I’ve mastered the knack of shelling them 😂 Have a fabulous weekend. Summer is finally here 😍
Brilliant harvest Clare. I loved your enthusiasm when you pulled those garlic up. I’m dying to pull mine but they’re definitely not ready yet as I tried last week and it was the size of a marble as were the onions😂 Up early to get to the plot before it gets too warm to work. Enjoy your weekend. Deb
Morning Deb. I really wasn’t expecting much with the garlic but I went with the “longest day” theory. I planted them on my birthday in October. Was so pleased with them. Didn’t expect much at all. There’s still a few more in the polytunnel. Left them alone for now. Summer is finally here isn’t it. Have a fabulous weekend x
Oh my. The weather is very British here too. My onions are not trying to bolt, but some have already flopped over! They are all pretty big. My first year of successful onions! I don't know whether to cut the greens when I harvest them (and dry the greens for soup). Yes, I read that a soft neck means they are ready. In fact one should harvest them because then wet weather can make them not keep well. My garlic was pretty good but I didn't grow enough. My shallots are HUGE MONSTERS. As big as my onions. 2 tried to bolt but the rest are fine so far. My sugasnaps grew so big and so many that they broke the trellis! I've done a big a harvest to freeze before the slugs get them. I've had a big tattie harvest already, supposed to be new potatoes (as close as you can get here in Germany) but half of them were huge! Belana is the variety, it's really versatile and a good keeper! I'm trying to baby my deep purple potatoes another couple of weeks to get bigger harvest but the plants are definitely looking old and like it's nearly done. I've tried brassicas (sprouting broccoli and kohlrabi) but dunno if the slugs or caterpillars will get them. My neighbour who normally grows awesome cabbages and cauliflower has cabbage fly this year :-(. Nearly a km from so maybe I'll be lucky. The butterflies are about but seem confused and don't land (yet). I planted celery amongst my cauliflower and Romanescos, maybe it works!
Hi Kirsty I don’t envy you the British weather. Hope it picks up for you there too. My onions I’ve sown from seed haven’t yet bolted and have suddenly started to thicken up on the stems, so hopefully they’ll be ready in a couple of months too. They were sown on Boxing Day. I wasn’t sure whether to try to dry them or just chop them and freeze in bags. For now they’re hanging in Duncan’s outside farm office to see how they behave. Glad I harvested them now. Thanks for that tip! I am hoping the other shallots grow bigger as they’ve definitely not bolted. I’m giving them extra watering now to see if it helps. I’m thinking of growing sugar snaps next year. The shelling of peas is a pretty thankless task for such a small return.. perfect to snacks on the plot though Thanks for taking the time to write such a lovely comment. I love this community side to the channel, especially as I grow at home 🥰
You are dead right about the shelling peas - it really never seems worth it! I read that you should not try to store onions that have bolted as they won't keep. The others should be fine. I've pulled the few that flopped over and am drying them in the worst bodged rack ever in my old scruffy conservatory. The rest I'll try to wait. They were sets. The spring sown Ailsa Craigs from seeds (multisown Charles Dowding style) are just now catching up a bit... My leeks are also tiny and they are in ground in a small patch to transplant later. I got Musselburgh seeds sent from Ireland, but too late to plant. I can't recall which variety I have planted! Same as last year and they seemed pretty winter hardy! Let's hope! I do love the sense of community here, I learn so much - most recently how to tell that broad beans are ready! So thanks for that one!
@kirstypollock6811 thank you to Jane Newley for the broad bean tip. I was very grateful for that one too. I read that too so I’ll probably start working through them in the next few days and process some to freeze and try to store a few too. For now, I’m still excited to look at their perfect little upturned “bums” in the rack in Duncan’s office. 😂😅 Leeks very tiny but I am sure neglecting mine in the cell trays didn’t help. Will see how they do now. The few I planted last year also kept over winter last year well too. I didn’t sow those though, I bought them as pencil sized leeks. The sense of community really is so heartwarming and I love it. Thank you for being such an active part of that community 😍
Thanks Kaz. I got so giddy I think my voice went to a level only dogs could hear 😅😂🫣 The tomatoes are growing well but seem to be doing some funky things. You’ll see them on next week’s video. I posted a polytunnel pic over on Instagram last night actually, if you want a sneak peep ☺️
@@TheFarmyardGarden Only dogs could hear… I love your humour! My greenhouse toms unfortunately are not only all doing the multi-stems, but I appear to have leaf spot/early blight🫣. Have been removing lower leaves and tried the hydrogen peroxide spray, followed by baking soda spray. Shame, as the emerging fruit looks fab. I found it better in waiting for the multi stems to mature a bit to see which one has a main stem. Nipped one off on one plant as it appeared and found the other didn’t develop a main stem… oops.🤭 Look forward to next weeks update, have a fab weekend.
@@kazjohns have you seen that the leaf spot could also be a calcium deficiency? Mimics early blight. Have you tried an Epsom salt feed? Hope it’s not early blight for you 🙏🏻🙏🏻 I think I did similar to you with one of the double leaders. One of my black beauty tomatoes is now shoving off a leader at the end of every single branch 🤪
@@TheFarmyardGarden Thanks for the tip Clare👍 I was/still am desperately hoping the same🤞🏻 Mine are in Auto-pots, well 14 of them🤭 and I have started using Calmag yesterday in case of any deficiencies. First time an issue for me, so will stay positive and treat it as a learning curve! Still have some outdoors🤞🏻 I’ll just have to enjoy watching yours grow fabulously!
@kazjohns I’m not convinced all is well with some of mine. It’s been such a weird growing season and typically my first, so not enough experience to know what is affecting things. Seems you have it covered though 🙏🏻🙏🏻
I'm laughing so much - even my own cabbages look SOOOO much better on your plot than at my house!!! There's some kind of magic filter over your camera, I'm sure 😂😂😂 Lovely video Clare - amazing harvests ❤
That made me laugh out loud Kerry! Look at the roots on them! They are epic. I’m very pleased with them. Thank you ☺️☺️
So pleased with the harvests. So pleased. ❤️❤️
How wonderful to see your excitement for the harvest. I've started harvesting cucumbers and strawberries and feel a "wow" is appropriate for every bite.
Wow indeed! It’s just amazing and blows my mind every time. I hope the joy of harvesting never grows old. I love it! So rewarding isn’t it?
My cucumbers are behind yours. I cannot wait for them to be ready! 😍😍😍😍
To see you excited about your harvests was lovely to see Clare. It makes it all worth it, doesn't it!! Here's to many many more harvests! What a lovely video and you seemed so so happy on this video. Lovely to see 😊😊 Danny 🌱
We must have been watching each other’s videos at the same time! Had picked up my phone to comment on yours. Those lettuces Danny.. I’m envious! 😍
I was so excited for the garlic. I think I got so giddy my voice went to a pitch only dogs could hear 😝😂
I have learned not to pull by the stems for future years though. Big whoops 😅
It’s been lovely to enjoy the sunshine and enjoy the rewards from all the hard work of building the plot. Slowly but surely the imposter syndrome is drifting away
Thanks ❤️
Everything is looking wonderful and totally appreciate harvest excitement! 😊
Harvest excitement is just brilliant. My sister harvested her first potatoes today and I was excited watching them 😂😍😍
Morning Clare, I don’t like fail I prefer learning opportunity. Onions look great and even if can’t store I like that we can chop and freeze them. Some of your onions are huge 👍. Cabbages look excellent Kerry nice share. Shallots are as big as you want or need them if your pickling them those are a perfect size. 😮 garlic envy or what. Such well trained cows 🐮. Hope Sir Duncan of the Shorts is having a great week too after his loss 😢. Have a fab weekend Clare and happy harvesting, Ali 🌞🇨🇦
That’s a much nicer way of looking at it! I’ve had a lot of opportunity for learning this last 12 months. It’s been fabulous. Who knew growing our own food would be so therapeutic too… even with the pests and weather.
I love the garlic. Was so happy with it. Cattle were very well behaved weren’t they? I clearly have the way with them 😂
We are all coming to terms with losing Bess by focusing on how lucky we were to have had her for so long in our lives. It’s really does help.
Hope you are all well your end xx
So beautiful around your gardens! Happy horses! The polytunnel is looking great! Fantastic onions! Garlic is looking good too! What a great way to install a fence post!!! Your cows are so gorgeous and placid! Perfect strawberries! Slugs have been a nightmare! I am sure the sweetcorn will catch up! Lovely sweet peas! 😘🌸💕
That’s a proper farmer’s way of doing the fence posts. He’d be lost without the telehandler, Nanou.
Hope the seeeycorn catches up. Duncan is going to put in an order to eat some of Jo’s otherwise. 😂
Hope you’re well x
Wow Clare!
Those onions and garlic are fabulous...well done.
One thing I have learnt about harvesting onions, leeks and garlic is to use a hand fork to gently tease them out...reducing the risk of damaging the necks, especially if you have some stubborn ones.
But wow...what a harvest!!
Take care, Annie 🐞 🐝 🌱
Thanks Annie.
A few people have advised me this for next year.
Funnily enough I saw Liz Zorab’s post about garlic on Saturday night, where she also mentioned it. Instantly thought whoops 😂😱
Every day is a school day 😅🤗
Oh wow! What a great harvest! I've not really done anything with onions and have never tried garlic. One day I will. Everything looks very good! And those lovely sweet peas at the end!
Thank you Shelby. We don’t eat that much garlic here but I think we will definitely eat more now I’ve grown my own. I never buy it fresh either, so this is a whole new era 😍😍
Sweet peas. I wish I’d grown more for the actual gardens too. They are just a joy 😍
Beautiful garlic, onion, and strawberry harvests Clare 😍
Great growing 💚🌿
Thank you Maiju. I’m really enjoying this first full season and cannot wait for the abundant harvest table images, like the ones of yours I still vividly think of from last year 😍
@@TheFarmyardGarden Aww, that's great! Its the most positive feeling to harvest from your own garden 😊💚🌿
Haha, I am even hoping to get similar harvest this year as I did last... but the way things are going, it might not happen lol😂
Those harvests were very inspiring goals for me. Fingers crossed things catch up for us all ❤️
@@TheFarmyardGarden 🥰💚🌿
Hi Clare, the Onions are fine when they have bolted it just means that once they start to set seed/bolt the Onion won't grow anymore, and they don't store well either. But Onions that have bolted are still edible and will taste fine, so dig them up first and eat them, leaving the others to mature in the ground.
Don't worry about the skins accidently coming off they have to dry out first to get that dry outer skin that we know, the necks bend on their own to say they are ready for digging up if there are stragglers that haven't bent yet, just give them a little squeeze at the neck and if it feels even a little soft just bend it yourself the Onion will be fine.
Dry the Onions out don't cut anything or wash them just shake off any big bits of soil still hanging on them, you can peel off any loose outer skin then just leave to dry out on a rack or feed through upside down on some slatted seat/bench or even feed through some metal sheeting that has small squares on it errrm a bit like the sheet to grow peas up and place in a dry area with a good airflow around it, your big shed would do, even your polytunnel until the long stems dry out into a brown colour.
Once the Onions are all dry snip off the roots and the stems, leave about 2-3 inches of stem, any soil you can just brush off and that's it your Onions are done, if you intend to braid the Onions leave about 6 inches of stem, braid the Onions then snip off the leftover stem, otherwise put the Onions in an Onion sack and then hang up. Sorry for the long comment i should have just emailed you instead, anyway this is how i do my Onions and i hope it all helps, people do them differently so go with what is the easiest for you.
Take Care.
Barry (the Wirral)
Hi Barry.
Lovely to hear from you again. I hope your garden is doing well now the weather has picked up.
I have managed to put all the onions and garlic upside down, threaded through the old greenhouse racking. It’s in Duncan’s outside office on the farm to dry.
Think I’ll chop and freeze all the bolted ones I don’t use quickly and see if I can dry the others to cure for storing.
Thanks for all of the pointers. I’m learning so much from all of your experience. The last 12 months has been a steep learning curve and the next 12 will likely be even steeper with the harvesting and storing to work through.
Thank you. ☺️
onions and garlic, you want to get a fork under and lift so as not to damage the neck - which can affect storage
Hi Nancy. Thanks for that tip. Funnily enough I saw Liz Zorab mention it on an instagram post last night and thought “whoops”.
Always learning ☺️
Love watching you lifting your onions and hearing your oohs and has. Just a word df advise to use a fork to lift them as if you damage the basal plate. At the bottom they can go mouldy/rotten quickly. Your garden is amazing and I’m very envious of your polytunnel and greenhouses.
Thank you so much for the advice. I did see a post by Liz Zorab on Instagram last night about not lifting by the stem and instantly thought “whoops!” Bizarrely I know not to handle seedlings by the stem but didn’t afford mature plants the same courtesy during harvesting. Silly me. Would have been easier too.
Oh well.. every day is a school day and it’s a lesson learned for next year. Really appreciate you telling me too ☺️
Thank you for the kind words about the garden. Hard to believe it was a field less than 10 months ago 😊
Wow how fantastic does your polytunnel look Clare ❤
Onions look fab, some of ours have bolted too. Exciting isn't it, only gardeners understand how excited we can become over onions and other vedge 🤭😂
Hope you had a nice time at the Gardners World event.
You must have one of the tidiest polytunnels and plots on UA-cam. 👏 Even your messy corner is tidy 😂
Have a great weekend ❤
Hi Linda.
I think things only look tidy because it’s new. Clutter invariably arrives over time. It’ll happen. You’ll see 😝
I love that I can share this excitement here with everyone. No one else gets it the same as other gardeners. Most people just think it’s easier to the shop to buy it (probably cheaper too .. let’s gloss over that bit ha)
Gardeners World Live was very much like a giant garden centre. A very different vibe to Malvern. Are you going there in September?
Have a fab weekend. Hope the sun is shining for you too xx
@@TheFarmyardGardenClare but even your messy corner is tidy 😂 Hoping to go to Malvern in September 👍❤ xx
@Feelgoodgardens ha! It’s really not tidy. 😂😂
I hope you do. Would love to say hello in person 😍😍
I bet hubby has you well insured putting you in font of the cows 😂😂
Think they're aphids
You always make me laugh thank you x
I sprayed with neem oil mixed with horticulture soap and they all seem to have gone now, thankfully. With my glasses on, when I got in, I did think they looked more like aphids. Couldn’t see properly at the time 😅😂
He used to say I was insured just enough to pay for a pretty nanny for the children when they were little. 😂
Those onions look pretty great to me and wow the garlic, well done you!! 🧄🧅🧄🧅🧄
I’m so happy with them! I saw the one you harvested for dinner too. Very impressed also. What did you make with it?
I can’t believe how well we are all doing, in spite of the battle with weather and slugs this year. What a time to start growing our own food 😍
@@TheFarmyardGarden it was smaller than yours but was delicious! I popped it in a lasagna… looking forward to making a lasagna with all of my own veggies (celery, carrots, onions and garlic!)
You’re so right, and isn’t it extra rewarding when there’s success 👏🏻
Ah Clare you were so excited by your harvests, it was lovely to see. Those cabbages from Kerry looked great. Were your onions sets or seed? I find sets always bolt for me. Beautiful harvest table, yum yum, a lovely job I would say 😊
Hey Bethan.
Harvesting is just such a joy and a reward for all the effort to get to that stage isn’t it? I love it! Everything tastes so much better too ❤️
The onions were from autumn sets. I have a feeling they’re Radar, but don’t quote me.
Lovely job indeed. I love that you always say that in your videos 😍
I think you said that the space you grow on used to be a field? Definitely some magic juice in your soil - those oinions are awesome! I was just outside and put more cowmanure compost on my garlics in hope they will grow bigger before harvest-time.
Hello, yes.. it was a paddock until the September last year. Was a bit of rough ground more than official grazing. A place that linked fields together. Never fertilised in there. The horses would generally eat it off in autumn, and Miss P is happily grazing in there at present. She’s old so can’t chew shorter grass any more.
There is manure in the beds though, I forgot about that! 😂
Good luck with your harvest too 😍
Just a thought about avoiding white rot on onions in the future…I always grow onion family on a different site each year…and…don’t put onion skins/roots on my compost heap…but put them in council food waste bin…Jinxy…and well done on your harvests😀
Thanks Jane. I did wonder what to do with some of the “risky” parts of the onion. Good to know I was ridge to have some concerns.
You are such a valuable member of this community. Really appreciate you giving this new grower these tips. Thank you 🤩
Great video , thank you 🙂Claire, a tip for you, you need to lift the onions with a hand fork, on any onions you intend to store, as tugging them out can damage the roots which can result in poor storage capability, alo you need to keep the skins on to dry also for better storage. I always grow Provence Wight s it size at maturity i said to be not far off Elephant garlic bulb size with nice fat cloves! I have always been pleased with mine, I m still growing cloves from my first purchase- great, great, great, great grandchildren! Fab harvest, my lovely. . Congratulations 🙂
That’s so lovely to hear you’re still supporting your first growing with your own saved cloves to re-plant. I’ll have to find the smaller one that came out easily to use for planting in autumn.
Funnily enough I saw a post by Liz Zorab, on instagram yesterday, talking about how not to pull the garlic by the stem and instantly thought WHOOPS.
Every day is a school day when you’re new to growing. I won’t make that mistake again. Thank you ☺️☺️
I will likely chop the onions but hope some of the garlic will store. ☺️
@@TheFarmyardGarden Hope you enjoy them :-) x
I am sure we will. It’s so exciting. Who knew it would be so addictive to grow your own 😍
Your onions are still bulking up. Your supposed to wait until the foliage starts to die off and fall over before harvesting them. Great harvest all the same, well done Clare.
Thanks Stephen. Most had bolted and I’d cut off the flower stems. From what I understood they won’t bulk up after bolting, or I would have left them. There would have been two or three left.
I have some in the main garden that are seed sown ones. I have high hopes they’ll bulk up in the next couple of months and be utterly amazing 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
For sure aphids! The sticky leaves is a sure sign.
Thanks Jessie. I made up a neem oil sprayed mixed with horticulture soap and it seems to have done the trick for now.
We had an ant issue in the greenhouse earlier in the year but that’s sorted, so I guess they really were farming the aphids as they took over once the ants left.
The squeaks when harvesting is doing it for me 😂 My dad always laughs when I harvests and he thinks I sound like a Guinea pig 😂
Ha! I’ve been saying I went to a pitch level that only dogs could hear 😂😂😂
I get so giddy over harvesting. Used to edit it out as I felt my screech might break people’s TVs or mobile devices 😂😂
Love the thought of your dad saying you sound like a little guinea pig. So funny!
🐝Thanks for the great video 🌻
Thank you ☺️
I still think I should hate you 😂😂😂but honestly well done hunnie! You deserve great achievements with all the hard work you put in x it’s not a phobia re hearing ppl eat its called misophonia xxx
Sound rage.. eeep we really have been testing you haven’t we? 😢🤗🤗🤗🤗
I’ll have to send you some cloves for next year 😂🤪
@@TheFarmyardGarden yeah wish I didn’t react that bad 😩 I’d love to grow some of yours … it may be better suited to my mini climate lol
Impressive work Clare those onions look amazing 🤩. Cabbages from Kerry look great, have some that desperately need to get planted myself but space is an issue! Nice result with the garlic, am going to give it go later this year. Use loads of the stuff but have never grown it 🧄🧄. Haha good to see you so excited with it! It does look great 👍. Yum 🍓🍓. Beautiful sweet peas 😍. Cheers 🌱🌱
Kerry’s cabbage is doing well. It’s lovely to share produce like this. I also had a tray of Rudbeckia from Kerry too, which I’m very excited about.
I wasn’t going to grow garlic, as I’m not a fan myself, but it does smell lovely and my family love garlic everything.
Sweet peas are just divine. I’m so glad we’re all growing them. The house smells lovely with a vase full of them. ❤️
Did your Kalibos red turn red at all yet? Mine is still very green. Fotgergills seeds
@@TheFarmyardGarden Nope to the Kalibos 😂. They are hearting up so maybe once that happens lol, I don't know 😆. I can't remember where I got the seeds but will let you know if I can find the email 👍🌱
Or I could just check the packet like a normal person 😂. I'll have a look later 🌱
Hilarious!!! Mine aren’t hearting up but they’re greener than the green cabbage 😂
@@TheFarmyardGarden Thompson and Morgan my packet is so who knows 😂. Maybe just still wait and see and they'll miraculously turn red⁉️ Like you though I'll be rather surprised if that happens with how they are looking at the mo! I'll be happy whatever the colour though if I get a nice heart of cabbage 🤞
Your harvests are wonderful! Congrats, Claire. The photography in your videos is so beautiful. So beautiful there.
Thank you Rebecca. I am so lucky to live here and have this green space around us. I try not to take it for granted. Just a shame there’s a big road running through the back of the farm. Can’t escape the traffic noise.
I grew up in a town. Feels like my soul was crying out for country living. Met Duncan in 2000 and instantly felt at home here.
Thanks for the lovely comment ☺️
Epic is definitely the word Clare! The onions, garlic and strawberries were just WOW! You are a green fingered pro! So fun to watch you harvest and your reactions! You can look back over these with so much pleasure. The sweetcorn will pick up, I find they seem to do better for me in poorer soil 😁 sweetpea’s such a joy at the end!
Thanks Amir. I was smiling to myself when editing this one. It made me all happy again. I did nearly put up a message warning dogs may howl when I got super high pitched and squeaky 😂😂😅
I honestly didn’t expect much from either the onions or harvest. My beds were waterlogged most of winter.
I feel it’s beginner’s luck. I very quickly ate that strawberry off camera though. So delicious 🥰
Hi Clare. They look lovely! I'm sure you can still use them ok. Allium leaf miner is Horrid! Defo learnt a lesson there though 😂
Get those onions hanging somewhere nice to dry, then they'll be ready about 5-6 weeks later 😊
Looking forward to seeing the brassicas growing in there.
I was very excited when I harvested my first ever garlic last year! Didn't do much but they were fab. Yours look fine, again, hang up to dry like the onions before doing anything 👍🏽
Strawberry's look fab ❤
And I didn't know that about sweetpeas so I'll be cutting mine too
Enjoyed this video Clare 💚👏🏽
It was so exciting pulling them! I didn’t know how big they should be but I knew they were a proper bulb compared to the tiny cloves I planted, so I was totally over the moon.
Did my high pitched, exciting squeaking make the dogs howl? 😂😂🤪
They’re hanging in a rack in Duncan’s farm office. He says it smells lovely in there 😍😍
I hope you manage to avoid allium leaf miner in your new place for growing them this year xx
Oh Claire, your enthusiasm is infectious! I laughed along with you at your onion harvest! This is also my first year at growing certain things, leeks, dwarf beans, beetroot, pumpkins, and sprouts. I danced around the garden when I saw my first beans two days ago! Keep up the good work. You are doing amazingly well 😊
I dance around almost daily at the moment, it’s so rewarding and completely addictive growing your own isn’t it? Only fellow gardeners truly understand the sheer joy it brings us.
It’s been a whirlwind first full season for me, as I’m sure it is for you, but the rewards for all of our hard work are rolling in now.
I’ll be ecstatic if the French beans produce this years they seem behind at the moment. French beans, broccoli and carrots are my favourite. I adore peas too but think they may not fit the effort versus reward category by the time I’ve mastered the knack of shelling them 😂
Have a fabulous weekend. Summer is finally here 😍
Brilliant harvest Clare. I loved your enthusiasm when you pulled those garlic up. I’m dying to pull mine but they’re definitely not ready yet as I tried last week and it was the size of a marble as were the onions😂 Up early to get to the plot before it gets too warm to work. Enjoy your weekend. Deb
Morning Deb.
I really wasn’t expecting much with the garlic but I went with the “longest day” theory. I planted them on my birthday in October. Was so pleased with them. Didn’t expect much at all. There’s still a few more in the polytunnel. Left them alone for now.
Summer is finally here isn’t it. Have a fabulous weekend x
I peal all the garlic and leave the cloves hole and into a freezer bag
That sounds a good, quick and easy solution. I do like the idea of making it simple AND guaranteeing the produce will keep. Thanks for that
Oh my. The weather is very British here too. My onions are not trying to bolt, but some have already flopped over! They are all pretty big. My first year of successful onions! I don't know whether to cut the greens when I harvest them (and dry the greens for soup).
Yes, I read that a soft neck means they are ready. In fact one should harvest them because then wet weather can make them not keep well.
My garlic was pretty good but I didn't grow enough. My shallots are HUGE MONSTERS. As big as my onions. 2 tried to bolt but the rest are fine so far.
My sugasnaps grew so big and so many that they broke the trellis! I've done a big a harvest to freeze before the slugs get them.
I've had a big tattie harvest already, supposed to be new potatoes (as close as you can get here in Germany) but half of them were huge! Belana is the variety, it's really versatile and a good keeper! I'm trying to baby my deep purple potatoes another couple of weeks to get bigger harvest but the plants are definitely looking old and like it's nearly done. I've tried brassicas (sprouting broccoli and kohlrabi) but dunno if the slugs or caterpillars will get them. My neighbour who normally grows awesome cabbages and cauliflower has cabbage fly this year :-(. Nearly a km from so maybe I'll be lucky. The butterflies are about but seem confused and don't land (yet). I planted celery amongst my cauliflower and Romanescos, maybe it works!
Hi Kirsty
I don’t envy you the British weather. Hope it picks up for you there too.
My onions I’ve sown from seed haven’t yet bolted and have suddenly started to thicken up on the stems, so hopefully they’ll be ready in a couple of months too. They were sown on Boxing Day. I wasn’t sure whether to try to dry them or just chop them and freeze in bags. For now they’re hanging in Duncan’s outside farm office to see how they behave. Glad I harvested them now. Thanks for that tip!
I am hoping the other shallots grow bigger as they’ve definitely not bolted. I’m giving them extra watering now to see if it helps.
I’m thinking of growing sugar snaps next year. The shelling of peas is a pretty thankless task for such a small return.. perfect to snacks on the plot though
Thanks for taking the time to write such a lovely comment. I love this community side to the channel, especially as I grow at home 🥰
You are dead right about the shelling peas - it really never seems worth it!
I read that you should not try to store onions that have bolted as they won't keep. The others should be fine. I've pulled the few that flopped over and am drying them in the worst bodged rack ever in my old scruffy conservatory. The rest I'll try to wait. They were sets. The spring sown Ailsa Craigs from seeds (multisown Charles Dowding style) are just now catching up a bit...
My leeks are also tiny and they are in ground in a small patch to transplant later. I got Musselburgh seeds sent from Ireland, but too late to plant. I can't recall which variety I have planted! Same as last year and they seemed pretty winter hardy! Let's hope!
I do love the sense of community here, I learn so much - most recently how to tell that broad beans are ready! So thanks for that one!
@kirstypollock6811 thank you to Jane Newley for the broad bean tip. I was very grateful for that one too.
I read that too so I’ll probably start working through them in the next few days and process some to freeze and try to store a few too. For now, I’m still excited to look at their perfect little upturned “bums” in the rack in Duncan’s office. 😂😅
Leeks very tiny but I am sure neglecting mine in the cell trays didn’t help. Will see how they do now. The few I planted last year also kept over winter last year well too. I didn’t sow those though, I bought them as pencil sized leeks.
The sense of community really is so heartwarming and I love it. Thank you for being such an active part of that community 😍
So relatable seeing your joy on harvesting for a first time. Congrats Clare 🎉. How are the tomatoes doing?
Thanks Kaz. I got so giddy I think my voice went to a level only dogs could hear 😅😂🫣
The tomatoes are growing well but seem to be doing some funky things. You’ll see them on next week’s video. I posted a polytunnel pic over on Instagram last night actually, if you want a sneak peep ☺️
@@TheFarmyardGarden Only dogs could hear… I love your humour!
My greenhouse toms unfortunately are not only all doing the multi-stems, but I appear to have leaf spot/early blight🫣. Have been removing lower leaves and tried the hydrogen peroxide spray, followed by baking soda spray. Shame, as the emerging fruit looks fab. I found it better in waiting for the multi stems to mature a bit to see which one has a main stem. Nipped one off on one plant as it appeared and found the other didn’t develop a main stem… oops.🤭
Look forward to next weeks update, have a fab weekend.
@@kazjohns have you seen that the leaf spot could also be a calcium deficiency? Mimics early blight. Have you tried an Epsom salt feed?
Hope it’s not early blight for you 🙏🏻🙏🏻
I think I did similar to you with one of the double leaders. One of my black beauty tomatoes is now shoving off a leader at the end of every single branch 🤪
@@TheFarmyardGarden Thanks for the tip Clare👍 I was/still am desperately hoping the same🤞🏻 Mine are in Auto-pots, well 14 of them🤭 and I have started using Calmag yesterday in case of any deficiencies. First time an issue for me, so will stay positive and treat it as a learning curve! Still have some outdoors🤞🏻 I’ll just have to enjoy watching yours grow fabulously!
@kazjohns I’m not convinced all is well with some of mine. It’s been such a weird growing season and typically my first, so not enough experience to know what is affecting things. Seems you have it covered though 🙏🏻🙏🏻
Rule here is knee high by the 4th of July for corn 🌽
Eeep.. it’s got two weeks to rally! 😂😂
Aphid, spider mite will actually look webby, yes blast with water 💦
I mixed up some neem oil and horticultural soap the other day and sprayed them and the peppers. Greenhouse littered with deceased aphids now 😱😱😱