22 Nov 2015

garden ramble: on garlic and pansies

 
Two very exciting things have happened in the garden this week.

First, I pulled my garlic. I don’t think I’m supposed to yet, if you go by the ‘shortest day/longest day’ rule of planting and pulling, but when I saw Jane’s lovely harvest, I was stirred to action. I’d already been investigating: rubbing the dirt from around the bulbs every now and then, to peek at their progress. But with the stalks drying and in some cases rotting off, I decided it was time to harvest.

And — wow! Best garlic harvest ever, easily. Big fat healthy heads, smelling fresh and garlicky and wonderful. I’d pulled the ones I grew in a polystyrene box (as an experiment — container vs ground) a couple of weeks ago; they were only as big as a large marble and none segmented into cloves. However they smell and taste pungent, delicious.

So I’m hanging these undercover for a few days to dry out a little, but then I’ll separate the cloves and freeze them, as I saw Tino suggest on a recent Gardening Australia. Our summers can be haphazard, and I’m always worried they’ll either rot or start shooting. With this abundance, I don’t want to risk it.


The other great thing to happen this week was I took delivery of a car-boot full of pansy plants. Don’t they look so happy?

I work practically next door to my local council’s offices, so most lunchtimes I walk or ride my bike past their beautiful flower beds. I’ve emailed council before to say how much I enjoy seeing these pretty displays (I’ve also emailed them when the plovers are nesting in the little park near home, to please not mow the birds and eggs over, but that’s another story).
 
 

This time I said, rather cheekily, I’d love some of the pansies when they’re dug out for the next display. Does your council change its flower beds regularly, and seemingly when the colours and plants are at their best? It seems a shame for them to be discarded, so maybe I could re-house them.

To my delight, Council was happy for me to take some plants, and we spoke about probable dates; I made sure I had a big box and plastic sheets in the car. So when they called — we’re digging today, come over in a couple of hours! — I was ready.

The three gardeners were so friendly and helpful, digging and carrying the plants over to my car (I was in my office clothes, not gardening gear). Eight all up; it’s all I could fit. We looked for small plants that would transplant best, and they noticed my preference for purple and white faces, so I picked out a rusty red one too. As much as getting free plants, it was lovely to meet the gardeners who make these colourful displays happen; we talked about watering systems and weeds and mulches.

 
 

That evening, I planted the pansies into my garden beds (which are not as rich and moist as council’s). The gardeners advised cutting off the flowers, to help them settle in, and while I know that is best, I couldn’t bear to. They had so much colour still! So if they last only a couple of weeks before they get straggly and poorly, hopefully their roots will settle in and I’ll be give them a big chop — and they’ll come back next season. Many of the plants had fat promising seed heads on them, too, so maybe I’ll get new plants from those.

So thank you council, you’ve made me very happy. And the gardeners said that going in next were zinnias, and I love zinnias … so I’ll be in touch.


18 comments:

  1. Well done on your garlic harvest, it sounds excellent. Over on this side of the world I've just put my garlic in. How nice that the council gardeners were so helpful and kind about giving you the plants, I hope they do well for you. CJ xx

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  2. I love these change of season times, CJ - when we can compare northern and southern hemisphere happenings! good luck with your garlic.
    the gardeners were so helpful and wonderful on the day, and yes Council was so generous!

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  3. Wow, that garlic looks awesome. And well done on the pansy rescue.

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    1. Yes, I guess it was a pansy rescue - they are now enjoying a second lease of life!

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  4. Well done you! I love home grown garlic, there is nothing quite like it. And how pretty are those flowers?!

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    1. with home grown garlic you know what you are getting! i'm super excited about how robust these heads are. and yes, pretty flowers too - what more cold a girl want? :-)

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  5. Beautiful pansies! My garlic is still growing but I'll hoist it soon. I always leave it outside for a few days then hang it in the garage. I had no idea you could freeze it. Brilliant .. ��

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    1. thank you frogpond! i'm going to trust Tino on the freezing ...but maybe only freeze half and keep the rest out, to hedge my bets :-)

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  6. What a lovely story. Such beautiful pansies. Well done to the Council too for cooperating.

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    1. yes, i love my council! It's a great way of doing some recycling, isn't it?

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  7. Thanks so much e! Your garlic looks wonderful. I am also planning to freeze mine as it just doesn't seem store well for me in the traditional manner. What a brilliant idea to re-house those pretty flowers. Genius! x

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    1. do we have to peel all the garlic before we freeze it jane? if so, I better start scrubbing now...

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  8. That was a win with the pansies! Well done. So jealous of your beautiful garlic-you should feel very pleased with that :)

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    1. thrilled not to have to be so tight with my garlic, jem - a good supply means I can use it in abundance! and yes, I think the pansies are happy in their new home too :-)

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  9. Love your pansy rescue story - I often get quite cross about the wasteful bedding plant program in some of our parks. Yes, I know, I am turning into a grumpy old woman, complaining about pretty flowers, for goodness sake.. when I read your post tile I wondered if you had done as I had - planted pansies among the garlic. They were a very fetching combination, I must say. I have just pulled my garlic up too, several weeks earlier than I normally do. It's this crazy hot weather. I like your garlic preservation idea, and will follow suit - I was also contemplating my own minced garlic preserved in vinegar..

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  10. garlic in vinegar? you'd given mum and me something to think about!
    and hey, we can be grumpy old women together :-)

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  11. I pulled my garlic too early too, but I am still using the tiny cloves. If only I'd left it. They'd have been gloriously massive, but like you, it was my first crop and I was impatient to see how they were doing.

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  12. hello katie, and welcome to dig in! I can understand the impatience with your first crop! but even after a few years (I think this is my third) it doesn't lessen! I hope yours are delicious.

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