What a lot of bottles..

A new meaning to a bottle garden,  most people would think of a large glass bottle full of miniature plants  - I've often wondered though how you're supposed to look after those plants,  I mean surely they need dead heading,  or  pruning or something,  or maybe not.  Who knows. 

Anyway,  I ramble a bit. 

This is our take on a bottle garden,  designed to beat the little critters that are so determined to have their 5 portions of vegetables a day.  Well, no longer.   The kohlrabi at the far end have started to go to seed,  although there are still 1 or 2 that are nearly big enough to eat.  The leaves can be cooked too,  it is cabbagey,  but the critters don't like the leaves now the plant is full grown.  The rocket has been ignored too so has the largest coriander and the garlic. 


The lettuces are growing beautifully under their netting covered hats, only 5 survived,  but we have enough at the moment just for picking the leaves to go as garnish,  in sandwiches,  not enough though for a big salad bowl  - yet.  Under the upturned bottles I put beetroot,  coriander and radish seeds.  They started to come up yesterday about a week or so after planting.   The soil is lovely and warm.

It's been  over 20° for about a week now,  it's still 24 on the terrace as I write this,  ideal for quick seed germination.   Monday we planted more seeds, and the shelves in the potting shed are full of yoghurt pots with 6 varieties of chilli seeds,  3 varieties of basil,  and the last of last years Cape Gooseberry seeds.  We were given a packet of seeds,  there were 14 in the packet of which we planted half and have still got 3 plants.  Those plants have produced fruits all winter - quite amazing we thought -  and I picked another 9 fruits last week.  Then very carefully de-seeded them.  What a slow and juicy job.  But each fruit had about 140 tiny seeds in it.  Yes I counted the seeds in the first berry.  So to only get 14 in a packet seems a bit...expensive?  Considering how productive a plant is anyway. 

Tuesday was a day off,  not that we went anywhere but met new friends,  a couple staying in Yegen for the week,  walking by,  got chatting,  came in for a cool drink and a longer chat,  found loads to talk about, so much in common,  you know how sometimes you click with people and  conversation just flows?  One of those situations.  So we had a drink and some tapas and then a bit more,  it got hot, so did they and the best way to cool down is to take the plunge and jump in.

 First swimmers of the year :)   Not me yet,  I just paddled my feet  although that's surprisingly cooling too.