Garden Archives

japan vegetable garden

My progress in turning an unworked patch of the garden it into an organic mini-farm. Encounters with bugs, typhoons etc.

Being somewhat constrained in the middle of a city, the garden offers a decent start on the road to being self-sufficient. Whilst I’m no expert on gardening, I’m keen as mustard. Over the past few years, trying to grow a variety of vegetables without the use of chemical feeds, sprays, and potions.

Neglected garden

Written by: adekun on 18 August, 2010 3:02 pm - Filed under: garden1 Comment »

Herbs in July

Some herbs and rogue grasses at the start of last month

I’ve hardly watered the garden this year. The summer has been very dry and very hot. It looks set to be long too. This year’s summer vegetables have finished. All that seems to be doing well are the weeds. What herbs that go to seed have done so leaving little worth checking upon except pumpkins. I should have done a lot more. It is remarkable just how quickly things go awry.

Tomato heaven

Written by: adekun on 28 July, 2010 10:48 am - Filed under: garden1 Comment »

アイコ (aiko) tomatoes

アイコ (aiko) tomatoes

This year by far, has been the best for tomatoes. They were looking good before, since then, quite perfect. Only about six feet away, the father-in-law’s specially fed vines have started to shrivel. One in the corner began to yellow, soon after the rest like dominoes. Hopefully, there is enough space between each other’s and not too much flying back and forth. :???:

The plan has always been to grow a variety of tomatoes, with the expectation that some will be a bit hit and miss. I think the yellow cherry tomatoes boast the best flavour with the yellow aiko down at the other end. Continue reading

Kabocha peekaboo

Written by: adekun on 7 July, 2010 12:24 pm - Filed under: garden6 Comments »

Kabocha

Kabocha sitting on garlic necks

Amongst the sea of grasses a couple of kabocha have plumped up nicely. They look to be somewhere in the expected 500 g to 800 g range. Not sure when will be the best time to harvest them. The skin should be darker anyway.
Tomatoes are good. Following a deluge the larger ones tend to burst before the crowns have had chance to turn red. However, this year, the fruit have ripened fully and been picked before any such calamity. Not so many made the kitchen. :|

Summer fungi

Written by: adekun on 30 June, 2010 10:57 pm - Filed under: garden1 Comment »

Fungi

Not for the pot?

There has been quite a lot of rain fall recently. Weeds are running rampant despite weekly culls. The odd day of sunshine offers a chance make things a little more orderly.

Fungi

Quite mushroomy

Several mushrooms have popped up. It would be nice to know what they are. No doubt they are common; somebody will know. The second has a strong mushroomy smell and appears to be more Agaricus than Amanita.

Biwa

Written by: adekun on 23 June, 2010 10:09 pm - Filed under: food3 Comments »

Biwa - Japanese medlar/loquat

Biwa

Known as Japanese medlar or loquat, biwa are a member of the rose family. Pictured are some slightly under ripened, ideal for jam or chutney; and some perfect for eating once they have been peeled. They can be used to flavour shōchū, much like umeshu or sloe gin. In addition, the leaves can be used to make tea (biwa cha):

  • Rub the leaves to remove the bristles
  • Leave to dry a few days
  • Chop
  • Add five grams of the leaves to a litre and a half of boiling water

There’s also a biwa pale ale brewed down in Kagoshima.

Wednesday’s weeding

Written by: adekun on 16 June, 2010 5:52 pm - Filed under: garden2 Comments »

Japan veg garden

Garden somewhat weeded

The rainy season reached Kagoshima on Friday. Rain reached here yesterday. Strangely, today is hot and cloudless. With work starting late in the day, there wasn’t reason to skimp the blossoming garden chores. June is especially punishing if the weeds are untamed. Firstly, the month grants ideal conditions for them to run rampant. Second, it is generally an unpleasant time to exert oneself outside; hot and humid with purposeful mosquitoes on the prowl. Continue reading

Scapes

Written by: adekun on 23 May, 2010 6:42 am - Filed under: gardenNo Comments »

Garlic scape

Short straight scape, rather than the usual snaky scape.

Early last week I harvested the garlic scapes. I wanted to get them earlier, as last year they were a little tough. The Elephant garlic tends to produce a long upright stem, whereas the rest curls once or twice. Chopped up, they go very nicely with a little sliced pork.