The last post was green, so this one is red. After all, it’s nearly December, and Christmas is just around the corner.
Above are unusual cherry tomatoes given to us by one of our neighbours – the fruit grows into little heart shapes. We’re going to see if we can save the seeds from these ones.
These gorgeous red beetroots have added a splash of colour to our green garden beds…
…and grown into both small and ginormous beets!
We haven’t had a hugely successful strawberry crop, but there are a few bright red berries in the pot right now…
Pete finally agreed to let me crop some of the rhubarb – it’s mostly green with a little red, but it will make a lovely dessert or sauce one day soon. There was nearly a kilo and a half (over three pounds) in the stems below…
A few tiny carrot thinnings from our rainbow seeds…these were too small to eat, but we marveled at their colour…
We’re waiting for most of our tomatoes to ripen, but these cherries will be ready for picking in a day or so…
And lastly, the Red Norland potatoes have stormed ahead of the other varieties – whilst the Bintjes and King Edwards are still tiny new potatoes, the Reds are now full sized and very delicious!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
just beautiful! i must say I love red!
I’m so pleased the rhubarb was a success – don’t take too much in the first year. Leave some leaves to feed the root, and you’ll get a better crop next year.
Is the next post going to be gold?
Such a varied grouping of reds- beautiful and delicious.
It makes my heart glad to know that somewhere on this planet the gardens are growing happily- the Summer in full flush.
Our grey skies and cold temps are just starting in earnest- harvest is over- the earth has turned in upon itself, resting until Spring comes once again.
Thanks for a peek into your hemisphere,Celia!
Hi Celia,
Happy warm and sunny to you! We have only days of rain and cold temps – wanna trade?
As I mature as a gardener, my appreciation for baby beets grows – they are now my favorite spring garden item – I love em!
The wonderhub has severe garden envy.
I’m ready for Spring now!
Maz
There is nothing better than home grown tomatoes. Nothing at all…oh I have tomato envy. Shop bought ones are so tasteless these days. I’m sure it’s been years since I had a good tomato.
Your colourful carrots look fun too!
Mmmmm yummy, I love your garden posts. Have been waiting for a bright, sunny day to take a few of my own. I love how quickly things change in the Spring/Summer; the garden looks different every day!
I just harvested my first batch ever of rhubarb last week, and it was divine! I think it’s going to be a prolific plant, so need to find some recipe ideas pronto, I think!
Aleida, thank you!
Suelle, it’s growing so prolifically! Pete has left about half of the stems, but some of the leaves are absolutely ginormous! :)
Heidi, you made me smile, and wonder if there was any gold in the garden at the moment. Not really, but maybe when the corn cobs start.. :)
Doc, we’ve never grown (or cooked for that matter) beets before – they’re so prolific! And just delicious – Pete has adopted Jo’s method of boiling them instead of the more trendy method of roasting them. They’re a lovely salad accompaniment. Did you know that in Australia it’s a tradition to put beetroot on your hamburgers? :)
Maz, tell the Wonderhub not to fret, seasons always turn. :)
Brydie, next time I see you, I’ll bring you some tomatoes. :)
Amy, is your rhubarb red? Our is mostly green with a bit of red – I wonder what the trick to growing all red rhubarb is? Suelle, do you know? Thanks..
The completely pink rhubarb that is available in the UK from early February has been forced – grown in the dark. I think any rhubarb which is grown naturally in daylight is going to have a large proportion of green on the stems – although it might vary a bit with different varieties of rhubarb.
Thanks Suelle! That would explain why the red stems are in the middle, where they’re shaded by the huge older leaves!
What a fantastic selection, you have done well. It’s hard for us now caught up in the grip of winter cold to imagine it’s even possible to grow such delights. Envious of your lovely beetroot as we had a bad year for them. As to the rhubarb, it may depend on variety, some are redder than others.
Choc, beets went wild this year – we had a lot of rain, which is amazing given how Australia has been in drought for the last ten years. They hide very well in the garden too – often when I’m foraging around, there’s a giant beetroot hiding in the corner (that sounds like something out of a Far Side cartoon!). :)
To get pale pink rhubarb you have to cover it in a rhubarb pot and ‘force’ it. Here’s an article about the Yorkshire Rhubarb triangle http://tinyurl.com/2gbrg9 – I think it is a special variety too, called champagne rhubarb….
Do you prefer the beets boiled? How interesting! I know we do. I love them with a big splodge of mayonnaise, such drama!
There’s a Hugh FW recipe for beetroot chocolate brownies that Tutak is very fond of if you’re feeling adventurous….
Lovely post, thanks Celia, most cheering, we have arctic weather coming in tonight and I will have to put an extra poodle on the bed!
Jo, we didn’t try beets boiled until I read your post about them! And I think that is how we prefer them now, although Pete’s roasted beetroot dip takes some beating. :)
Stay warm, dearheart!
Fun ;) Green yesterday, red today (very Chrismassy touch you’ve got going on there girlfriend), your little tomatoes are amazing, nothing says summer like rich red tomatoes huh.
I’ve never grown toms before, Anna, so I have no idea what they’re supposed to be like. But they are amazingly delish – sweet and almost warm tasting – I know that sounds odd, but I think because they don’t ever get refrigerated, the skins are somehow tenderer…
Are you going to do purple, my next favourite colour after green. The red looks pretty good – love those tomatoes!
Deb, Pete brought in three purple eggplants today! :)
I am most impressed with your root vegetables. I never have success with them so have given up trying to grow any!
Re the rhubarb…it may be weather dependent I think. My sister who lives in Lithgow grows the most amazing rhubarb in her garden with little or no attention given to it. It is deep red and seems to grow almost weed like. She brings armfuls of it for Sam when she comes to Sydney because she knows he loves it. And he absolutely loves being handed the garden shears and told to go gather some himself on the rare occasions that we visit her.
SG, the cold weather thing would make sense too, I guess, although our rhubarb has gone nuts in temperate Sydney! Just not red. I must give you some for Sam when I see you next.
I just love the red/green Xmas theme!
Also loving the tomatoes – this time of year is just so refreshing after the long winter months. It is so good to start getting my hands on some really tasty tomatoes.
Lovely, Celia! Even in your last post, I gawked at how perfect your tomatoes look. I absolutely love when there are so many all perfectly arranged on the one vine. Looking forward to seeing what you do with that rhubarb!
looks amazing and I bet it all tastes amazing too!
I like your red and green themed posts! We are nowhere near harvesting tomatoes yet…the appearance of a flower would be a good start! I’m also trying beetroot in one of our beds this year – I tend to pluck them to death for their greenery rather than the roots – they will just be a bonus if they form! Your potatoes look perfect – so delicious straight from the garden. We have two beds flowering now – Nicolas, Pontiacs and Kipflers.
I meant to mention it the other day – I’m not sure if you watched the Poh’s Kitchen series but she will be on ABC Gardening Australia this Sat at 6:30pm in her family’s food garden… should be interesting! :)
Amanda, it never quite gets as cold here in Sydney as it does in Adelaide, but it is really nice to be able to have all the hot sun again! Now to figure out how to get enough water to the plants!
Honey, thank you! I’m not sure yet – I’m tempted to try and make the rhubarb into rhubarb and tomato ketchup, which worked quite well last time. For now, I’ve chopped it all up and frozen it – it keeps really well in the freezer!
Susan, thank you! :)
Chris, from memory, I think it was your potatoes that inspired us to get some, so thank you! Maude and her girls like the young beet leaves, as does Pete, but I’m not a huge fan. I found a variety we like this year – not all beets are created equally! Thanks for the headsup about Poh, we’ll make sure to watch!
You are making me unbelievably jealous. What a fantastic selection you have.
It must be so satisfying cooking mostly with ingredients grown in your own backyard!
Truly wonderful! How long are you spending each week tending the garden? We have the space and good soil but wondering about time.
Hehe are we having a different colour tomorrow? Pretty please? :D
I know I always says your garden is so fruitful and beautiful… it is really amazing how you have those ingredients to cook and to eat… i mean look at those potatoes! They are so fabulous!
Celia, my chickens used to looove rhubarb leaves, no matter how we tried to keep them away. I know they are toxic to people, but apparently not chickens. I always wondered about eating the eggs afterwards though!
Hello Celia!
Would you happen to know the name of those heart-shaped tomatoes? They are so cute!
We have at least two different varieties of rhubarb growing in our garden. One is all red-and fairly sour, the other green and not so sour. Both grow outside in full sun. I prefer the red one, the rest of the family the green one. They make wonderful rhubarb cakes.
Claire, it really is very rewarding! Thank you! :)
Anna, it’s not lots of time, but it needs some attention every day. We need to harvest a little all the time, or the beans end up gigantic and the basil runs to seed etc. Planting happens in bursts, every couple of weeks or so. And of course, the chickens need daily attention! :)
Lorraine, that might have to wait until I can take photos of golden corn cobs for Heidi! :)
Tes, thank you! Love the new avatar!
Chef, I think rhubarb leaves are a little toxic, but you can’t eat too much of them, or you get sick – same for chickens I think.
Manuela, I’m sorry, I don’t know the name – this is one of those seeds that came via someone’s relative from Italy, so I have no idea what they would be called, or even if they’re commercially available here. I’ll definitely keep you all posted on how they grow – probably won’t be for a while though. Thanks for the rhubarb advice! :)
I love your red to balance your green – so Christmasy!
:-) Mandy
Celia I didn’t think it was possible to do another round of different veg from your garden after the green post – what a bounty! My Mum has new rhubarb in this year too and is resisting harvesting too (I hadn’t heard of that before).
Mandy, thank you! :)
Sarah, watch this space, there’s more to come in a couple of days time. We didn’t resist harvesting it all – it’s threatening to take over the whole garden bed! We decided last night that it’s going into our Christmas jams.