Digging of Weeds ~Grow Your Own~

Strawberries have always been my favourite fruit. there is nothing nicer than a bowl of fresh strawberries and some ice-cream, or fresh cream.

We didn’t get all that many Strawberries off our plants last year, I think we’ve neglected the strawberry beds for the last couple of years letting them spill over and get clogged up with weeds..

So my task this weekend when I went to see what needed doing in the allotment was to set too and start to weed them ..

I guess I didn’t realise what a task I had set myself, these beds run nearly the length of the width of the allotment which is 45 ft. And because the grass was so well rooted it was impossible not to disturb the plants,, So I decided to try and dig up and get as much twitch roots of grass out as I could, and then replant the new fresh shoots of plants back in..  I only managed about Half of the first square before my muscles protested. So Hubby took over,

I then replanted the strawberry runners which should produce, even though maybe not as many Strawberries for this first year. The other strawberry bed above it will get the same treatment later in the week… .

In the mean time while Hubby took over the heavy weeding I planted 3 rows of Onions and 2 rows of Shallots..

We often bottle the shallots in vinegar which is boiled and spiced as pickled onions. Which make a nice little gift to add to our bottled beetroot in any Christmas Hamper. And they are lovely used as roasted vegetables or in Hotpots or stews.

For anyone wanting a recipe of how to bottle Picked Onions .. here’s the recipe I use..

Pickled Onion Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 lb (1.4 kg) pickling onions or shallots
• 1 lb (450 g) salt
• 2½ pints (1.4 litres) water
• Approx 1 pint (570 ml) Spiced Vinegar (See recipe for Quick Spiced Vinegar)

Method:

1. Make a brine by boiling the water and salt together in a pan until all the salt has dissolved. Leave until quite cold before using.
2. Peel the onions and soak in the brine for 24 hours, using a plate or something similar to keep the onions below the surface of the brine.
3. Rinse well.
4. Pack into clean, sterilized jars and cover with cold spiced vinegar.
5. Cover and label with contents and date.

Note: Leave for a couple of months before using.  If you want a sweeter pickled onion, add a teaspoon of sugar to each jar of onions.

Quick Spiced Vinegar Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 in (50mm) stick of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cloves
• 2 teaspoons allspice
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon mustard seed
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 2 pints (1.1 litres) vinegar

Method:

1. Place the vinegar and the spices (tied in a muslin bag) in a heatproof basin and stand the basin over a saucepan of water.
2. Cover the basin with a plate or the flavour will be lost.
3. Bring the water in the pan to the boil and then remove it from the heat.
4. Set aside for 2 – 3 hours to allow the spices to steep in the warm vinegar.
5. Strain the vinegar and cool.

I hope you enjoyed the day with me in the Allotment?~ Sunday I think is a day of REST .. ~Sue Dreamwalker