Peas

For me, peas are one of the most difficult crops to have, as I live right in front of the sea with  strong Easternly winds that sometimes hit force 9!
Peas need a good shelter and a sunny place to grow, water regularly and nothing much left to do but hope that weather will be kind.
I sow peas twice, once towards the end of December and another time towards the end of January.  I dig a trench approx 6 inches deep along the drip line and I put around 6 peas together aside each drip hole which is roughly 10 inch apart.  I try to put them aside hardy leafy plants such as Artichokes or broccoli  so that they get some shelter. 
Harvest peas when they look plump and fruit looks bulging from the pod.  The tender pea shoots are excellent in salads. Just snip a few with you fingers and ejnoy the delicate sweet pea taste.  If you decide to freeze them, then shell them as quickly as possible and pack them in plastic bags.  Will keep well till next season.

French Beans

French Beans are sown exaclty like the Borlotti beans that is From February till March, with the difference that both the bean and pod are edible so they can be harvested around the end of May.

I dig a trench along the drip line approx 6inch deep and I sow eight seeds together but 10inch apart .  This is very necessary as when they grow, the stems support one another in strong winds and they can grow into nice bushes.  You can arrange Support made from cane, so that they climb along, but I find that leaving them together they sort of intertwine with one another achieving same results. 

Watering regulary is essential for a sweet crop,  and when the plant has about 10 leaves I also sprinkle some yellow powder, early in the morning.  Plant does not like being wet, so never sprinkle any water over it.  

I harvest when the beans are small so that I do not have unnecessary waste.  French beans can be frozen. Blanch them  for 30 seconds in boiling salted water then put them in ice cold water to retain a vibrant green colour.  Drain well then pack into freezing bags and freeze.  Will keep till the next season.

Recipe Suggestions

French Bean and Carrot in Wine Sauce 

Pumpkins

Sometimes, when Nature is kind, crop can be abundantly so much that it would be impossible to consume.  Pumpkins are the ideal vegetable to grow as once they are ripe, they can stand on a wall somewhere in the sun, and keep well throughout the winter.  Last year I opened the last pumpkin in July, and used the seeds to sow for another season!

Pumpkin is the last vegetable I sow in the Summer Season, which is around mid July.  Allow plenty space between one to another at least 1 metre!  I dig 6 inch hole and put two seeds in each then when the seedlings start to grow I remove the weakest one.  Normally, I opt for the family size Pumpkin which can vary between 1 kg to 4 kg.  I also love the butternut squash variety.  The flesh is more compact and brighter, however it will not keep as long as the normal family size.

Water regularly, and as soon as the plant has 5 or 6 leaves sprinkle with yellow powder early in the morning and Preferably when there are dew drops still on the leaves. Do this every three weeks so that the plant is protected from viruses and other illnesses. 

The stem will travel along the garden, sometimes it can grow long as much as ten metres. Normally, I re arrange and curl it back to where is space.  Try not to disturb when there are fruits attached, even if they land on pathways.

Pumpkins will be ready to cut in Early October or when the stem is completely dried.  Carefully cut just above one inch from the stem and place stem side down on a stone wall where they can enjoy plenty sunshine. Check them regularly especially after it rains as they can rot.  If you spot one which just started to go off, simply cut around the bad part and use immediately.

Recipe Suggestions

Pumpkin Gnocchi
Spicy Pumpkin and Amaretti Biscuits 

Green Marrows

Green Marrows or as more commonly found Zucchini, come from the Marrow family.  In Malta, the round ones are the most popular as they are traditionally stuffed with mince meat and baked.  Green Marrows grow in two different seasons, Spring and Autumn.  I find that the Spring variety yields more fruit and I suggest garden novices as myself to start venturing with this wonderful crop. I sow green marrow seeds directly into  the ground about 24 inches apart and 4-6inches deep along the drip line which are roughly 24inches apart too.  I put two seeds in each hole, and in two weeks time they start sprouting.  As soon as the plant grow  approx 10cm ,  I remove the weaker of the two.  Green Marrow plant has huge leaves, and the healthier you keep the leaves the more successful you will be with the fruit.  I do not spray with any pesticides, however, I do sprinkle with yellow powder (kubrit) early in the morning so that it clings to the morning dew, every 15 days.  I am very careful, with powder when the plant has flowers and fruits, so that I do not sprinkle over them.  Be careful not to over water, as when you do so, the marrow grows to a walnut size then it shrinks and dies.

Green Marrows taste best when young and tender, approx golf ball size, however, when they reach the size of a tennis ball, we remove the inner flesh, and fill with a very delicious mince mixture.  We either bake them, or add them to chicken broth.  

Flowers are also edible and very sweet and tasty.  Cut the male ones which are those who do not come out of a fruit.  Usually they have long stem, very easy to handle and prepare. Do leave some attached to the plant  for good pollination.  Fill with ricotta and dip them in tempura batter and then just deep fry in good olive oil.

Recipe Suggestions
Paccheri with Sausage and Spring Vegetables
Tempura Zucchini Flowers with Zesty Ricotta filling 

Broad Beans

Mid Spring and it is time to harvest my broad beans.

This year I tried two seed variety, one which I bought from UK and another from local market.  Broad beans are very much sought after on this Island and I think what our farmers keep to reproduce is the best for our climate conditions.  Maltese Broad Beans are hardier and resist much better the strong north east winds that hit us from January to March.  

Usually I sow around the second week of December, along the drip line three seeds in a hole approx 6inch deep and 12 inch apart.  My drip lines are 24inches apart.  I do another batch around the first week of January and I admit that I am more successful with the second lot.  The first lot, gives you sweeter beans but it is oftenly attacked by the Bean Broomrape ( Budebbus) which is a kind of weed that grows from underneath and lifts up the plant.  Apart from this and strong winds, you shouldn't worry about anything else. 

Try to harvest your beans when they are small and tender for salads, and you may have them bigger for soups.

I am often tempted to cut the flowers to garnish my salads, they look so pretty.

Recipe Ideas

Broad Bean and Shitake Risotto

Spring On Toast 

Khol Rabi

Kohl Rabi or as the Maltese call it 'Gidra' is a type of turnip.  Very sweet and juicy and it is good in Soups, and also in salads.  We eat it raw, with bread and tomatoes, so delicious.  I buy seedlings in September and in February and I can say that the winter crop is more successful and sweeter.  I plant the seedlings 12inch apart along the drip, and simply wait for nature to take it's time which is roughly three months.  Be careful with butterflies as caterpillars can skeleton the leaves in just one day!  Take regular look at the leaves, and kill the caterpillars when small by squashing them with your hands!
It is the second week of may and one third of the crop is fully grown.  

French Black Bean

It's now April and as I normally do, sow all the beans I have available.  In the Maltese Climate, only the Broad beans are sown in late December, and the rest are sown in mid-Spring.  This year I am trying out this new variety, which I bought from Italy.  It is a climbing bean, with yellow skin and dark purple beans.  It is sown by the first week of April and directly in the ground.  I put about 8 beans in each hole approx 3 inches deep and 12 inches apart.  Like peas, these beans like to grow together and they support each other in strong winds.  I water them regularly and they should flower around May. This is how the plant looks right now, just three weeks after... I will keep you posted later on...

It is the second week of May and the weather turned warm suddenly. The plant is growing very fast and long stems are creeping over each other and so supporting one another.  I can see buds but no flowers yet.  Size is around 30cms in height.