First Veg Harvest (Peas & Courgette)

We had some of early peas today, after the odd one pod we managed quite a handful to harvest now. They are soooo yummy.

They are first earlies, "Douce Provence", and I had a trial going: all sowed at the same time, but one set in the garden, one in pots and the pot ones when planted out one half behind glass and one half just in the ground. This is the result: The potted ones came out about a month earlier then the garden sown ones. The ones behind glass had the first flowers and peas, but stayed teensy-weensy. The potted ones planted in the garden normal are the ones we are harvesting from now, but they too are quite small and seem to stay that way.
The ones sow directly in the garden are big and really really strong. The first flowers are just starting to show up. Unfortunately the hens love them as well and all the bits they can reach they will happily tear off.

These are the garden sown peas, the right one diminished by the hens

This is my recycled whirly gig pea tower with the set of potted peas

My courgette that grows in a pot in my front garden surrounded by a wind shelter is ready to harvest soon as well. Just compare it with the plants which grow in my windy upstairs kitchen garden. I made a wind shelter round them as well, but no comparison. Both plants are planted same day, same soil.

 

the potted one

here in comparison the sad looking upstairs garden one

They are F1 hybrids and I have decided that in future I will only go for non-hybrid seeds/plants where I can save my own seeds. I hope they will be stronger when "self-seeded" or at least own seeds are used. We will see.