A breba crop

One of the figswhite adriatic? white genoa? – has a breba crop.  Only a few tiny figgy flower-fruits, mind, clinging on over the winter.  Nearly all are growing on branches that brush the white-painted wall – testimony to the power of microclimate, a solar ping-back I can still feel on my retina.  The figs have suffered from the dry this year, I think, their roots constrained in barrels.  It’s said they thrive on neglect, but I think perhaps not quite this much neglect.  Last summer’s tiny crop fell, confetti sized and yellowing, before it really began and the leaves dropped too, at least once.  El Nino is coming – I think I’d better get out the hose.

Thistles

Things are looking a bit Miss Havisham in the garden at the moment. A fallow season – my attempt at growing green manure an abject failure – hasn’t yet been chased away by the autumn seedlings.  There are scraps of sweet potato vine, regrown from last year’s tubers, heading towards the (rather peaky) citrus, and disorderly “Fat Bastard” asparagus and frazzled raspberry canes toppled over the pathways. The artichokes are proving their thistle heritage: seeds bursting out in a most non-food-like manner, though a couple of weeks ago they made really quite impressive display in a vase.  They make me think of other edible flowers and buds: nasturtiums, violets and borage; the spicy flowers of daikon radishes and bok choi; as well as the weirder ones – broccoli, capers, figs.

Better get out there and cut those giant thistles down to size.

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