Brazilian Spinach and Snake Beans

Here are some photos taken at the weekend. It’s a bit sparse at the allotment. All that’s growing now is what has survived the heat of summer. 

Not much on this side of the allotment. Just a few peas and a rosemary plant in the foreground, sweetcorn at the rear.

A bit more action on the other side of the allotment. 

This Brazilian Spinach has proved to be really hardy through the heat of the last few months and has kept me in greens right through the summer with very little care. I just keep cutting at it, turn your back, and it’s grown again. I use it like any other spinach, just steam it, add a knob of butter and a squeeze of lemon juice. 

Snake Beans, also known as the ‘yard long bean’ seem to revel in the heat of our Brisbane summer. I only planted 3 beans and I am harvesting every few days which gives me enough for myself, to share, and some left over to blanch and freeze.

Here’s a close up. I have read that they can grow 30-50 centimetres in length, but I prefer to harvest them young and tender.

Finally, after tidying up the allotment on Saturday I harvested a few Snake Beans and a sprig of Brazilian Spinach to add to the stash I already had in the fridge at home.