Hello again from Eight Gate Farm. We've had a week of pleasant weather. One day it got to 85 degrees F (~29 C), but nights have dropped as low as 42 (5.5 C). Of course, it's the lows that we gardeners most closely watch. 42 is too cool for the solanacea to be happy. But it looks like the 40s are behind us, so I'll be transplanting tomatoes later today. I'll wait for the peppers and eggplants until later in the week. It will be a relief to cease moving all the trays in and out to harden off the plants.
We love Asian greens here, and use them extensively in soups and stir-fries. I'm trying three new varieties this year, and the first pickings were done this week.
This is "Pechay" from Burpee Seeds:
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| Pechay |
This is "White Stem" from Botanical Interests:
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| White Stem |
And this is "Asian Delight" from Johnny's Selected Seeds:
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| Asian Delight |
You will of course notice the flea beetle damage on all of them. This makes them totally unmarketable, but doesn't really bother us.
The Kitchen Goddess took some of each and made a delicious egg drop soup. It was a perfect light evening meal on the screened porch, paired with a nice chardonnay. Do you see our new tabletop gas fireplace? It adds cheer to an already cheerful space.
The asparagus is continuing to produce a few spears at a time. There is nothing like fresh asparagus.
In wildlife notes, TKG spotted this Gray Treefrog. This guardian of the garden really needs to work on its hiding skills! Against tree bark it is almost invisible, but in a flower pot? I'm looking forward to its trilling calls on sultry summer afternoons.
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| Gray Treefrog |
That's all for this week. Thank you for reading and commenting. Please join me in reading all the Harvest Monday posts, hosted by Dave at
HappyAcres.blog.
Flea beetles - the nemesis of gardeners everywhere! They found my eggplant as soon as it was planted. We love our Asian greens too, though this spring I didn't start any of the chois, just mizuna and a flowering Chinese cabbage (which is flowering now). The screened porch is one of my favorite places to hang out here.
ReplyDeleteDo you eat the flowers of the cabbage?
DeleteYou can eat the plants before they flower, or after. They don't head up like the usual types, and look more like pac choi to me.
DeleteHow nice to have that frog in your garden. Hopefully, he's chowing down on things we don't want in the garden. Asparagus is so heartening in the spring months. May the 40's be gone for you.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sue. Looks like the 40s are over for now, but there are questions about next week. Grrr!
DeleteLove your little frog! Ours here are greenish/brownish so your looks rather exotic. You have a good selection of Asian greens there. I must put them on the Autumn list... I struggle with them in the Summer if it is hot.... so thanks for that reminder of how good they are!
ReplyDelete