j3707's 2016 Garden

[applestar]

Looking good! The bunny/rat must have been a surprise -- I know I have to guard against them and I do have rabbit fence around my garden beds, but they can get creative and find holes I didn't notice. They are around but I haven't seen them in my garden yet... Possibly because my next door neighbor feeds feral? Local? Cats. But still -- Time to tighten up security!

[KitchenGardener]

Your garden looks great. I love how neat and orderly it looks with its rows. Sadly, I ate the last of my broccoli last night in a stirfry, and as is my typical practice, had a bag of broccoli leaves that I cut up and threw in at the end like cabbage. It was so good I ate it all. Now I wish the side shoots would hurry up! Enjoy your bounty!

[j3707]

Thanks

I sauteed some broccoli greens - there was just a hint of bitterness. The next day, my wife sauteed some of the broccoli head for a snack, she said it was really sweet! So next time I'll try both together, like you do kitchengardener.

Do any of you taste bitterness in the broccoli leaf? Any idea if it is variety related or is that how they all are?

applestar - I saw a full grown rabbit near the garden bed yesterday, good thing I got that netting up.

[j3707]

I always like to see volunteers of things I've planted before. A day or two ago, I was picking some broccoli and kale from the plastic mulched bed, I saw this volunteer plant:

I grew some in this bed a couple years ago...can you guess what it is?

[HoneyBerry]

I'm guessing kale on the left & collards or cabbage on the right.

[j3707]

You got that right --- but there's smaller mystery plant in between them. You can see it better if you click on the picture. (I should have been more clear about that).

[applestar]

Is it borage?

[HoneyBerry]

Arugula? Radish?

[j3707]

Is it borage?

You got it applestar. I'll let it stay there, the bees sure like it. There is another one at the back of the bed where I have cucumbers planted. It self sows quite well.

[applestar]

I like the flowers but couldn't get used to the fuzzy leaves.

It self sows quite well

^^^^^^^
THERE's an understatement!

[j3707]

A cool, rainy day in the Pacific Northwest...

We're getting near the end of harvest for my turnips, kale and broccoli. I pulled the biggest turnips first, a couple baseball sized ones. I'll pull the rest by the end of the month. Broccoli heads are mostly harvested, side shoots on the way. This morning I noticed one kale plant going to seed. I figure I'll replant those areas the first week of June, but not sure with what.

Our deep freezer is slowing filling up with produce.

Here's a picture of this morning's harvest:

[applestar]

Nice!

[j3707]

Harvested quite a bit from the new raised bed today.

I pulled out all the beets, some were big enough to keep, some I just threw to the chickens. I'm pretty sure it was the hot weather in April that stunted them. All my beet and chard leaves looked scorched. The beets were able to put out new leaves, but not much in the way of roots.

Carrots are coming along OK. Seems like they need a little more time.

I harvested all the kohlrabi. Some bulbed up, some didn't. Not sure if that was the early hot weather, too much nitrogen or if they were spaced too closely.

We sauteed some cubed kohlrabi with walla walla onion and cream....very tasty!

I packed some shredded kohlrabi leaves into a couple quart mason jars with about a teaspoon of salt per quart. I'm waiting for it to develop its own juice overnight, then I'll top off with water and put a lid on it. Hope to get some kohlrabi kraut! I'll have a report in a month or so.

Harvested all the walla walla onions. I'm letting them dry on our porch. I waited a bit too long...some of the necks were bent over and starting to rot at the top of the onion bulb. All the bulbs look OK though.

[applestar]

Looking good! it must be nice to be able to recycle scraps to feed chickens. Mine have to go straight to the compost pile or vermicomposter, but it would be nice to have that extra, productive level.

[KitchenGardener]

Lovely garden.

Can you say more about your Walla Wallas? I am growing them and was under the impression that they will tell me when they are ready by having their tops start to die back. Is that right, or do I have to ascertain somehow when they are ready and pull them before they rot? If so, eek, that's pressure and how do I tell when? Pointers for me?

[j3707]

applestar, it is nice...and any they don't eat just turns into compost for the fruit trees in the chicken run.

KG, I have read about the tops dying back as well...but this is the advice I am using:

Harvest and Storage
Dry onions grown from sets take three to four months
to complete their growth. You will know they’re ready
to harvest when most of the necks and tops have fallen
over. Once this happens, the onions will not get any larger
and should be pulled and allowed to dry in a shaded area
with good air circulation. After the outer skin becomes dry
and crispy, they can be stored in mesh bags in a cool, dry
location. This should only take a few days if the weather is
warm and dry. Sweet onions do not store well, but yellow
onions, followed by red and white types, are best for storage.
Never try to encourage bulbing by knocking over the tops
of onions yourself. This won’t stimulate bulb development
or growth and can bruise the neck and lead to rot.

https://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/ ... FS097E.pdf

[j3707]

Based on a comment I just read from applestar on a different post, it seems leaf miners are probably responsible for my beet and chard leaf damage. Someone I know had mentioned that to me, but the extent of the damage and timing had me thinking it was sun/heat related. I've grown beets and chard for several years and never had leaf miner damage...this year EVERY SINGLE beet and chard plant was hammered.

[j3707]

I scattered buckwheat seed on some bare spots here and there. I've done this in the past, but always cut the buckwheat back before it goes to seed. This year I have let some get further along. An attractive plant and great cover crop.

[KitchenGardener]

Thank you for responding to my onion question - helpful, and according to that, my onions still are not ready (don't rush on my account, I only want to eat you... )

Great to see what buckwheat looks like. Gorgeous flowers. Off to look for cover crop seeds...

[applestar]

You have me wondering if I had any buckwheat seeds left as well