What are you harvesting -Spring 2014

[hendi_alex]

Radish, garlic, tomatoes, squash, zucchini, arugula, onion, bell pepper, leeks, jalapeno, strawberries, mulberries, blueberries, shiitake mushrooms, Asian greens, dinosaur kale. Coming soon cucumbers.

[lakngulf]

Only squash and beans here. Peppers not far off and I saw some silks on my corn today.

[PunkRotten]

Chinese broccoli, garlic, onions, goji berries, limes, some tomatoes, a few peppers, peas (though they are gone now), mint, basil, oregano, rosemary, chives.

[jal_ut]

Omigosh! You guys are so far ahead of me. So far here for spring harvest, asparagus and chives from the perennials and radishes from early planted seed.

[rainbowgardener]

spinach, peas, chard, green onions, chives, celery, lots of herbs. Broccoli has heads and will be ready soon.

[JayPoc]

lettuces, kale, collards, onions (green), chives so far. Broccoli is very close and looking great. Will have to start thinning the basil ASAP.

[hendi_alex]

Just in case you missed my earlier post. Don't neglect the leaves if you are growing broccoli. This spring I blended them in with kale, Swiss chard, and sometimes with mixed Asian greens. The leaves were tender at all stages, didn't even have to remove spines on larger ones. The taste is much milder than collards. Harvesting up to a third or more leaves seemed to have no impact on head formation. It gets hot way too quickly here for broccoli to make much flower head production. As dual use plants, it became much easier to justify the plants footprint in the garden. In the future will grow broccoli both spring and fall.

[JayPoc]

Just in case you missed my earlier post. Don't neglect the leaves if you are growing broccoli. This spring I blended them in with kale, Swiss chard, and sometimes with mixed Asian greens. The leaves were tender at all stages, didn't even have to remove spines on larger ones. The taste is much milder than collards. Harvesting up to a third or more leaves seemed to have no impact on head formation. It gets hot way too quickly here for broccoli to make much flower head production. As dual use plants, it became much easier to justify the plants footprint in the garden. In the future will grow broccoli both spring and fall.

Yeah...I posted about that last year and included a photo. Broccoli greens are awesome.

[applestar]

Egyptian walking onions are at their peak right now. I should really mass harvest them, but have been pulling double handful at a time for the last two days. Chopping them up and freezing.
Today decided to separate into greens, scapes, and non-hollow/solid white and green basal portions. Any suggestions on what else to do with them? Last year, I waited too long and the scape stalks got too tough to be edible.

Salad greens and celery are harvested as needed, but arugula have bolted and spinach are looking like they are starting to go. Harvested perhaps the last asparagus today.

Strawberries are starting to come in. Cherries look almost ready -- maybe another week?

My peas are just starting to bloom and form pods.

Mint and oregano harvest is at halt right now due to heavy four-lined plant bug damage. Cutting off affected top foliage, bagging them bugs and all, and waiting for them to re-grow.

[JayPoc]

See....I told you the broccoli was almost ready.



The biggest head is a little bigger than a softball.

One other tip on using ALL of the broccoli. In addition to the leaves, the stems are also great. My kids will pretty much only eat the florets, but we sometimes slice the stems on the bias into elongated coins and use in stirfry, or we sometimes shred the stems with the box shredder and use that in slaws and salads....

[applestar]

Looks great! When my kids were little I used to serve the florets as "Broccoli trees" and stems, peeled and rotation cut at a diagonal as "Broccoli rocks" (cut at a diagonal, roll 1/4-1/3 away on the board then cut 3/4"–1" off at a diagonal, roll and repeat -- makes them into multi-faceted nuggets). They would eat the rocks before the trees and I used to worry that they were eating the more nutritious part.

[RogueRose]

For me it seems like everything is S--L--O--W this year. I just cut some arugula finally. I usually get a few harvests out of those but I caught it right before it bolted so I am not sure I will get another harvest out of that this year.

This year I grew some Rocket Arugula and this stuff bolts a whole lot slower which is nice, but the yields are not as good. If I were so inclined I'd cross these two.

My peas are also just starting to flower. I thought I was slow on that but I see applestar's are on the same schedule so I guess I'm not as slow as I thought. My peas were eaten by groundhogs but some are still going. I took some out and left some. One stalk was not eaten, go figure.

Garlic is going strong. Lettuce seemed to come in slow. I think I can harvest some in a week or two, finally. Corn and melons are coming in. Planted tomatoes. Although I think I could have planted in more!

Herbs are going well. Peppers planted...

But harvest...not really happening here yet. ::whine::

[jal_ut]

Oops, forgot to mention Egyptian onions, and this eve also some green onions from the sets I planted early .

[Cola82]

I know I started broccoli and peppers earlier than some of you and mine just aren't doing anything. No fair. ;(

I'm only harvesting chives, arugula, a tomato here and there, and mint and basil (not much though). My carrots should be ready soon, though, and I did chop up one broccoli plant that wasn't doing so hot. The leaves were excellent.

[rainbowgardener]

Something is very odd if you are harvesting tomatoes before broccoli.

My broccoli will be ready soon, peas are ready, spinach is starting to bolt, so I need to go pick a ton of it and freeze some. Yesterday I "harvested" at least a half cup of chamomile flowers. Given how tiny they are, that is a whole bunch of them. It is my second harvest of them, the chamomile plants are going crazy. Fresh chamomile flowers smell wonderful.

[hendi_alex]

RogueRose, do a second planting arugula after the weather has settled with the lows in the 50's. Moving from cool temp to warm causes arugula to bolt fairly quickly. When planted during warmer temperatures in the range of 50-85 degrees, arugula will germinate and develop quickly and will grow all the way through the fall until killing winter temperatures. Here ours produces all winter then bolts very early in the spring. We plant an early and late spring planting and harvest arugula all year.

[Cola82]

Something is very odd if you are harvesting tomatoes before broccoli.

Well it could be a couple things--the variety (romanesco), and the length of time I had them in nursery pots. Today is the first day I've seen heads.

And in fairness the tomatoes are an early variety. I ate one today and it was the first one that wasn't mealy.

Going to harvest more arugula tonight and maybe some kale. I have three more ripe tomatoes.

[applestar]

What I DIDN'T harvest... I saw four more nice asparagus today plus one of those "female" 1.5-2" in diameter ones coming up. Since the ones that were ready to harvest were from crowns that had been rather stingy this spring (I actually thought they had died at first because nothing was coming up) I decided not to harvest them.... But maybe I should have. I seem to remember I did this last year, too, and they ended up producing tons of GIGANTIC fronds after I gave up harvesting. Maybe these are SUPPOSED TO grow later?

If they are still at edible size tomorrow, maybe I'll pick them after all (8:30 and sundown here)

[imafan26]

I got a late start.
strawberries, asparagus, lettuce, my first corn of the year should be ready before it turns into summer, zucchini, beans, tomato, roselle, sesame, fennel, borage, onions, Jalapenos, super chili, anaheim, Trinidad Scorpion, thai basil, sweet basil, mint, lemon grass, araimo, ginger, eggplant, calamondin, chayote and chayote shoots, beans and kale.

[brandon558]

Cuke's by the loads... Few bell and sweet peppers. Tomatoes are starting to turn red and beans are not far behind. Okra is going good.... So far so good! Glad everyone else is having fun and harvesting some goods!

[hendi_alex]

My cucumber plants have been big enough to have been producing for almost a month, but this has been one of those years when the plants started out making only male flowers. First cukes started being harvested about three days ago. Same thing with squash and zucchini, as the first two or three weeks of fruit failed to set, though have been harvesting about a week now. Disease is much more prevalent in tomatoes for this time of year. I'm afraid that the plants will be decimated when morning lows rise above 70 and days get into the 90's.

[feldon30]

Cuke's by the loads... Few bell and sweet peppers. Tomatoes are starting to turn red and beans are not far behind. Okra is going good.... So far so good! Glad everyone else is having fun and harvesting some goods!

Did you use high tunnels or a greenhouse to get things coming on so early? My cukes are about a week away. Tomatoes and peppers are ~3 weeks away.

[erins327]

Here is my morning harvest. A little okra, jalapenos, yellow peppers, lots of Sungold and Yellow Pear tomatoes, green beans, green tomatoes and tomatillos.

[McKinney88]

I got a good handful of snap peas today.

[brandon558]

Did you use high tunnels or a greenhouse to get things coming on so early? My cukes are about a week away. Tomatoes and peppers are ~3 weeks away.

Nope I started these April 20 due to that last cold snap killed my first cukes.

I did plant in some fresh horse manure I hauled in and these things are going nuts. Picked another 21 today along with a few cherry tomatoes and banana peps.... Another 15 or so cukes tomorrow or thursday.

[freedhardwoods]

I set out 27 spindly strawberry plants 4 years ago. (I don't remember what kind.) So far this year we've picked 24 gallons from that patch. We should get 4 or 5 more gallons before they're done.

[bryce d]

Just made stir-fry with snow peas from the garden.

[bryce d]

Did I mention that I have been harvesting lots and lots of "morning glory".
Oooh , any one want some morning glory stew.

[grrlgeek]

Enjoying the tail end of the early spring cool crops... Last of the kale will be out this weekend along with a round of broccoli shoots from the last plant standing. One more cauliflower head coming - watching that closely since it's hot every day now. There's been enough lettuce and mixed spicy greens and mesclun for big salads every day. Occasional strawberries for nibbling in the yard. Turnips! Artichokes are getting smaller, but they keep coming. Waiting on the beets and carrots to get bigger but pulling a few babies here and there... they need to finish before the heat finishes them! Garlic isn't bulbing much yet, but I keep pulling them anyway. Same for onions. Chives, parsley, cilantro, basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme - all plentiful for fresh cooking. Every day is a blessing and having the time of my life!

[lakngulf]

My Rattlesnake Pole bean arbor is loving the early summer growing weather, and we are enjoying the beans.

[imafan26]

Harvested my first two zucchini.

[grrlgeek]

Today's harvest, swiss chard - leaves have way fewer holes in them thanks to judicious use of diatomaceous earth. a couple turnips to open up more light for the beets, first tomatoes of the year!, the last cauliflower because I caught an earwig touching it, a couple onions - finally bulbing for real, and some very cool carrots... the yellow and white ones were really sweet.

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[applestar]

Strawberries, shell peas, snowpeas, asparagus, lettuce, Swiss chard, cherries. Green onions

[applestar]

Life can be a bowl of cherries

Mostly White Gold with some Emperor Francis yellow cherries

...and strawberries (well and asparagus)

[applestar]

Following yesterday, we have our first mulberry harvest ...and more cherries and wild strawberries (big ones are Seascape) and a few more shelling peas from the early planting in the patio windowboxes. I put the peas in the bowl with the fruits because these are received with equal enthusiasm by the kids.

Mulberries, cherries, strawberries, shelling peas... And etke(ze)zi paprika.

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I also harvested the green Etke(ze)zi Paprika to let the overwintered plant keep growing in the little container it's in right now. I need to plant it in the ground.

[hendi_alex]

Tomatoes are coming off in force now. Froze about 8-10 pounds over the past couple of days and started drying 4-5 pounds today. Squash and cucumbers are being harvested much faster than we can eat them. Perhaps will make some pickles this year. Harvested first egg plant today. Jalapeños and bell peppers are now covering our daily needs. Green beens and corn are about ten days away.

[lakngulf]

Tomatoes are coming off in force now. Froze about 8-10 pounds over the past couple of days and started drying 4-5 pounds today. Squash and cucumbers are being harvested much faster than we can eat them. Perhaps will make some pickles this year. Harvested first egg plant today. Jalapeños and bell peppers are now covering our daily needs. Green beens and corn are about ten days away.

What is your process on freezing tomatoes? Peel and bag, or do you use heat in any way?

[imafan26]

More zucchini, my tomatoes are finally ripening, hot peppers, lettuce, beans, corn is taller than I am and estimated day to harvest is June 16, eggplant, bitter melon, calamondin, herbs available all the time rosemary, thyme, oregano, Mexican oregano, Mexican tarragon, pandan, fennel, roselle, sesame, green onions, chives, cutting celery, basil : cinnamon, Thai, African, lemon, and holy, bay leaf, curry leaf, lemon grass, ginger and turmeric.

[hendi_alex]

Peel, chop with ring cutter in sauce pan, bring to a simmer for a minute or two, set pan in ice bath, freeze in rectangular pyrex dishes. Run hot water on bottom of container and pry out block of tomatoes. Wrap in plastic and place several in a gallon freezer bag. Last year we used similarly prepared tomatoes in soups and sauces and the were oh so much better than any from cans! I also prepare and freeze marinara which holds up very well and makes for a quick meal. This year we are buying a small dedicated freezer to extend the season mostly for tomatoes, but also for greens, corn, okra, blueberries, and perhaps a bit more.

[JayPoc]

Had my first real multi-veggie meal. We had been eating lots of lettuce, kale, collards, and broccoli, but tonight we had an Asian inspired stir fry with broccoli, onion (bulb and green), and peas (young, in pods) - all from the garden - with ribeye steak, carrots, and celery.

Still have as much lettuce as we can eat, and it looks like we'll be picking squash within the week.