The Tuscan kale and mizuna that I transplanted a while back have really grown during the past couple of weeks. The mizuna is definitely ready to harvest and pretty soon I will start to pull off some kale leaves.
This is my first time growing mizuna. I must say that it is undeniably one of the more striking greens out there. I was excited to taste it and thought it would be perfect to add to a pasta dish I was making tonight.
What was for dinner... some linguine with crumbled sausage, mizuna and spicy red sauce. The mizuna was tossed in at the very end and added a bit of crunch to this dish. The taste was mustardy and spicy, almost like watercress. I love discovering new vegetables and this one is definitely a keeper.
In other news, as organized as I tried to be this spring there are a few veggies that I've been neglecting for no good reason:
Lettuce - I have failed miserably in my attempt at starting lettuce indoors. Out of all of the seeds that I started, I only have one seedling that looks decent enough to transplant. The rest just look weak and diseased. I don't get it. I'm now sowing a new batch in a sterilized seed starting mix, which I should have done at the first sign of trouble.
Tomatilloes - I should have sown them WEEKS ago. I sowed some seeds not too long ago and only have two tiny seedlings to speak of.
Shell Peas - I have plenty of snow peas but no shell peas at all. They all failed to germinate outside. I should have resown a while ago. Tonight I started some indoors.
Finally, my potatoes have been chitting for a couple of weeks now. I need to plant them soon but haven't had the time to dig up some new growing space yet. Last weekend would have been perfect if it had not been for my sickness. This MUST be priority number 1. Can you tell I'm beginning to panic?
The greens look good, especially the mizuna. It can really grow can't it! I have never had any luck with lettuce indoors either. I sow them in cell packs and stick them out in the cold frame to germinate. First couple warms days and they will be up and growing. If it is any consolation I have yet to sow my tomatoes or tomatilloes, they will all be started this Friday. Lots of time left.
ReplyDeleteBreathe for me Thomas. Breathe.
ReplyDeleteYour greens are gorgeous. Go toss some lettuce seed out in the garden, you'll be eating it in no time.
Greens look wonderful, and so does that pasta dish!
ReplyDeleteI never tasted mizuna, it looks like arugula. I should try it as a winter crop.
I have tried growing lettuce indoors and it was complete disaster. Now I sow it outdoors or in the greenhouse.
Don’t panic, there is still plenty of time for everything. One of my neighbors has sown potatoes month ago, another one is not planning to sow anything until May 1st. They both have been gardening for more that 40 years. It seems like there are no rules.
Looks delicious! I have the same problem with the lettuce transplants, they always look decent, but aren't strong looking. I don't even know why I did it this year since the direct sowing works so well! I guess I can take that one off my indoor seedling list for next year! Hope you feel up to the potatoes soon, they take awhile once planted to show their faces! Mine were planted on St Patrick's Day and just popped above ground yesterday.
ReplyDeleteThomas, the one thing I have learned with gardening is that a planting schedule is just a guideline. It always amazes me how plants seem to catch up once warmer weather hits. There is still plenty of time.
ReplyDeleteMizuna is such a pretty plant. I have never grown it either, but may have to try it in the fall.
That clinches it - I really need to grow some mizuna in the future. Such a pretty plant! Dinner looks delicious too. :D
ReplyDeleteYou have plenty of time for the various crops still yet to be planted. There is a window of time to plant - not a date certain - and it is probably longer than you realize. If it's any consolation my lettuces always look puny until I get them into the ground and their permanent home. I think they prefer the moist cool garden soil to the sterile soil and artificial lights and the heat that can build up from those.
Mizuna is so beautiful. I grow purple mizuna because it really shines in the garden.
ReplyDeleteI have too much lettuce this year as usual. Plus I still haven't planted the wintersown lettuce. You want some? It really ought to get planted soon. It is getting too big for the soda bottle pot.
My tomatillos are just coming up. I'm sure they will be fine. I know I start the nightshade crops later than most people do. I find they really take off in the garden fast anyway even if the plants start smaller.
Hahaha...Daphne, I might just have to drive down to Winchester to get some from you. I think you're right, as early as we might want to start some plants indoors, they don't really take off until the weather heats up.
ReplyDeleteHmm... did my comment not post again? I am somehow always doing this on your blog Thomas. In the event I once again left before posting my comments this morning, I was telling you to relax cause you have plenty of time for it all (only it was said with much greater detail).
ReplyDeleteYummmm! I'd love to raid your harvest - that'd leave me with food for days! :D Good luck, Thomas. I am collecting my groundcherries - not many have ripened yet. What do you do with your tomatillos?
ReplyDeleteChandramouli - quite frankly, I don't know. I've probably eaten them once in my life. Salsa maybe? My ground cherries are flowering at the moment. I still haven't gotten them transplanted yet!
ReplyDeleteDinner looks good, any leftover?
ReplyDeleteI transplanted my lettuces to the raised bed half of them were cut off pronto the next morning, and I lost the entire batch of carrot seedlings to the same cutworms I have to start all over again, darn cutworms!!!
There, hope you feel better.
Thomas, your garden looks wonderful! your plants love you and so do we. I killed most of my Sadie's Horse Beans; they were trying to escape the dining room window, so I planted them, outside, and they died... what did I expect? lol Now I've started a few more.
ReplyDeleteThat pasta with sausage and mizuna... where did you learn to cook like that? Beautiful. Have a wonderful weekend and take some time to just sit and enjoy what's around you. Diana
I think every thing about this blog, from plant to plate, looks absolutely delicious. My mouth was completely watering as I was reading this blog.
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ReplyDeleteA good report, there are no words!
ReplyDeleteAt least informative and pictures - super!