What a great weekend we just had - perfect weather for raking leaves and working in the garden. I finally got around to planting my hard-neck garlic for next year. In the end, I planted about 60 cloves, most of which came from this year's harvest. Next weekend, I might plant some supermarket soft-necks just for fun.
This week's harvest comprised of a good mix of cold-weather veggies. The chard above was planted over a year ago. The stalk is at least two inches thick. I'm amazed by how well it's held up. I started pulling a few of my winter scallions as well, which I should have done weeks ago. Hopefully, they won't become too ragged-looking as winter progresses.
The broccoli is still going strong despite the fact that temperatures got down into the upper 20's F the other week. I decided against pulling the plants as I'm curious to see how much longer they will continue to produce.
The carrots are tasting very sweet these days. We love munching on them raw.
Finally, the Japanese turnips and French Breakfast radishes are still coming in. Jonathan loves dipping them (along with carrots) into some ranch dressing as a snack. I couldn't be a prouder parent!
This week's numbers:
Asian greens - 0.50 lb
Radishes - 0.50 lb
Leeks - 2.72 lb
Carrots - 1.65 lb
Broccoli - 0.43 lb
Swiss chard - 0.74 lb
Scallions - 0.75 lb
Lemongrass - 1.15 lb
Total harvest this week - 8.44 lb
Total harvest so far this year - 687.57 lb
Man...nice harvest - as usual! The swiss chard is really colorful, and I see that you're growing both varieties.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a gorgeous harvest. I really love the radishes and carrots. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing you have a chard plant for a year. Mine usually blot in summer when it gets too warm.
ReplyDeleteToo bad about the carrots. I remember your carrots last winter, you did harvested them for a long time.
Boy Thomas, everything looks really really good! Those carrots are bigger then mine when they are fully grown! I see that you harvested some more of your leeks. I have 10 left in the garden and am trying to leave them in for a while.
ReplyDeleteYou need a five gallon bucket mousetrap.
ReplyDelete1. Drill two holes opposite each other about a centimeter from the lip of the bucket.
2. punch holes in the centers of the top and bottom of a can, and thread a wire through them.
3. Attach the wires to the bucket so the can can rotate freely.
4. Fill the bucket half full (gotta think positively) and lean a stick against it for a mouse ladder. (do this near your carrots)
5. Smear peanut butter in a narrow strip around the center of the can.
Sounds crazy, but the mice will jump on the can, lose their balance, and fall in the water.
If you think drowning is too cruel, put one cm of something sticky (like molasses) in the bottom of an empty bucket (otherwise they will just jump out, and besides, who doesn't like molasses?).
I basically eliminated the mice from my house and buildings with these traps.
Love the harvest!
ReplyDeleteYour carrots should store in the fridge through the winter (if a storage variety) with out any problems. I just keep mine in one of those plastic containers with a paper towel in the bottom, adding a sprinkling of water if they begin to dry out. They may grow lots of little hairs, but the flavor and usability is not ruined by this.
Gorgeous harvest this week Thomas! You are getting a great variety for so late in the season and it all looks so healthy and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThose carrots will keep beautifully for you in the fridge (like kelly said above) or in a plastic tote or cooler with some moist soil layered around them. Cool, damp, and dark - they will store just as well as in the ground.
Eric - that is the coolest thing I have ever heard of! I need to do this before it gets too cold or the mice will be ice skating in the trap! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI love your vegetable pictures. Enjoy that wonderful bounty!
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing harvest this time of the year! For someone like me, living in Sweden, it seems like heaven:) I really envy your climate!
ReplyDeleteHave a great week,
Charlotta
beautiful harvest ! and I love the pictures.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous stuff.
ReplyDeleteMaybe time to harvest mice?
Beautiful Harvest!!
ReplyDeleteI especially love the look of those leaks and the french breakfast radishes. mmmm mmm!
I'm sorry to hear about your continuing mouse problems :( But the harvest is very impressive for this time of year, mice be damned...
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad your dogs aren't helping with the rodent problem. Maybe you need some cats too! The harvests are beautiful nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteThomas, have you ever thought of putting row cover over your broccoli? That's what they do in the UK, and when spring comes back, they get an early crop of shoots.
ReplyDeleteNice harvest, by the way!
Do the mice come in from the bottom or the top? Hardware cloth on the underside of the bed would take care of bottom attacks (we did that for some because of the voles in our area).
ReplyDeleteAnna
lots of color this week. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI love your onions and broccoli.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about the mice.
A beautiful harvest so late in the year. Your photos are always so beautiful. I can nearly taste the carrots now!
ReplyDeleteEverything looks great! I'm a long way off from having leeks, mine probably won't be ready until about Feb, so it's nice to see yours!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great harvest! Your broccoli is so beautiful. I had to pull my old plants and didn't get around to starting any for the fall/winter so I have to go without now. I'm amazed your chard hasn't bolted yet. And sorry to hear about your mice problem, I know how you feel...
ReplyDelete*sigh* I have garden envy Thomas. What a beautiful harvest! My toddler loves radishes as well, unfortunately so does the wild bunny.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful harvest. Sorry to hear that the mice are eating your carrots. I've had mice and voles in the garden before, but they have never been such a problem that I lose my harvest. I hope you find a way to get rid of yours.
ReplyDeleteGosh, it all looks so good! It makes you want to run out the door and start digging a garden! Very nice!
ReplyDeletemice have to eat too! next season, plant more.
ReplyDeleteA beauty of a harvest. Been raining here, so I have put off going out to the garden, but tomorrow I have to get out there.
ReplyDelete