Fennel is something that is definitely growing on me, which is why I only grew two bulbs this year. I like it sliced thin in a salad. Last year, they bolted before I got around to harvesting them. This year, I caught them just in time.
In an ideal world, I would always be diligent enough to pick my zucchini when they are this size. Unfortunately we had a couple of whoppers this week. There's nothing worse than a tough stringy ginormous zucchini. At the moment, we are averaging about five or six of these beauties a week - certainly within our capacity for consumption.
I picked the last of our shell and snow peas this week and pulled up the plants. It's always sad to see them go but at least now we'll have more room for our fall veggies in the coming weeks. I also picked the last spring cauliflower.
I transplanted these Asian greens in early June. I was really surprised by how well the tatsoi held up under the heat as opposed to the Shanghai bok choy.
Our beets are ready as well. Transplanted beets like these are not as perfectly round as direct seeded ones but they are just as tasty.
Our fava beans continue to roll in. It will be at least another week before our crimson flowered ones are ready. The harvest so far this year has been fair and much better than the lone handfuls we got last year but I haven't been able to grow that bumper crop I've been aiming for. Maybe next year.
Finally, our cucumber plants are recovering from the groundhogs attacks and beginning to produce again. I harvest the first two Tasty Jade cukes of the summer this week. They have a nice snap to them and are mild tasting, which is what we like. I am really happy with the varieties I chose this year and will most likely grow them again.
Excellent pictures, your zucchini look great. I look forward to following your blog.
ReplyDeleteVery nice harvests, Thomas....
ReplyDeleteWonderful harvest.
ReplyDeleteI bought a Fennel plant this year but am still deciding where to permanently home it. I read that not much cares for Fennel. Do you have yours planted near other veggies?
Nice looking cukes! I have seen people with zucchini way worse than that, like having to put a tow strap on it to pull it out of there LOL, so you did well!
ReplyDeleteI like to harvest my zucchini while young and smaller too. They just taste so much better plus the plants will stop producing if the fruits are allowed to get too mature (it thinks it has fulfilled it's mission of producing seed and stops producing). Your garden is producing a nice assortment of items now and everything looks quite delicious - except the fennel which is pretty enough but I don't like the taste of it. :D
ReplyDeleteBeautiful harvest Thomas. I did not realize that transplanted beetroot are not as round as direct-sowed ones. We mainly direct-sowed our beetroot.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful beets! Your cukes look good too! Mine are just starting to form, can't wait to pick some!
ReplyDeletecolorful- and the zucchini look truly picture perfect there.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful harvests! I wish I could grow cauliflower :(
ReplyDeleteLovely photos and delicious looking veggies! Is fennel difficult to grow? I've just begun cooking with it this past year.
ReplyDeleteAre the Tasty Jade cukes a Japanese type? I haven't had a Japanese cucumber that I didn't love. I've been buying them every week from the farmer's market whilst waiting for mine to start producing.
ReplyDeleteIf you had chickens you had chickens you could give them the ginormous zukes. :)
Great harvests! Glad the destructo groundhogs aren't such a problem anymore.
I love a ginormous zuke or two or three. I grate them up and freeze them for zucchini bread. In that I can't tell the difference. But mostly I try picking them smaller so I can use them for anything.
ReplyDeleteI love those Tasty Jades too. They are just now setting on here. I'm with you on the bulb fennel. I like it in small doses, but the anise taste is growing on me too. Lovely harvests!
ReplyDeleteYour harvest looks great!!!! I'll have to try fennel next year. So far the only thing I ever use it for is in a vegetarian bouillon I make up and freeze. If I had it around I'm sure I'd find other uses for it.
ReplyDeletelooks great, we haven't harvested much of anything yet...but hopefully soon.
ReplyDeleteMichelle, yes, Tasty Jade is a Japanese variety. Very good in my opinion. I my cukes extra crispy.
ReplyDeleteHow many zucchini plants did you plant? I have 5 plants but only 3 are large and producing fruit. The other two are still so small and slow going.
ReplyDeleteIt has define beautiful garden of picks there are good surrounding nature that can be good production on the garden and increase production of vegetables. it is contain pure vegetables so very nice.
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