Picks of the Week

The garden is producing well these days. I don't remember the last time I've had to buy the bulk of our veggies aside from the random onion or packet of cherry tomatoes. We should enjoy it while it lasts I guess as November (the customary end to our growing season here in New England) has a tendency to approach faster than we would like. Here are pics of some of the things we harvested this week.


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.

Random Scenes from the End of June Garden - Part I

The beds are getting lush with green.


The side garden at a different angle.


The shell peas are plumping up.


The first fava (broad) beans are ready to be picked.


The crimson flower broad beans are still producing lots of blooms.


The Florence fennel is almost ready.


Another crop of soybeans has emerged.


The first zucchini of the year.


My zucchini plants appear much healthier this year than they did last year.


The savoy cabbage is taking its sweet time.

Veggie Notes

I harvested new potatoes from 3 of my buckets last weekend. After a disappointing start, the Red Thumb potatoes came through this time around. Also, I was pleased to find that the All Blues had produced many golf ball sized tubers. Both seem to grow relatively well in pots (though the grand prize would go to the All Blues) so I think I'll give it another go next year but tweak the method a bit. I definitely won't be as heavy-handed when adding more soil to the pots (maybe an inch at a time). They didn't respond well when I raised the soil level by 4 inches all at once. Also, I think I'll skip the straw next year.

Finally, I won't be growing Rose Finn fingerlings in pots next year. The plants grew weak and the tubers were awfully tiny. The ones I have in the ground on the other hand are thriving.


I love cutting into these potatoes. The interior coloring is so striking, particularly in the All Blue. Homegrown potatoes are so delicious; I don' t know if I could ever go back to buying supermarket spuds.

My Florence Fennel have bolted. I'm kicking myself as they looked perfect and large enough to harvest last week. Just goes to show that knowing when to harvest is as important as knowing how to grow a particular veggie.


I'm beginning to understand way wild strawberries are not grown commercially. They generally end up in our bellies before they make it into the kitchen. There's just something about them screams, "Eat me!"


Awful! All of my cauliflower have bolted due to the excessive heat we've had lately. I knew cauliflower was difficult to grow but this is ridiculous. I'm assuming that they are inedible at this point???

I was really looking forward to trying this purple variety. Oh well. Maybe they will do better as a fall crop.


The Piracicaba broccoli on the other hand is still producing many side shoots. I'm trying a different variety this fall but will surely grow this one again next spring.

Earlier this spring, I saved a clump of leeks to divide and plant this summer. Now that space has opened up, these will be moved soon.


Finally, this is a baby Calabash gourd. After it sizes up, it will surely be tasty in a soup.