Colorful Picks of the Week

The weekly harvest is finally starting to take on some serious color. Up until this point, everything has been mostly green. A colorful harvest always reminds me that summer is in full swing. Pretty soon, the tomatoes will add their shade to this rainbow until fall arrives and the greens predominate again. I guess we should enjoy it while it lasts.

As you can see, we've picked a few new things this past week. While I'm planning on making a big pot of chicken soup with the celery (soup in July, I know), most of what's remaining in the garden will be frozen for winter use. Homegrown celery in my opinion is VERY pungent and a little bit goes a long way.


Our spring sown carrots are looking very good this year unlike last summer. We've picked a couple dozen of them already and all but one or two have been perfectly straight. I've built two other carrot beds for this year's winter crop. Hopefully, the voles will stay away this time around!


I also picked the first artichoke of the year (yes!) and all of my plants now are starting to produce. The two golden beets I pulled this week were so delicious. This was the first time I've tried them and they tasted incredibly sweet.


My chamomile is now flowering. Better late than never I guess.


The Fava beans continue to roll in and we picked our first string beans this week. The greens ones are 'Contender'. This is my second year growing them and what a disappointment they have been. I think I'll try a different variety next year. I also picked our early sowing of Dragon's Tongue beans. I love them. They have a nice flavor and keep their crunch when cooked.


The cukes and zucchini plants continue to be productive. I also picked my first head of savoy cabbage today, albeit a small one. It was about the size of a grapefruit. My cabbages are taking FOREVER to grow and the heads are stalling at the moment. I just hope they don't bolt before they reach full size.


Finally, this was the haul from my five potato plants. I was afraid that the voles may have gotten to them but to my relief they didn't. Only one potato showed signs of being chewed on so I think I harvested these just in time. I sliced up a few and cooked them up in a gratin for dinner tonight. Boy were they good!

Garlic and Potatoes

I decided to dig up my potatoes this morning. I only had five plants break ground this year - all Yukon Gold. Most of my mail order certified seed potatoes started oozing liquid from their skins and rotted before they even made it into the garden (a result of some disease or invisible pest I suspect). Not a single purple potato from the 3 pounds I purchased. I'm inclined to request a refund from the mail order company but part of me doesn't think it's worth the aggravation. I don't think I'll buy seed potatoes online anymore as I'm sure the ones at our local feed store are just as good (and cheaper)


I pulled a few of our German Extra Hardy garlic and the results were rather inconsistent. I had two monster ones and another two that were rather disappointing. I think I'll wait another week before pulling the rest as the leaves still very green. Seed Saves Exchange recommends pulling garlic when you have five green leaves remaining on each plant.

Better Late than Never

After a bit of a dry spell, we received some much needed rain today. At times torrential, the parched earth seemed to soak up the excess water like a dry sponge. I always look forward to these powerful late-spring storms as they are usually accompanied by a growth spurt in the garden. And it doesn't hurt that I won't have to break out the hose for next few days.


Today, I noticed that the snow peas were finally starting to make a show of it. By the looks of things, it should be another good harvest this year. I'm looking forward to picking our first crop tomorrow.


My 'Tongue of Fire' shell beans have germinated very well. I love when a bed is filled to capacity with seedlings.


This is my second year trying to grow cauliflower. Last year's crop was a major bust. Boy, they aren't kidding when they say that cauliflower is one difficult veggie to grow successfully. Already, half of this year's crop keeled over and died unexpectedly. The three remaining are still growing, albeit very slowly. I wonder if they will end up bolting prematurely like they did last year.


My three purple sprouting broccoli plants are doing very well. Too bad we have to wait until next year to get a harvest - that is, if we can get them to overwinter successfully.


Several of my beets are starting to plump up. I'm hoping to get a steady harvest well into the fall so I'm starting new seeds every few weeks.


Another of this year's tragedies - only 9 of my potatoes broke ground this year. This from 6 lbs of seed potatoes. About half succumb to disease before I even got a chance to plant them and the rest either rotted in the ground or were eaten by voles. I will never buy expensive seed potatoes through the mail again. I'd rather buy the ones available at our local feed store.


Finally, my cilantro is bolting prematurely again this year. Oh well. I love cooking with green coriander seeds so it's not a complete loss. I have new plants sprouting right now.

This weekend, I'll be sure do an update on our warm season veggies. Until then, happy Friday everyone!

Seed Potatoes

Looking at this picture, you may wonder whether or not this is some sort of alien experiment gone terribly wrong, but alas it's just what's left of last year's potatoes, which started sprouting in the basement back in January. The All Blue potatoes I grew last summer were so pretty when sliced open. When I placed an order for seed potatoes a couple months ago, I was really disappointed to learn that Moose Tubers wasn't offering them this year. This past weekend, I rummaged through this mess to see if there were any potatoes worth salvaging to plant in the garden. But in the end, I decided against it and chucked them all into the compost bin.


My seed potatoes arrived in the mail yesterday. I ended up choosing another blue-fleshed variety called "Adirondack Blue". I also ordered an early blushed-red variety called "Augusta" but unfortunately there must have been an issue with this variety as the company sent me Yukon Gold potatoes in its place. I have to admit that that I'm rather disappointed because of this.

Next year, I think I'll forgo purchasing mail-order seed potatoes. I was at our local feed store this past weekend and noticed that they had some All Blue, All Red and Kennebec potatoes (among others) for sale at a reasonable price. Sure they cost more per pound but then again, you don't have to pay the hefty shipping and handling costs. I may have to swing back this weekend just to get a few.

Making Homemade Potato Chips

I made homemade potato chips this past weekend using a few of my All Blues. They turned out to be some of the best I have ever had. Who knew that something so delicious would be so easy to prepare. I will never look at store-bought chips in quite the same way.

Did you know that freshly dug potatoes make the best chips? As a potato sits in storage, its starch slowly converts to sugar, causing it to turn brown when fried (a sad fact I discovered while trying to make chips from store-bought potatoes).


The preparation for homemade potato chips couldn't be simpler. I used a Japanese mandolin to make evenly thin slices. (And yes, there is such a thing as too thin!) Then I fried them in canola oil that had been heated to 375 degrees F. Dropping the slices one at a time into the oil prevents them from sticking to one another. It also helps to stir them a bit to ensure an even fry. You know they are ready when the oil stops bubbling - about 3 to 4 minutes. I like to sprinkle a bit of salt, pepper, garlic powder and chili powder over the hot chips. The sooner you eat them, the better. However, they will store well in an airtight container or plastic bag.

Enjoy! These are dangerous good!

The First Harvest of September - The Remains of Summer

I'm really going to miss the bright colors of summer. You just don't get this kind of eye candy any other time of the year. The tomatoes are fading fast now, which is fine by me since we've run out of freezer space. Surprisingly though, we were able to get a few super-sized Cherokee Purples this week (bottom left). These made it into the latest batch of heirloom tomato sauce. (Yum!)


As I'd mentioned earlier, I dug up all of my potatoes this week. Though we lost about 40% of our crop, we still ended up with enough to last us through at least the next couple of months. Out of the three varieties I grew this year, the All Blue performed the best. The Rose Finn fingerling, on other hand, did practically nothing. As such, I think I'll look for a different variety to grow next year.


This was the last (and sweetest) Charantais melon of the summer. Though incredibly fragrant, I don't think I'll grow it again next year. Maybe my palette isn't as sophisticated as it should be but I didn't find the taste all that great. I'd like to find an earlier and sweeter French melon to grow next summer. (Does such a variety exist?)

Also, I picked two more artichokes this week. These have been a real treat, despite the fact that the plants take up more growing space than they are probably worth.


Finally, I've been really bad about harvesting my chard and kale this summer. While they may not seem all that sexy or exciting now, in a few months, they will surely become a site for soar winter eyes.

This week's numbers:

Melon - 2.40 lb
Calabash gourd - 5.76 lb
Artichoke - 0.44 lb
Tomato - 18.20 lb
Potato - 14.16 lb
Tomatillo - 1.79 lb
Rhubarb Chard - 1.02 lb

Total this week: 43.77 lb

Diggin' for Treasure - A Lesson in Less-than-Perfection

Earlier this week, I decided to dig up my main-crop potatoes. I had high hopes for them as the plants grew tall and lush this summer. This year, I grew mostly All Blues (5 lb) and two fingerling varieties - Rose Finn (3 lb) and Red Thumb (1 lb). I was disappointed by how my potted potato plants had performed, so needless to say, I was anxious to see whether or not the ones grown in the ground had fared any better.


I planted my potatoes in a double row next to my asparagus bed. I chose this location in the back garden because it gets full sun all day long. When I started digging into one row, the first couple of plants were very encouraging. The potatoes were large and flawless and the yield was respectable.

Then came....

nothing....
nothing....
nothing?!

Yes, NOTHING for the remainder of the row. And the few I did find looked like this:


Hmmm...I began to smell a rat (or more likely a field mouse or chipmunk).

I also found a rodent's nest (made from the straw I had placed on the bed) and a buried horse chestnut. Too bad we can't eat either of these things. Disgusted, I decided to call it a night and munch on some KFC (my to-go crisis food).


The next morning, I halfheartedly began digging into the second row. Miraculously, not a single plant or potato showed signs of critter damage. (I guess the potatoes in the other row were much tastier.) At the end of the day, I lost about 40% of my potato crop to pests but still ended up with a decent haul.

I find it funny now to think that when I first started gardening, all I had were visions of green perfection. The reality, it turns out, is far from perfect. (Who knew that Mother Nature was so adept at crushing one's soul?) I'm sure the pros will tell you that you have to grow with the mindset that you will undoubtedly lose a percentage of your crops to forces well beyond your control. Well, in my defense, I never said that I was a fast learner.

The Mid-Summer's Bounty

I'm now committed to growing only half as many tomato plants next year, if that. At the moment, I can't help but ask myself, "what on earth were you thinking???" Forty plants only sounds like a good idea when you've never grown tomatoes before. Sometimes, too much of a good thing can be just as bad as too little. I'm sure it won't be long before I start having one of those nightmares in which I'm carrying around a bucket of tomatoes and trying desperately to give them all away only to find that the bucket never empties.


Tomatoes in all colors, shapes and sizes.




I also wonder why it is we have such silly town ordinances that prohibit the sale of homegrown produce on residential land. That's two thumbs down if you ask me.


This past week, I also pulled all of my onions to make room for fall crops. They all seem to be curing nicely.


Finally, I also harvested all of my bucket potatoes. As far as the ones growing in the ground, I think I'll wait a few more weeks before digging them up. The dying leaves were showing signs of blight(or so I thought) so I decided to remove all of the foliage. Hopefully, the potatoes will remain happy and untainted where they are.

This week's harvest numbers:

Beets - 5.72 lb
Carrots - 2.05 lb
Potatoes- 4.88 lb
Scallions - 1.71 lb
Onions - 3.43 lb
Corn - 2.91 lb
Cucumbers (16) - 9.05 lb
Zucchini - 1.22 lb
Tomatoes- 40.60 lb

Total harvested this week- 71.57 lb

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.

The End of June Garden

I can't believe we're saying goodbye to June already. Where does the time go? I guess when you're blessed with great weather, it goes by quickly. Indeed, we were lucky this year. While our Junes here in New England have a tendency to be as wet and chilly as our Aprils, this past spring has surely been one of the warmest in recent memory. The evidence of course is in the veggie garden. My tomatoes are already reaching the top of their 5 ft trellis and the melons are spreading like crazy. Hopefully, this will translate into many more pounds of produce.

Here's a quick update on some of the garden's more recent movers and shakers:


This picture was taken over the weekend but we harvested our first cucumbers yesterday. I'm growing mostly Spacemaster cukes this year. They seem to be as prolific and fast growing as the zucchini. Also, hand-pollinating has definitely helped. I'll offer an opinion on how they taste on the next Harvest Monday post.


My cauliflower are starting to form heads, which is a relief considering they are taking seemingly forever to grow. Also, I've been trying my best to keep the green cabbage worms in check...not an easy task this time of year I might add. Hopefully, they will size up quickly.


I'm also growing a purple variety. I can't wait to see what it will eventually look like.

My spring carrots have been a bit of a let down. Some of them have bolted due to the warm weather. The best performing by far has been the Scarlet Nantes. Cosmic Purple on the other hand is a slow grower. Next year, I think I'll stick to the orange varieties.


Jonathan and I have been munching on a few Sungold cherry tomatoes right off the vine this week. They are much sweeter now compared to the first one I picked back on June 11. Unfortunately, none of the beef steak tomatoes look like they'll be ripening anytime soon. In fact, the 30 or so tomato plants that I transplanted back in mid-May are only starting to form fruits now.

I'm growing 20 different varieties this year. This one is called "Clear Pink Early." I've heard that pink tomatoes have a tendency to be particularly flavorful and sweet.


Komohana grape tomatoes - I'll be curious to see what they will look like ripe.

Finally, my All Blue potatoes are starting to fruit. The plants themselves haven't started to die back yet. I'm growing a bit impatient with my potatoes. I want more taters NOW gosh darn it!