The temperatures have been in the mid 30's every night this past week, so not much growth has been taking place in the garden. This morning we had a heavy frost, but with warmer weather coming this week, it's possible that it was the last frost for the year.
I was able to harvest a couple of vegetables that I really like: Broccoli and Collards!
Although it wasn't much, I did get 8 ounces of broccoli. I doubt I'll get any more as it's beginning to go to seed, but that's a good thing! I've never harvested broccoli seed pods before, so I'm looking forward to this experience. My plants are Waltham 29's. I can already see the seed pods forming, so it shouldn't be too long before they are ready... I hope. At least they're in the area where my tomatoes are going to go, and neither the weather nor the soil temperature is anywhere near ready for tomatoes, so the broccoli can stay for awhile.
My old favorite is the Vates collards. I was able to pick 5 pounds of them, and I didn't even get halfway down the two rows. They too, are starting to bolt, so they don't have much longer to stay. In an attempt to slow down the bolting process, I cut off the tops of the stalks where the flowers would be forming. I don't know if that will work, but I'll find out soon enough.
That's all for this week except for the fact that the beets are still trying to grow roots (but aren't!), the salsify is about two feet tall, and I have Green Beauty Snow Peas (from Michelle in CA) that are about 16 inches high and growing in a half barrel. They look very healthy. Now that I'm thinking about the vegetables, my grapes are also showing buds all over the vines, my 5 heritage red raspberry bushes are now 12 bushes, my blueberries have hundreds of buds all over them, and I have a new blueberry shoot that is 42 inches high and looking good! That came up during the winter, apparently from the root of the other plant. I believe I have 2 volunteer salsify plants that came up in the broccoli rows. I must have thought they were weeds, but now they are shooting up fast! We'll see how they do.
The compost is looking good. I've been needing some green grass clippings to really start the pile cooking. I have another 27 pounds of coffee grounds from Starbucks in Portsmouth, and just tonight I was able to pick up three 30 gallon lawn bags full of fresh, rich, dark green grass clippings from a neighbor. That will all be going into the pile tomorrow.
Now that's REALLY all for this week! Thanks for visiting and feel free to share your comments.
Have a great vegetable gardening day!
Veggie PAK
I was able to harvest a couple of vegetables that I really like: Broccoli and Collards!
That's all for this week except for the fact that the beets are still trying to grow roots (but aren't!), the salsify is about two feet tall, and I have Green Beauty Snow Peas (from Michelle in CA) that are about 16 inches high and growing in a half barrel. They look very healthy. Now that I'm thinking about the vegetables, my grapes are also showing buds all over the vines, my 5 heritage red raspberry bushes are now 12 bushes, my blueberries have hundreds of buds all over them, and I have a new blueberry shoot that is 42 inches high and looking good! That came up during the winter, apparently from the root of the other plant. I believe I have 2 volunteer salsify plants that came up in the broccoli rows. I must have thought they were weeds, but now they are shooting up fast! We'll see how they do.
The compost is looking good. I've been needing some green grass clippings to really start the pile cooking. I have another 27 pounds of coffee grounds from Starbucks in Portsmouth, and just tonight I was able to pick up three 30 gallon lawn bags full of fresh, rich, dark green grass clippings from a neighbor. That will all be going into the pile tomorrow.
Now that's REALLY all for this week! Thanks for visiting and feel free to share your comments.
Have a great vegetable gardening day!
Veggie PAK
