Friday, March 5, 2010

Swamped

It's not enough that I'm behind in my grading, and that we have houseguests (who are out of town this weekend), and that my new 15 year old would like a party in her honor on Sunday.

No, the garden has to join in the chorus of "Now! Now!! Now!!!!! Now!!"

The cilantro is threatening to bolt:


The beets are big enough to roast and eat:


The broccoli is shooting side shoots out all over and occasionally bursting into flower:


Chard is really only edible at this size or smaller, therefore it needs to be harvested:


Spinach is threatening to bolt any day now, despite Denise helping me harvest and process a bunch yesterday.

Oh, yes, there are baby lettuces to put out. Argh.


If these shelling peas aren't picked, they will be starchy.


And these snow peas need more careful stringing.

While the sweet peas are bursting out of their "cage."


I don't know how or if I'm going to get it all done. The grading is first priority, unfortunately, but I have to check on the seedlings downstairs and cut broccoli and spinach this weekend at least. That will be a thumb in the dike -- just enough to hold everything together.

12 comments:

michelle said...

These spring gardens are so demanding. It seems to be the same in my garden. I just had to pull a bunch of beets because I saw the first signs of a flower stalk bolting up. The lettuce and salad greens demanded to be thinned, and it's a good thing I checked because a gopher started the job for me (got it, the little booger). The kohlrabi needs to be planted. I already missed a bunch of snow peas. I forgot to check the broccoli...

Isn't it grand!

Curbstone Valley Farm said...

I'm impressed! Our garden seems so far behind!

Kalena Michele said...

Wow. That's beautiful. What's the weather like where you are? It's still so cold here in Atlanta.

Annie*s Granny said...

Trade places with ya ;-) The only green in my garden are the spinach, chives and weeds.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful pix!

kitsapFG said...

Love the pea patch!

Deep breath. One bite at the apple and eventually it all get's eaten (done). Hopefully you will find a moment to just savor the beauty and bounty of your spring garden.

Heiko said...

How about combining it all into one? You could have a garden(ing) party for your daughter. Everyone turning up gets assigned a job, while you sit on a garden chair in the sun directing procedings, whilst marking your papers at the same time!

Jan said...

I just wish I had that problem... the garden one, not the 15 year old lol... as things are only just starting to grow here.

Daphne Gould said...

It looks like you have your work cut out for you this weekend. I wish I could work in the garden today. It is going to be in the 50Fs for a few days, but I have to work the store all day today. Ick! I much prefer to work when it is cold out and the garden isn't calling.

Ribbit said...

Grading can wait. Grading can always wait.

Your garden is a good problem to have! It's beautiful.

chaiselongue said...

It is a busy time and I'm just amazed at what you have in the garden now! Ours still looks quite wintry. Here we eat chard when it's much bigger than that, some of the other gardeners grow it till it's really huge. We cook the stems separately, just steam them and serve them with crème fraiche and parmesan as a starter, and then cook the leaves on their own as a vegetable.

Mr. H. said...

Oh my gosh, just look at all those veggies. Wish I could come and help you with your spinach problem, ours is just starting to eek out a little growth...and those peas.