Monday, February 6, 2012

Just green

Winter harvests are mostly green around here.

Today was a small handful of broccoli shoots, some bolting Bok Choy (the commercial transplants never really got off the ground, but they'll make a nice stir-fry tonight), a bolting head of volunteer tat soi -- the mild weather has the greens all confused, and a handful of the volunteer cilantro. The stir fry is going to have a Thai influence, so I'll use some of the limes from the tree too.



Gardening keeps giving, in that half of the stuff I pulled today wasn't planted by me. At least not this generation. I prepared the soil, made a planting some time ago, and then sat back.

Unfortunately, I may have sat back too much for some things. I just have to water more. I'm waiting on tomorrow's predicted rain, but the new bed of kale and the just-transplanted six week old lettuces from today probably can't wait that long. Therefore, I'm going to pump out the bathtub after I sit and listen to the history work the kids are doing.

11 comments:

Diary of a Tomato said...

Sounds like this winter's mild weather has stretched across the country. I feel as confused as the greens, lovely as they are!

Stefaneener said...

No kidding. I wish it weren't so, even though it's nice for walking.

Michelle said...

It's been great hiking weather but the greens are confused. I can't believe that my lacinato kale is bolting this early again, it seems like I've barely harvested anything from the plants. I do hope that we get a decent amount of rain, the main valve to my drip system is broken and I can't water the garden properly until I figure out how to fix it. :(

Kristin said...

It's not easy being a (winter) green--remember when kermit the frog sang that?--in our warm weather. My chard is happy though, I had problems with the tat soi that you gave me bolting, last year. I still haven't got to taste that plant as it should be. Cilantro often bolts too soon too. Can you believe I'm still getting cherry tomatoes? They're small, but they're packed with flavor compared the flacid but red thangs' in the grocery store.

kitsapFG said...

I love those harvests that keep coming from plants put in the ground long long ago. It's the best kind of gardening!

I hope you get some needed moisture soon. We on the otherhand are thoroughly enjoying having a break from our usual winter rains.

Stefaneener said...

Michelle, Lacinato is the fussy kale, in my experience. If it's set up well, it goes forever and a day, but anything wrong.. . poof! You could use pumped bathtub water
: )

Kristin, that reminds me that I wanted to post about singing in the garden. I do it all the time. Tomatoes sound crazy, but the volunteers by the beehive are flowering.

kitsapFG, thanks for your rain thoughts. I hope tomorrow!

Jennie said...

beautiful tatsoi, I have seen it some many times at our market we will have to give it a try next year

Daphne Gould said...

So pretty. I've never found that commercial transplants work very well for bok choy. It is such a fast maturing plant and bolts too easily when root bound. Very young transplants or direct seeding works better.

Mary Hysong said...

so far the only bolters here are the arugula that volunteered in the greenhouse last fall, they get way too warm. But that's ok, they become rabbit food. I'm waiting for some and rain and snow which isn't appearing. I know it won't be warm enough at night to plant any warm weather stuff for awhile yet and even then must be careful not to be too tempted because you never know when the weather will decide to change and give you snow...

Stefaneener said...

Team Dean, it's such a nice green. Tasty and easy to grow. I love the rosettes.

Daphne, I have such trouble with direct seeding. But you're right -- and I didn't water them carefully.

Mary Hysong, we aren't going to have snow, but it might get cold! The weather has been hard to predict.

My Urban Gardens said...

Your greens look yummy! :)

Lynn