Spring is officially here and the days are slowly stretching their way towards April. Let's take a quick look into the March garden.
 |
| Aji Amarillo. There must be 40 peppers hanging on this plant right now! Crossing my fingers that they ripen before the fruit flies return. |
 |
| The main bulb was harvested a few weeks ago. Cut and come again fennel! |
 |
| Asparagus shoots. Literally. They can grow 6-12" a day. |
 |
| Kale side shoots after the growing tip was destroyed. Perfect for baby kale salad. |
 |
| Purple peacock broccoli with Pumba onion transplants in the background. |
 |
| Pickle worm damage on cucumber. |
 |
| More pickle worm damage, entry hole with frass. |
 |
| Here pickle worm damage has extended from the fruit to the stems. Damage was swift with persistent and heavy pressure This is a rural area and i doubt there are too many other curcurbits in the neighborhood. There must be a local host although i have not seen it mentioned in the literature. |
 |
| Bad picture of a great little vegetable, extra dwarf bok choy. Thirty days to maturity, fun to float in a hot bowl of ramen. |
 |
| Another bad picture! This is a patch of Runway Arugula. Less bitter but retains a nice peppery bite. |
 |
| More Romanesco, sporting a purple haze. |
 |
| Here is a busy picture. Taiching 13 sugar pea climbing the trellis in the background. Jaune du Doubs and Purple Dragon carrots loom over a second planting of Atomic Red. |
 |
| Golden Sweet Pea. A four foot planting (6' spacing) yields two generous pickings a week. |
 |
More Chard. Pink Lipstick mixed with Prima
Rosa. |
 |
| Blush tomato on the left, Indigo Rose on the right. Blush is putting out a LOT of leaf in comparison to fruit. The Indigo Rose has less leaf, a good number of unripe fruit. Height is about the same, maybe 5', with the first fruits just ripening. |
 |
| Indigo Rose |
 |
| Blush |
 |
| New lettuce planting from Wild Garden Seed, lost track of the variety. |
Lots and lots of rain this month. The peas are pumping, tomatoes are slow to ripen. Zucchini and cucumber have been pulled out. Chard looks great but the cabbage moth butterflies have found the garden and are hitting the Lacinato and cauliflower starts pretty hard. The wild red kales are holding up great. Harvested the last of the broccoli, should have planted a second, succession crop. Should have planted cauliflower starts sooner. Transplanting onions and leeks like crazy. The un-transplanted ones are just starting to bulb up. Red Coach seeds did not arrive until January so too small for transplanting or bulbing. Harvested amazing, technicolor beets.Garlic looks like crap. Asparagus coming out of our ears!
How's your garden coming along?
4 comments:
Pickle worms! Are they arriving as moths -at night? If they are, you might be able to drop a lightweight row cover at sundown, the pull off next morning?
Wow, those Indigo Rose 'maters look great - how's the flavor? I am SO jealous of those veggies - my garden is just starting to take form, with lots of grass clippings to be piled in layers with dirt and cardboard.
That is EXACTLY how you would manage against the Pickle Worm damage Barry! Too bad I am too lazy for all that covering and uncovering; )
So far the flavor is fair but keep in mind that it has been especially cool and wet. I find the tomatoes all have better flavor when they are ripening in the hot, dry months of September/October. But there are more bugs competing for a harvest at that time of the year, too, so it's a trade off.I've also been picking them when they are only partially ripe and letting them finish on the countertop because I am competing with the feral chickens at this time of year. Always something ; ) And really, only a handful have been ready for eating so far so I should have a better answer in a few weeks. Sure are pretty tho'. And beat store bought on just about any day!
Still too soon to start your garden? I see a hoop house in your future Barry ; ) And goats. Cute little miniature goats to help you with all that blackberry!
Wow Julie your garden looks AWESOME!! Now that I'm in Maui Meadows I can relate to your year round bug problem as they are so much worse here than in Keonekai. I have had to cover just about everything with tulle tents, row covers or the organza bags. Your tomatoes look great! I loved the Indigo Rose - I'm happy to see they are growing well for you too.
Thanks Jane ; )) The rain makes ALL the difference.
Being a lazy gardener I am always searching for the easiest way to bring in a harvest but it is good to have the agribon-like products to fall back on. Sooo much better than poison! Have you tried the new micro mesh product? Offered by Johnny's and Territorial I think.
I did not show the garlic in this post because it looks so bad! Any advice??
Post a Comment