A quick update on the garden as we approach the heart of summer:
Spinach: All the spinach I planted in the spring has finally bolted, so I pulled it. I planted more, but the pole beans are growing slower than expected, so I don’t think the new plantings will have enough shade. Spinach likes to bolt early when it’s warm. Time will tell.
Radishes: We had such a glut of radishes that what remained was giant and woody. I pulled those (and added them to the compost pile) and now have a free spot in the garden. I’ll probably let the squash migrate into that plot.
Tomatoes and Cukes: Going crazy. I have a few small, green tomatoes. No cuke flowers yet.
Beets: We have already had a few sidedishes of beet greens, and we recently began to harvest the roots. Beets are INCREDIBLY easy to grow. And I’m quite partial to sliced beets.[1]
Corn: Going strong. About 2.5-3 feet tall.
Carrots: Also doing really well. I snuck one to munch on earlier this week. Nice and sweet, but they’ve got a little more growing to do.
The aforementioned Pole Beans: Coming along slowly. We’ve had very wet, cool weather. I wonder if that’s affecting them. The Cornell Cooperative Extension says that bloom time is mid to late summer, so I’m not too worried yet. On the plus side, they’re starting to climb the tent.
That’s all for now.
- Kathleen’s recipe: a dressing of apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt, and a pinch of sugar; a little mustard powder keeps it nicely emulsified. I added some sliced onions to a smelly – but tasty – effect. [back]
