The seedlings I planted a few days ago are starting to come up. The lettuce is up and one sunflower. I'm going to have to start my cucurbits soon and they can join the party. The only old seedlings I have are my lemon basil which really should be planted and my eggplant (I'm not counting my extras from things already planted). They have roots coming out of the bottom and should be planted soon. They were seeded on April 16th. I was thinking they would take six weeks to mature, but four weeks seems sufficient. The Slim Jim variety is much bigger than the Lavender Touch.
While I was photographing them I noticed that their leaves had been munched on. How did a caterpillar get in my laundry room? I search all the eggplant leaves and couldn't find him. I finally found it on my pineapple tomatillo. He was summarily ejected.
My greens harvesting has continued. Though today I really need to pick the spinach again. I wasn't going to harvest again until I'd finished all those greens I picked, but when something needs to be picked sometimes it just can't wait.
Total harvested (5/12-5/17):
- Cilantro .5 oz
- Lemon Balm 1.5 oz
- Tatsoi .5 oz
- Fun Jen 4 oz
- Mizuna 1.5 oz
- Komatsuna 6 oz
- Tyfon 3.25 oz
- Radish 5 oz
I had a cabbage moth in my laundry room in March. I have no idea how these "bugs" can find us everywhere!
ReplyDeleteYour greens look so good. I need to get adventurous and try some chard. I've never tasted it. I wonder if it would be real susceptible to leaf miners. My beets are now being ravaged by them.
Okay, Daphne, 'fess up! How do you prepare your Swiss chard? I'm growing it with kale, curly parsley, and lettuces in planters on the deck, where it looks great but won't reach harvest size for a while. I've always loved the look but found the taste a bit muddy, so I'd appreciate any tips. Thanks!!!
ReplyDeleteAnnie's Granny, Well chard is Beta vulgaris so it is basically a beet that is grown for its leaves not the roots. And yes it gets leaf miners just like beets do. I don't have any in mine because I go through the leaves and pick off all the eggs every couple of days. I have eight plants and it just takes a couple of minutes. It would be a lot more if you let your plant get huge, but I make sure the leaves are well harvested during leaf miner attacks (here about four times a year) this means I only have to check a few leaves on each plant and not 20.
ReplyDeleteour friend Ben, I actually prepare it fairly simply. I cut the ribs out of the chard. I really hate beets and the stems taste like beets to me. I save them for soups or toss them. I cut the leaves into 1/2" strips. Then I saute a bit of garlic in olive oil and throw in the greens and a bit of chicken broth (if I have it otherwise water) to steam them. I saute them just until they wilt. Once it is done I sprinkle it with rice wine vinegar. Oh sometimes I add Thai chili paste too, but not usually. Everyone's tastes are so different. I, for instance, hate arugula, which your household loves. So it could be that our tastes are very different.
Delicious greens. Sorry to hear about the caterpillar but glad that you have ejected him!
ReplyDeleteI love your straw basket! Very cute!
Looking great, Daphne! I think I may have to give some of those greens a try. I have some lettuce that may end up in the compost heap if I don't get out there to harvest soon- I guess everyone is getting tired of salads, even though the ingredients change...everyone except me, of course!
ReplyDeleteBoy, those caterpillars can do some dmage - that's for sure. Your greens look really good...
ReplyDeleteYour greens look great.
ReplyDeleteI find that chard is an apt substitute for spinach in many cooked recipes. We use it in a spanikopita pie recipe from the NYtimes that is really good.
We also saute it with red pepper flakes, pepperoni and then top with lemon juice.
I can't wait for that chard!
Sneaky little catepillar but good that you found him. Yes, greens are the thing this time of year. I'm definitely harvesting my fair share. In fact, I declared May salad month: a salad a day.
ReplyDeleteNice greens harvest. I have enjoyed the spinach I harvested, I have really never tried spinach before. I can't wait to try the chard you sent. I really should have planted the transplants today, they will definitely make it into the soil tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteDP Nguyen, I finally found out where that caterpillar came from. I brought him in! Yesterday I came in and was covered in them. I'm just surprised it found its way to the plants.
ReplyDeleteDirtDigger, Sadly I'm the only one eating the greens. The rest of my family hates them. I actually do have my two kids home, but they aren't touching it. I think if I get overwhelmed I'll start giving them to my friends.
EG, They do eat things very quickly. I was surprised to see him so big when there was so little damage yet. But then he probably only got into the house recently.
Emily, Thanks, I use chard occasionally as a substitute for spinach too. I've put it in spinach lasagnas. It isn't quite as good for that but works well in the summer.
Ottawa Gardener, it is salad month isn't it. That and cooked greens month. I've had nothing else for vegetables. Well I confess I'm still using up the last of the winter squash and my daughter loves squash casserole so we had that twice this last week. I also bought her broccoli, but she won't eat my greens and will eat that.
Dan, wow never tried spinach? It was my favorite veggie as a child. I love the stuff and rarely eat it anyway but boiled with red wine vinegar on top. I guess it is comfort food to me. Weird I know. I harvested my chard yesterday. When I did seedlings I tried to thin the seeds to different colors so I have a nice rainbow in 8 plants.