Every morning I go out to harvest my tomatoes. They have garnered most of my attention in the last few weeks. On the way to the plants I pass by a small section of row covered brassicas. I don't look at them often. It is not their season to produce. The poor things have been ignored.
These plants were seeded inside on June 10th and potted up at the beginning of July. They were put out into the garden on July 21st. Since then I've not even looked at them. They are covred up by a row cover so a bit hard to see, so they tend to be forgotten. Yesterday as I walked by they were yelling at me in robust voices, "Let me out!" They were pushing against the row cover with all their might. They didn't like being constrained.
So I peeked under and I have some very healthy broccoli, kale, and Chinese cabbage.
Sadly I also have some very healthy weeds. I started pulling the weeds until I remembered that I didn't have time to weed a bed. I take a class on Saturdays and can't spend all morning in the garden. I had to pick my harvest and bring it and and get it washed up. There was no time for weeding. Do you ever do that to yourself? I mean to go out to the garden for one thing and then I end up doing something totally different.
Since I had two patches of brassica in the garden, I figured I'd peek under the other row cover. They seem to be growing well too. This bed has all the same plants as the last, but also has mizuna, tatsoi, and komatsuna. Plus the row cover is taller so the plants don't get squished. The plants here aren't quite as large. This bed isn't in full sun so things don't grow as well, but still they grow, so the bed is used.
Yes I often get sidetracked in the garden, and realize by the end of the day, I have never really completed one project.
ReplyDeleteYour brassica beds look fantastic, Daphne! I didn't see a single weed in the second one, either, and I'm sure you'll get the first bed cleaned up in no time. Kudos!!! So, what class are you taking? I don't even know and I'm already jealous!
ReplyDeleteYour fall crops are looking excellent. Makes me wish I started more things when I seed the broccoli, brussels sprouts & celery. I'm not sure how well my late broccoli is going to do. They seem to be growing thin stems with the leaves spaced very closely, almost looks like bolting.
ReplyDeleteI totally do that too. I go out intent on taking care of something very quickly and then not only do that but two other things as well. This can be a problem sometimes when I do that before going to work and then end up running late as a result.
ReplyDeleteThe fall crops look like they are doing well. Good work!
I get side tracked so often it makes my head spin...I am so glad I'm not the only one! Lovely brassica! Kim
ReplyDeletekeewee, now I have to go out and get that done since it is just partially weeded.
ReplyDeleteour friend Ben, I take dance class. The second one had no weeds because it was well mulched with compost. This one got coffee grounds and eggshells. I figured without mulch and with dettractants my slugs wouldn't eat all the brassicas so I did the beds differently.
Dan, hmm can you call it bolting when you want the flower bud? Hopefully you will at least get some broccoli. This spring mine didn't give me much. I hope this fall I get a good harvest.
kitsapFG, I hate being late to things. I'm usually so good about it, but the garden will distract me.
the inadvertent farmer, lol yeah me too. I didn't know how widespread it was until you all confessed to it too.
ReplyDeleteI consider it not so much "getting distracted" as "experiencing flow," a la Mihály Csíkszentmihályi -- I'm so at peace and so engaged I lose track of outside life.
ReplyDeleteThen someone yells "Maaaaamaaaaa!" and it stops.
I totally do that!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting us peek under your row covers! Where did you get your covers? I need to get some!
Stefaneener, I don't think I could pronounce that name. But I get you on the Maaaaa! My kids are older now, but I still remember.
ReplyDeleteToni, the one that I showed I bought 20 years ago. I love it better than my other ones that I got a decade ago (from Johnnys). The ones you see are woven ones, not the remay that we typically get. I've only seen the woven ones in the UK. Sigh. The woven ones let the water and light through better and I can see my veg through the cover. The remay is much more opaque. It keeps the warmth in better but isn't as good for summer brassica growing. Sadly as I tried to make more growing room for the broccoli, I ripped it. It was my last one of this kind. Now I'm stuck with remay for a while. BTW most of the online places will sell different weights of remay. Mine were from Johnnys but tons of places sell them. Pinetree (www.superseeds.com) sells it by the foot so you can get as much or as little as you want.
Thanks Daphne for your reply comment about your row covers... now I have a better idea what to look for!
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