This and That

The last two days have been busy in the garden. Yesterday was mainly harvesting. I figured I'd do all of that yesterday and then just plant today. But it never works out like that. I swear at this point most of my time is harvesting. Putting in a 4'x8' bed is only about 20 minutes. Harvesting and storage time takes so long.

I started with the Swiss chard. They look so pretty it is a shame to have them under a row cover, but the leaf miners would destroy every leaf otherwise. Behind them are two rows of broccoli. The Windsor is already heading up. That will need picking soon too. There was over 6 lbs of chard to pick. I gave it all to a friend - a poor college student that wanted something to freeze. Chard was perfect for that. Every time I harvest can't help but notice that I have way WAY too much chard in the garden. The garden is producing about three pounds of chard a week and who can eat all that? It only has 12 sqft of space and has already produced 11 lbs of leaves and it is just the beginning of June. Chard is such a powerhouse of production.

Then it was on to the peas. It was the first pea harvest.

So of course I needed to eat them last night for dinner. Granny was saying how she has such simple dinners. But really? Gravy, mashed potatoes, hamburger, and a mix of veggies? Way too complicated. Now this is a simple meal. Half a pound of peas and a sloppy joe. OK and wine. I had just had my first fillings in decades and was very stressed out. I had not one but two glasses of wine.

Anyway back to the story. I harvested my strawberries. Then it was on to the bed that would hold my sweet potatoes.

Messy isn't it? Not that I could tell since it was under the row cover. The last of the Asian greens needed to be picked. In this photo you can't even tell there is anything edible in there.

But change the angle just a bit and narrow in and you can see all the yummy Asian greens. A little under nine pounds of them. I didn't do anything else to the bed yesterday. I figured I'd pull the weedy plants today and just do the harvests yesterday. But that wasn't to be.

This morning as I went out I noticed what was left in the bed. Some of those weeds were dill. Pounds of dill. So I got a good harvest. I also noticed that the herbs were starting to flower. Whoops. I like to pick and dry them before they do that. So I chopped down the oregano and put it in the dehydrator. Then I chopped down the English thyme. The French thyme was already in full flower so I'll do that one after it is done flowering. Then as I was getting my trowel I noticed the garlic scapes were out. So I took some time to harvest them. Hmmm I wonder if garlic scapes and peas would be good together.

But I finally did get around to putting in the last bed of sweet potatoes. I planted mostly Beauregard, but I did have two Garnet slips which I put in the two extended corners. They are in a grid 12"x13". So these have more space than my other ones I put in earlier. I usually take the photo in the other direction, which is my view from the sliding door in the kitchen. But I figured I'd take it the other way this time so you can see how close my kitchen steps are to the garden. It is pretty easy to grab some herbs from the herb garden whenever I need them. I don't even put on my shoes.

I did a few other things too. I did some weeding. I got the flowers planted in the front flower pot, but I didn't have a left over slip for pretty foliage draping down the sides of the pot. I think I'll let another one root. And lastly I got the above trellis for the raspberries finished. This photo also looks toward my kitchen steps. Everyone always asks what the rust colored things are. They are my bulkheads to go down into the basement. One for me, one for my townhouse mates.

So I finally got my chores done and I cleaned up. I checked the weather. And noticed that Monday-Wednesday next week is supposed to be only 60F with one day in the 50s. Starting tomorrow it is supposed to rain for six days. Sob. I hate the weather this year. Up down up down. The poor plants are so confused and I just planted my heat loving sweet potatoes. My melons just came up. They don't want cold wet weather. Hopefully they will all be fine and not give up from shock. Heck hopefully I will be fine and won't give up from shock. What is Mother Nature thinking this year?