Today, it looks like this:
Isn't nature amazing? That's some mesclun closest to the camera, then oak leaf lettuce, spinach and radishes in the back. We've been eating our own home-grown lettuce and spinach for weeks and today I harvested our first radishes.
I think radishes are like the crocuses of the vegetable world: not amazing enough to really want all year round, but as a symbol of wonderful things to come they can't be beat. They're both harbingers, of a sort.
In the meantime, though, I can't get too distracted. The heart of the summer planting season is
just around the corner (if we can get a break from this nasty, windy, hail-ridden weather - another round is expected tonight and tomorrow night). A few weeks ago we had several days of near 80 degree temperatures and some of the spinach started to bolt! So as I happy as I am with the lettuce and radish bed I have to start thinking of transitioning it to its next stage. During the heart of the summer it will be home to Malabar spinach. This is the first year I've grown Malabar spinach, so we'll see how that goes.In the meantime I'll enjoy a few more weeks of fresh lettuce, spinach and radishes and start dreaming of fresh, ripe tomatoes and cucumbers.
--Rational Mama
Rational momma I have a gardening question for you. A friend has offered me space to plant okra and eggplant. I have bought eggplant plants in the past so I have that covered. But what about okra? Is it a seed or are there plants to be had?
ReplyDeleteJean - you can do either seeds or plants. If you're doing seed I'd definitely start them sooner rather than later. I recommend something like a clemson spineless, and to get enough to pickle I'd recommend at least 5 plants.
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