In the Heat of Summer
For vegetable gardening enthusiasts, keeping up with the life cycles of various vegetables can be a challenge. So many hours in the heat of late has many of our carefully cultivated plantings wilted, bolted or singed around the edges. Peggy O’Brien of Edible Views has some worthwhile insight on the managing and harvesting of our backyard crops…
The first wave of lettuces has passed, but even the bitter greens still have their benefits and nutrients. Seeds and starts have been set in motion to come back with another round of salad pizzazz.
Garlic has been harvested and prepared to cure and has been replaced with seedlings of broccoli, cauliflower and cucumber.
Potatoes are ready, as is the first wave of carrots. Zucchini is loving this heat, as are herbs (e.g., basil, oregano, cilantro, and fennel). The cilantro bolts and goes to seed so fast -- their coriander seeds are half for re-seeding and half for grinding up with mustard and cumin seed for a balance of spice to add to the bottom of a pan of hot olive oil, garlic and onion. A great foundation for just about anything.
Tomatoes, too, are settling into the dry sunny days -- soon to be producing the base for sauce, sandwiches and much more. Lima beans and black turtle beans are coming along. The first crop of green beans is nearly done, and the next ones have just gone in.
Kids and adults alike are already picking the plums and apples – and are in keen anticipation of the peaches that will soon be ripe for the picking
The other day I gave a friend a couple of bulbs of kohlrabi to try. I harvested a few for myself, and experimented with a new recipe: I peeled and chopped them and mixed them up with some hard boiled eggs. I also tossed in chopped radish, string beans, scapes and scallions, a few spoonfuls of mayo, pepper and Bragg's Liquid Aminos and there was lunch.
The dish was a tremendous success and of course, it’s so satisfying to know these lucious ingredients can come from your own backyard garden.
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