As Durgan has pointed out, pictures can say a lot more than just words! My vegetable garden is just starting to get going and today I was out doing a bit of clean up - removing all the old leaves from my collards and the dead rhubarb stems from last years growth getting the peach tree dormant sprayed and the start of the weeding done (my but the weeds get off to an early start!). I still need to clean up the leaves (dig them in actually) from the fall but that can wait for another day. So, here is what is happening in March . . . . Some collards plants with their ratty, slug and snail chewed leaves removed. They look good enough to eat now! Collards-1 Collards-2 This patch of rhubarb is getting a bit big to manage now. Rhubarb Eventually I would like to get all the garlic out of my leek bed! Leeks and Garlic Here are 3 tubers from the 2006 crop - I have another 2 x 5 gallon plastic buckets full. There's going to be lots of artichoke relish and artichoke saute this year! Jerusalem Artichokes
Hello Anne58: 12 March 2007.Very nice. The pictures are wonderful to see. So much more interesting than just plain text. I planted in the basement artichoke seed (Green Globe Improved) today. This is my first attempt. I have never tried the Jerusalum Artichokes. I understand one just eats the roots? Some of your last year's pictures would be informative to me. My Okra seedlings are sprouting, another first attempt. I went to William Dam Seeds http://xrl.us/vakf just down the road from me with every type of seed imaginable, and bought some watermellon seeds. Last year I grew Sugarbaby and they were excellent, so this year I am going to try the bigger types.
Hi Durgan, In case you don't know, Okra is one of those plants that do not do well until it is warm. I could plant seeds in ground now and then again in a month-- the ones planted next month would outgrow the ones planted now in a matter of weeks-- anything below about 40 will turn them yellow and stunt them. Skeet
Thanks for the information. I will be very careful and not plant until June. Usually I try to jump the gun with sometimes predictable results. Three consectutive warms days does not a summer make. Durgan.
Hi AlexH, Not a silly question . . . the leaves can be steamed and eaten like spinach or chard. I've also used then in soup as well. Collards are a great crop for fall, winter and spring picking. Once the cooler weather arrives the aphids disappear and the plant are able to grow slowly all winter in our West Coast climate. The plants flower in their second year and I pick the unopened flower bracts and use them as you would broccoli but they cook much quicker :o)
The collards have started sending up their flower heads now - this happens when the plants are in their 2nd year - so I was out today getting my version of poor man's broccoli for supper! Cutting off the main flower stalk makes the plants produce additional smaller flower stalks along the stem at each leaf joint so I'll have lots more in the weeks to come. :o) (Sorry, no pics - camera was at work with my husband) Anne
