Delicious December

      It is quite unusual to be be able to pick many different veggies fresh from the garden in December.  But then again, not every winter has an El Nino believed to be the biggest in history.  Maybe harvests will continue awhile longer for the cold tolerant crops.  All pictures below are from today, 12/27/15.

Flat Leafed Kale

      Here are two more kale plants that volunteered from under a stack of flowered and seeded plants that were piled here in late spring.  It is actually surprising that there were not dozens of volunteers.  This strain seems to be very cold hardy.  I am hoping for them to survive this expectedly mild winter.

Lacinto Kale

      The darker kale in the middle of this picture is one of the kalette plants that I cloned earlier in the spring. The lighter kale surrounding the kalette is Red Russian kale.  From the similarities in the leaf form, I believe that Red Russian was the kale used in the cross with brussel sprouts to make kalettes.

      These plants are Florida Broadleaf Mustard that volunteered.  I even have some growing in the lawn where they seeded.  If only we would remember to harvest and eat it once in awhile.

The voles missed these two Swiss Chard plants

      These are Russian Red garlic plants that have sprouted from bulbs that never got harvested in July.  They will be needed to be transplanted in the spring to assure a crop for next summer.  Some will be eaten as green garlic over the winter.

Leeks, not garlic

Fresh mint still available

Smaller cold frame

      The cold frames have not been necessary so far because of the warmer weather.  However the deer have not figured out how to pull off the glass, so our lettuce is protected.  There are three tatsoi in the above frame.  Let's take a closer look.

They are beautiful

Squash Trellis in Early July

      This trellis is a vertical home to various climbers of the squash family: Boston pickling cucumbers, poona khera cucumbers, buttercup squash, marina di choggia squash, butternut squash, swan gourd, pointsett cucumbers, white cucumbers, and green dragon cucumbers.  I think I better reinforce some of the vertical supports.

           Right behind the squash trellis is the Kennebec potato patch.  The out of control potato patch.  The potato patch that is spilling everywhere.  In about ten days I am going to harvest the whole patch for what will be smaller potatoes.  That will give the squash plants room to ramble.  Here is the potato patch from the other direction.

      The squash trellis is on the right.  In the foreground is an artichoke plant in a large flower pot.  Note the humidity in the picture.  It is going to be quite unpleasant working outside today.

      The garlic patch is to the right of the potato patch.  The tall garlic in front is "Music", and to the left of that patch is a shorter stand of "Red Russian".  I may have to harvest the garlic today as the tropical system Arthur may dump a lot of rain on us tomorrow.  Not what you want at harvest and curing time.

      There is a bed of beans next to the potato patch which so far have not been overrun.  Then to the left of the beans is the tomato trellis.  It is time now to trim and tie the tomato plants to the uprights.  Time to go to work on some of these things.