Greens Harvest #2

The weather has finally shifted in the last two days and Spring feels like it has arrived in Oregon. Yesterday I was able to process my first lettuce harvest of the year. I started with the bed of "Heirloom Cutting Mix" from Renee's Garden. This is at least the third year that I have grown this mix and it is still my favorite. It's a blend of "Speckled Trout's Back", "Blush Butter Cos", "Red Ruffled Oak","Devil's Tongue", and "Sucrine". And since it comes from Renee's Garden, I can always count on a really even mix of all 5 varieties in every planting.

This stunner is a new-to-me varsity from Renee's Garden; "Sea of Red" lettuce. I wish it would have photographed a bit better. It is just a mass of deep, blood red leaves. Really a knock-out in the garden and it looks lovely in the salad bowl too.

I also harvested my first bunch of "Abundant Bloomsdale" spinach. While it is starting to perform well, I don't think this variety is a good fit for me. I haven't ever grown a heavily savoyed leaf spinach before. I discovered today that those pretty, deeply wrinkled leaves are a magnet for both dirt particles and baby slugs. As you can see there was a fair amount of damage before I picked anything. And then I had to spend a lot more time cleaning this variety than any of the other greens that I harvested. But that said, it is growing well and the leaves do look pretty in the salad bowl. So, my final harvest for today was:

• "Heirloom Cutting Mix" Lettuce; 4.1 oz
• "Sea of Red" lettuce; 1.1 oz
• "Abundant Bloomsdale" spinach; 6.1 oz.
• Total Harvest; 11.3 oz

Spinach Harvest #1

Yesterday was a bit a of a milestone in the Kitchen Garden; the first harvest for 2017. It has been such a challenging Spring. We had snow in March, a huge windstorm in April, and we have yet to hit 70 degrees this year. In fact, the last time it was 70 degrees or warmer was back in November. Cloudy skies, lots of rain and the occasional hailstorm, that's what Spring has been in the Willamette Valley this year.

Thankfully, in spite of all of this, Spinach is one tough vegetable. I seeded this raised bed way back on February 12th. With nothing more than a protective remay cover, it germinated and has slowly grown and matured. The "Gazelle" spinach, pictured above, came up first and is much more vigorous at this point.

The "Abundant Bloomsdale" was a good 7-10 days slower to germinate and the plants are lagging behind. They are healthy though and their savoyed leaves are really pretty. Time will tell if this variety will be as productive as "Gazelle". Here's the breakdown for today's harvest:

• "Gazelle" Spinach - 7.0 oz.
• "Abundant Bloomsdale" - 1.4 oz.

Transplanting Tomatoes and Spinach

One of the to things on my "to-do" list today was transplanting my "Ukrainian Purple" tomato plants. Almost every cell in which I dropped two seeds now has two baby tomato plants. And a couple of the cells have three. Apparently my seed planting has some quality control issues! All of the books I have read this Spring say you are suppose to take a small pair of scissors and cut off at ground level the smallest  plant in each cell. This doesn't cause any root disturbance. But I didn't have the heart to kill any of my new babies, so I gently divided each cell into single plants and transplanted them all into new, larger digs.

I now have 20 individual plants growing in 2" X 2" cells. This is way more tomato plants of this one variety than I need, but I figure it allows me some security if a few plants don't make it along the way. Plus it would be nice to have some plants to give away to friends.

Now that they are all settled into their new, roomier homes, they suddenly look so little and fragile once again. I am hoping that they will get over the transplant shock quickly and begin the process of growing their first set of true leaves.

After I finished up with the tomatoes, I headed over to the Kitchen Garden. My bed of spinach has been quietly and happily growing underneath its protective cover of remay. For the past few weeks, I have need to do a little thinning, especially in the four rows of "Gazelle" spinach. It came up faster and thicker than the "Abundant Bloomsdale" spinach did. 

I decided to try to transplant some of the "Gazelle" plants into some empty spaces in the four "Abundant Bloomsdale" rows. Of coarse I am attempting this on the first sunny day in a month, or so it seems. After I gently moved the plants and watered them in, they quickly began to wilt a bit. I am hoping, after the rains return tomorrow, the newly moved plants will bounce back and settle into their new space.

A row of "Abundant Bloomsdale" spinach.

Planting the Lettuce and Sweet Peas

Our second lovely day this month and it fell on the weekend - hooray! That meant that I had no excuse to stay inside. It was time to get outdoor and get some things off of my "to-do" list. I started in the Kitchen Garden. Dad helped me bring a load of Nature's Best around and we added it to some low spots in the garden. Then I got out my seed stash and planted the two remaining raised beds with lettuce seed. I planted one bed with nothing but "Heirloom Cutting Mix" from Renee's Garden. Then, in the next bed I planted 3 rows of "Sea of Red" from Renee's Garden, 3 rows of "Green Oakleaf" from Seed Savers Exchange, and one row of "Yugoslavian Red Butterhead" from Seed Savers Exchange. It appears that the worst of our Winter weather is over, and I am hoping the lettuce will germinate.

After I got the lettuce all planted and covered, I couldn't help but take a peak at the Spinach bed. The spinach is doing great and I really need to thin it soon. 

The "Gazelle" plants, that germinated first, are just now producing their first true leaves.

Last Fall, when the builders were completing our new deer fence, it was necessary to move my chives from the Kitchen Garden so they wouldn't be trampled on as the posts were set in. Today I dug up my clump from its temporary home in the front flowerbed and settled it back home in the Kitchen Garden. It is growing like mad right now. My hands and the air were filled with a strong onion scent as I dug it up and relocated it. With a good watering in, I don't think it will even know that it has been relocated once again. 

After finishing up in the Kitchen Garden, I moved over to the Sunset Flowerbed. I brought out the Sweet Pea tower and set it in a bare patch of ground that had some fresh Nature's Best worked into it.

Then I transplanted the two six-packs of "Royal Family Mix" sweet peas from Hayhurst Nursery. I also dug up and moved 4 sweet pea plants that had germinated from last year's planting.

They look so little now, but will soon attached themselves to the tower and quickly begin climbing upward. I can close my eyes and practically smell them already.

I finished the day by beginning to weed one of your two new flower beds in the front of the house. Over the Winter, the new grass from the lawn has invaded the bed and is taking it over. I worked and work and managed to get a 1' wide strip weeded all along the front edge of the bed. There is still a lot of work to be done but at least it is a good start.

Spinach - One Week Later

4 rows of "Gazelle" spinach

Yesterday, after the morning snowfall melted, I went out to the Kitchen Garden to check on my spinach bed. It has been such a week of mixed weather; a few mild days but also some cold days with freezing nights, and some snow! Thankfully spinach is tough and my little plants are doing well. I was especially happy to see that many more plants of "Abundant Bloomsdale" spinach had germinated during the past week. As of Sunday, my current count is 43 plants of "Gazelle" and 24 of "Abundant Bloomsdale". That is good enough germination that I will have plenty of plants to transplant if necessary and I will even have a bit of thinning to do. The spinach bed is off to a great start!

2 rows of newly emerging "Abundant Bloomsdale" spinach

Spinach Germination on a Snowy Morning

This morning we woke up to snow. It wasn't cold enough for the snow to stick, but the air was full of white, fluffy flakes. It lasted until about 10 AM and then we just had off and on again rain, with a few sun breaks.

I took advantage of a break in the weather to lift up the remay cover and check on my bed of spinach. It had been two weeks since I planted the bed and I was anxious to see if anything had yet germinated. I was so happy to see rows of little green spinach plants in half of the bed!

I planted the right side of the bed with 4 rows of "Gazelle". I have 25 plants up today and they look good. I can also see a few more just breaking through the soil, so I am confident that they haven't all sprouted. On the right side of the bed I have 4 rows of "Abundant Bloomsdale". At this point, I only have 3 plants that have germinated. I am hoping this is just a variety that takes a bit longer. The weather certainly hasn't been conducive to great germination, even for cold tolerant spinach. So I will sit back and wait, hoping that next week's look under the remay finds more germination in the spinach bed.

A young plant of "Abundant Bloomsdale".

Planting the Spinach

Another mild day. Unfortunately we didn't get the extended sunny breaks that we saw yesterday but it was still a nice, overcast, 45 degree day outside. I decided it was also the perfect day to officially kick off the 2017 gardening season. Spinach planting day! Last year on the 14th of February - this exact weekend - I direct seeded lettuce and spinach seed. I had never done it this early but the weather was so mild, I decided to give a try. My experiment paid off and I was harvesting greens by April 11th.

While this Winter has been much colder and wetter than last year, February has brought the return of milder temperatures. So I have decided to repeat last year's experiment. I began the day, with Dad's assistance, by hauling three loads of Natures Best to the Kitchen Garden and building 3 raised beds. Then I got out my seed stash and planted one bed with Spinach. I seeded half the bed with "Gazelle" a smooth leaf variety, and the other half with "Abundant Bloomsdale" a savoyed leaf variety. I planted 4 rows of each in the bed and then covered the bed with a hoop and remay fabric. I hope to direct seed the other two beds with lettuce over the next few weeks. I would like it to warm up, and dry out, just a little more. For now its time to just sit back and see if the Spinach germinates. We are off and running!

Greens Harvest - Week #9

Welcome to the 9th and final harvest report for my Spring Greens. Yesterday I harvested and then pulled out my 3rd and final raised bed. The lettuce and spinach were beginning to bolt and the leaves were showing some heavy bug damage. The three beds will now transition into winter squash beds but it is my hope that this Fall I will reseed them with salad greens for a long Fall harvest. For the final Spring harvest I was able to harvest two varieties:

• "Heirloom Cutting Mix" lettuce - 12.0 oz.
• "Charger" spinach -  7.2 oz.
• Total week #9 harvest - 17.2 oz.

I am really happy with my total Spring harvest. My February seeding was an experiment that paid off and allowed me easily an extra month of harvest. That extra harvest time was needed since I lost a fair amount of expected harvesting due to early bolting. The Arugula and Mustard were especially sensitive to the April heat and shut down almost immediately as we hit 80 degree weather. My Spring 2016 Greens total harvest:

• "Heirloom Cutting Mix" lettuce - 29.1 oz
• ""Charger" spinach - 18.2 oz.
• "Sweet Greens and Reds" lettuce -12.3 oz.
• "Catalina" spinach - 8.3 oz.
• "Wasabi" arugula - .2 oz.
• "Renee's Baby Leaf Blend" lettuce - 2.9 oz.
• "Mild Mustard Mix" mustard - 2.7 oz.
• Total Spring Harvest - 4 lbs. 9.7 oz.

Greens Harvest -Week #7

"Red Ruffled Oak" Lettuce

With rain showers threatening most of the day yesterday, I managed to find a dry spell and pick some more greens for another weeks worth of salads. All three beds are packed right now, the greens filling up every inch and pressing against the protective remay in all directions. I have been harvesting from these beds for almost 2 months now and the plants are starting to near the end. The timing is good as I need to transition these beds from Spring salad greens to Summer winter squash. But I will miss coming out here each week, to admire the amazing beauty and diversity found in simple salad greens and to harvest my family's weekly bounty. Here is this week's harvest;

• "Heirloom Cutting Mix" Leaf Lettuce - 9.0 oz.
• "Charger" Spinach - 5.3 oz
• Total - 14.3 oz

Greens Harvest - Week #5

The greens in all 3 raised beds are just exploding right now. Between the warm weather and regular watering, it is hard for me to keep up with the harvest. I said our new mantra this week needs to be " eat more salads!" It is such a time of lush growth but I know also that this time is limited. By the end of the month the greens will be petering out and it will be time for some Winter Squash to take this real estate. But until then we get to enjoy our nightly, local salad. This week's harvest;

• "Heirloom Cutting Mix" Lettuce - 4.8 oz
• "Catalina" Spinach - 3.6 oz
• "Sweet Greens and Reds" Lettuce -6.0 oz
• "Charger" Spinach -4.0 oz
• Total - 1 lb. 2.4 oz.

Greens Harvest - Week #3

On Saturday I managed to find a window between the rain showers to harvest some salad greens. As I lifted the row cover from the first bed, I discovered that the Wasabi" arugula had bolted. It wasn't a complete shock, thanks to a warning I received last week from Dave at Our Happy Acres telling me arugula was quick to bolt when temperatures rose.

It was a little frustrating though, since I hadn't even harvested any yet. So I took some small scissors and cut what I could away from the bloom stocks. I couldn't resist popping two small leaves in my mouth to see if this really, truly did taste like wasabi. The answer quickly came as my mouth caught fire, my nose begin to tingle, and I started coughing. It tastes exactly like wasabi! My sister, the heat lover of the family agreed. She did comment though, once she mixed it with other greens and poured dressing on the salad, she could no longer taste the wasabi flavor or feel any heat. What a fun variety to experiment with. Thanks Territorial Seed!

The greens have really started to come on this week. Just two weeks ago it was difficult to pick enough for 3 small dinner salads. Today I could pick that amount from any one of the three raised beds.

 Along with my garden helper Padma, we harvested:

• "Heirloom Cutting Mix" Lettuce - 1.7 oz
• "Charger" Spinach - 1.7 oz
• "Sweet Greens and Reds" Lettuce - 2.0 oz
• "Catalina" Spinach - 2.3 oz
• "Wasabi" Arugula - .2 oz
• "Renee's Baby Leaf Blend" Lettuce - 1.7 oz
• "Mild Mustard Mix" - 1.0 oz
• Total Harvest - 10.6 oz.

 

Second Harvest of the Year

"Speckled Troutback" Lettuce

Another beautiful Sunday, with the high hitting 80 degrees. It sure doesn't feel like April in Oregon! I finally had time in the late afternoon to head to the Kitchen Garden and harvest another round of salad greens.

When I lifted the remay cover off of the first bed, I was surprised to see some bloom stalks in the mustard. This is my first year growing mustard, so I am learning as I go. Perhaps it is very sensitive to heat, and these warms days that we have had in the last week has inspired it to bolt?

Next door, the "Wasabi" arugula is making a valiant fight against the "Catalina" spinach. The will to survive is stronger than the gardener's planting mishaps! I just might be able to harvest some arugula after all. So here is the summery of this weeks harvest:

• "Heirloom Cutting Mix" lettuce - 1.2 oz
• "Sweet Greens and Reds" lettuce - 1.2 oz
• "Catalina" spinach - 1.4 oz
• "Renee's Baby Leaf Blend" lettuce - 1.0 oz
• "Mild Mustard Mix" - 1.1 oz
• Total harvest - 5.9 oz

"Renee's Baby Leaf Blend" lettuce

The First Greens Harvest of the Year

A bed of "Heirloom Cutting Mix" lettuce

Yesterday evening I harvested my first picking of salad greens. These three raised beds were seeded back on February 13th, as an experiment to see how early I could plant, and then harvest, salad greens in this mild El Nino year. Last year I planted seed on April 12th and had my first harvest May 25th. So, it took much longer for the plants to mature this year - due I am sure to cooler temperature and less daylight in February and March, but I was still able to push my first harvest date back 6 weeks. I would call this a success!

A vibrant bed of "Sweet Greens and Reds" Lettuce

My crazy bed of Catalina" spinach and ""Wasabi" arugula. Yes, this was a seeding mistake but I am rolling with it! May the toughest plants survive. 

" Renee's Baby Leaf Blend" lettuce

With the Spring "heat wave" we had this past week, with high temperatures reaching 80 degrees, all of the greens really took off. Their growth in just one week was significant.

"Mild Mustard Mix"

So, I don't have a huge harvest total to report, but I am pleased with my first harvest all the same;

• "Heirloom Cutting Mix" Lettuce - .4 oz.
• "Catalina" Spinach - 1.0 oz.
• "Sweet Greens and Reds" Lettuce - .5 oz.
• "Renee's Baby Leaf Blend" Lettuce - .2 oz
• "Mild Mustard Mix" Mustard - .6 oz
• Total harvest 2.7 oz