Grow Your Own – It’s A Jungle Out There

by John Weckerle

Senior Agricultural Security Correspondent Wilson demonstrates proper pest prevention positioning and his signature "Baleful Bunny Stare." This has not saved the chard, but everything else appears untouched.

Well, it’s almost a jungle, and it’s looking like it may get there soon.  Thus far, Beds 4 and 5 have produced a few very tasty nibbles: a snow pea here, a green bean there, and the radishes – ah, the radishes.  They’re delicious, and they are (or will be) many.  The first of the yellow summer squash will be ready today or tomorrow, and we’re already ready for them.

Bed 4, our “veggie decor” bed, appears to be a success.  The cabbages, which are just beginning to form heads, are a couple of feet across and flourishing.  Four of the six cauliflower plants have begun forming heads, as well, and we suspect that the other two are just a couple of days behind.  It is from Bed 4 that we’ve been sampling the snow peas and green beans, and we can take kale, thyme, basil, and oregano any time we like – although kale is best held until cool weather.  The bell peppers and eggplant remain an uncertainty; these may be affected by the shade from the surprisingly-resurrected trumpet vine, which has yet to produce any flower buds but which has grown from the ground to a height of six feet in about a month.

Bed 5 is the future ex-home of the radishes (did we mention that they’re delicious?), and the soon-to-be source of the yellow squash (and soon after that, zucchini).  The first tomato from Bed 5 has been eaten, but major production is still a way down the road.  The romaine lettuce is doing well, and the carrots and mesclun are coming along nicely.  There are a few little fruits on the red bell pepper plant; the green beans in both beds look great; and the cucumbers have begun to flower.  It remains to be seen whether the squashes will produce enough male flowers all at once to make a meal – but if they do, we’ll make sure and let our readers know how it comes out.  The broccoli has yet to show any heads, but is growing nicely.  All in all, we anticipate a bountiful, tasty, and lengthy harvest from Bed 5.

Bed 5 showing broccoli, peppers, green beans, squash, zucchini, dill, basil, cucumbers, three varieties of tomatoes, and cosmos. Not shown because they were too close to the door through which we shot the picture: carrots, mesclun, romain lettuce, and radishes.

In another week or two, it’ll be time to plant some winter squash seeds, and possibly more of the other cool-season vegetables – more broccoli, cabbage, spinach, mustard greens, collards, rhubarb, kale and chard – as well.  These will be planted both in the vacant spaces and among the summer crops.  This succession planting is part of our strategy to attempt a year-round harvest.  We may not be eating tomatoes in January, but we certainly wouldn’t turn our noses up at some kale and white bean stew if we can have it.  Not to mention salad.  And maybe some squash pie for dessert.

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