Fenton Friday: A Leap Forward

first ripe strawberry of the season

What a difference a week makes! From below-freezing to practically 90-degrees! Suddenly, many plants that were in a holding pattern last week are putting on great growth.

The peas are flowering and I cannot wait for those pods!

The strawberries are ripening and because I have zero patience, I grabbed that first one and ate it already. It was a tad under-ripe, but still darn good!

I cut enough spinach and lettuce for a lunch salad earlier this week. I should be able to do two more cuttings (at least) until those are spent.

The carrots and the beets are forming nicely. I will dig a few in a few weeks to test them out for size.

Unfortunately, that does mean many of the cool season vegetables are now bolting (going to flower) -- that includes the kale, cilantro, and radishes. I will let the radishes set seed so I can collect them to plant next year. for giving away at SeedSwapDay, and for trying in a salad -- as I've heard the radish seeds are edible, though have not eaten them myself.

pea plants flowering

Radished bolting

'Satina' seed potatoes

One of the highlights of the week was receiving a small box of 'Satina' seed potatoes ordered from the Maine Potato Lady by our Washington Gardener Magazine "EdbleHarvest "columnist Elizabeth Olson. I hope to plant them early next week.


The other nice surprise was finding several ladybugs around my plot -- maybe another plot owner released them?

ladybug

What are you harvesting this month in your edible garden? 

About Fenton Friday: Every Friday during the growing season, I'll be giving you an update on my community garden plot at the Fenton Street Community Garden just across the street from my house in zone 7 Mid-Atlantic MD/DC border. I'm plot #16. It is a 10 ft x 20 ft space and this is our 8th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.) See past posts about our edible garden by putting "Fenton" into the Search box above.