Fenton Friday: Early Bolting

We had severe thunderstorms pass through the region with high winds this week -- and more predicted for the weekend. The cover cloth we placed over the peas and lettuces stayed in place -- except for the one corner that I didn't pin down. Due to the early high temps this week accompanying those storms, the lettuce mix in the corner has already started to bolt (put up a flower and set seed). It's still edible, but not as delicious.

I have some Girl Scouts visiting the plot on Monday, so I want everything to look decent. I weeded out the whole plot. Without a billowy skirt of chickweed, the garlic plant from last fall is looking very good. The peas still have not flowered yet. I harvested another handful of asparagus stalks. Next, I have a few more strawberry starts to plant to revive that bed a bit. 

I will also put in some cauliflower and broccoli seedlings today. It is late in the season for them, but I might as well put them in the ground. I had dragged them on public transit to a few talks I gave on vegetable gardening and they got banged up, so they deserve to retire and rest for a while.

By the way, I am hosting an educational booth on Gardening for Pollinators at the Takoma Park Farmers Market this Sunday, May 5 from 10am-12noon. Look for the Washington Gardener Magazine banner and the butterflies. We'll be potting up annual flower seeds for folks to take home and plant in their own garden.

What is growing in your edible garden this week?

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

Fenton Friday: The Bolted Blues

I knew I jinxed myself by talking about how much I love Arugula in my weekly community garden plot posting here last week! It bolted the next day and is now firey and sharp as hot pepper. I guess that is why they call it "rocket!" I should pull it all and compost it, but I don't have the heart yet. May let it go to seed and collect those to try again in the fall.

Elsewhere in my plot, the SugarSnap Peas appeared literally overnight! One day I had a few spindly vines, the next I had pea pods and nice-sized ones at that. I did not plant half as many vines as I did in the last few years so will just have a handful to add to my salad each day, unlike the quarts of them I am used to getting. This is good though as I'm so busy planting other things and harvesting strawberries, salad greens, broccoli, and herbs, that any more peas would be wasted.

I checked on my Turnips by pulling one out. It is still baby-sized. I took it home and cleaned it and shaved it to taste it. It was awful! Baby turnips are not like baby carrots or greens in that respect. Anyone grow turnips? This is my first time. When are they really ready to eat?





BTW, you'll find me at the Washington Gardener Magazine table tomorrow at Behnke Nurseries in Beltsville, MD, from 9am-3pm for their annual Garden Party. It is to benefit the Friends of Brookside Gardens and is a wonderful event for local gardeners to learn about local garden clubs, participate in a plant swap, enter the raffle, attend garden talks, and much more. I hope to see many of you there!