Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Not Just Lettuce Anymore!

I am used to my garden giving me little surprises.  A new bloom here, an emerging bulb there.  In the garden, I am never sure what will be different, but I do know that things will be different.

My vegetable bed, however, has never surprised me much.  In December, I harvested lettuce.  In January, I harvested lettuce.  It's now February, and guess what?  I'm harvesting lettuce!

Again.

I've had so much lettuce, it even grows in the cracks along with the weeds!


So, I wasn't surprised about the lettuce.  But the vegetable bed did decide to surprise me this month!

Not quite ready to harvest, but growing nicely, are some broccoli.  I don't have many plants planted, but the ones that are there have decided that it's time to get to work.  With temperatures over 70 degrees (21C), they need to hurry up or they will be bolting soon!


Also growing nicely are the Brussels sprouts.  Mmm mmm, how I love Brussels sprouts!  They, too, are not quite ready to harvest - but soon!


I have read to cut the leaves off below the sprouts so the energy will go into making the sprouts instead of into the leaves, and I do plan on doing this.  I want my sprouts to be successful - I'm already licking my lips just thinking about how delicious they will be!

The green peas have also decided to give me a surprise.  They were planted last autumn.  They bloomed, and then were frozen by a December cold front.  Although they didn't die, I thought they would be a failure.

But these little sweeties are persistent.  They have decided to bloom again!  Maybe green peas will be in my future after all!


Yum, yum!  I'm looking forward to harvesting something next month besides lettuce!

I'm joining The Gardening Blog for Garden Bloggers Harvest Day.


40 comments:

  1. Looks like your winter climate is great for the garden veggies that like cool weather...so jealous. Yummy!!!

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    1. Yes, we have to grow those cool weather veggies early - or they will bolt when the temps start rising - which happens very early here!

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  2. I think lettuce is so pretty it should be grown in pots

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    1. I hadn't ever thought of that, but you are right- they would be beautiful in pots!

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  3. Oh gosh, I think I really need to move to Texas ... or Louisiana ... or Florida. ;-) Enjoy your beautiful produce!

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    1. Come on down! ;) Of course, you have to remember that our summers are quite hot, so we pay for our mild winters!

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  4. Wow, I am jealous of your veggies! I'll take some lettuce that grows like weeds. I hope your green peas produce for you. They are so delish.

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    1. I hope they do, too. I love them, and I know that the ones grown fresh are wonderful compared to canned!

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  5. Those veggies look awesome, Holley... I'd love that lettuce, broccoli and even the brussel sprouts... YUM... Am jealous!!!
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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    1. I have never grown brussels sprouts before - it has been fun watching them as they grow. Of course, they will be more fun to eat!

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  6. Oh my, your winter is not really winter...we have had minus 5 to plus 5 Celsius the last 4 weeks here in London - not much snow but just cold. I'd take your 21 degrees any day! Still, things are moving forward, slowly, slowly...Good luck with your harvest, bet those Brussels sprouts will be yummy!

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    1. When I was out yesterday, I realized I really need to get my gardening chores done! It will be hot here soon! But I do love our winters!

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  7. Some nice surprises and bonuses there! Glad the peas sailed through fine and looks like you will have crop from them :)

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    1. I was thrilled to see some of them blooming. I hope they do well, and that we don't have another freeze!

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  8. That is amazing that you have all that growing and it's February.
    Cher Sunray Gardens

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    1. Plus, a lot of vegetables need to be planted right now. It seems there's more to do in the vegetable garden than in the other parts of my garden!

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  9. Yummy...everything looks so delicious!! There is nothing like the taste of home-grown veges. Even lettuce has such a different taste than what you buy at the store! Do you put in a spring-summer vege garden?

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    1. Oh, yes! Our spring garden here is more like a summer garden, then in late summer we put in our fall garden. There is only a few weeks pause when it becomes too hot for most vegetables, and they go dormant.

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  10. Holley, lettuce and other veges - all these you have in February. Lovely harvest, I hope you eat a lot of veges!

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    1. Oh, I love them all! I do have more lettuce than I can eat, though. Next year I'll know not to plant so much!

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  11. What a treat to have a winter crop of greens. It is mild here today, but a storm is forecast for tomorrow. There are days when I wished I lived in a more temperate climate!

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    1. I do love our short winters. I would get a bit stir crazy, I think, where I was shut in for months. Although I've heard other gardeners say they love the break. I guess it's just whatever you become accustomed to.

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  12. These are great surprises! So nice that your veggie garden is producing for you still. The first pic of the lettuce growing between the bricks is great!

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    1. And that's not the only lettuce growing in the cracks. Obviously, I was not too careful with my seeds!

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  13. I love fresh brussels sprouts. Keep intending to plant, but never do.

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    1. This is my first year to try them. But, I love them so, now I wish I would have planted more!

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  14. I'm feeling so jealous of all your fresh green produce. Enjoy it for me :)

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    1. It really is nice having something to go outside and harvest every day - even if it has been only lettuce for the past three months!

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  15. Great that you can still harvest lettuce :-) and your broccoli looks so beautiful. Mine is plagued by aphids! THanks for joining in!

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    1. I am hoping my broccoli does better than last year. It just got so hot so fast here, I didn't get to enjoy them long.

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  16. You lucky thing! I would love to harvest lettuce in winter, but it doesn't cope well with snow and hailstones! That broccoli looks very promising. I would love to join the Garden Bloggers Harvest Day, but I fear my hailstone-torn sage would look a bit sad next to all this bounty!

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    1. Oh, poor thing! I feel sorry for you if you've been having hail! That is the worst weather, I think. Well, maybe hurricanes and tornadoes might be worse, but it's up there as one of the worst!

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  17. All my favourite vegies, they all look so fresh. I don't suppose you can ever have too much lettuce.

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    1. Not sure, Karen. I just might have too much this year! We'll see how long it lasts before it gets too hot here for it.

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  18. I have a LARGE crop of cilantro this year along with spinach, lettuce and broccoli. I did not plant brussel sprouts this year. And, yes, you do take off the leaves up the stem as the plant grows. Last year, I roasted mine in the oven with a little olive oil and sea salt. Just cut an X in the stem and cook until the outer leaves get brown and crispy.

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    1. Thanks for the recipe! I had heard you could eat the stems, but wasn't exactly sure how to cook them. I will definitely be giving it a try!

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  19. Your vegetables are doing well. We have Brussels sprouts for dinner tonight, love them too. I digged my vegetable garden and I am ready to sow new vegetables next month.

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    1. I am in the middle of expanding my vegetable garden this year. It's almost time to plant more here, too!

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  20. What a great set of surprises - tasty and pretty!

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