Garden Inventory: February 2011

Root Crops

Beets

We are down to just a few beets now.

Carrots & Parsnips

Down to a small patch of each.  I started with about ⅓ bed of each, and last month more than half of that remained.  We harvested a lot of carrots last month – I think there may be only one or two little ones left, and probably 12-15 parsnips of widely varying size.

Turnips & Rutabagas

No turnips, as reported last month.  Rutabagas continue to put on size.  I have at least 15 good size ‘bagas tucked away in various beds.  Having a lot of rutabagas makes me feel like a good little suburban homesteader.  I don’t know why, but they’re one of those vegetables you just want around should a crisis hit.

Jerusalem Artichokes

Still plenty underground.  Too many.  Someone send me a good sunchoke recipe for something that’s not a soup

Brassicas

Kale & Collards

The kale has really put on a flush of new growth these past few weeks.  The Cavalo Nero is pumping out little side leaves.  I look forward to selective harvestings until the kales start to go to blossom.  And then, kale blossoms (or as I like to think of it, broccoli without the work!)

Brussels Sprouts

We had a nice big feed of brussels last month and stripped the five plants almost bare.  There are enough sprouts left for one or maybe two more meals.  I’ve been impressed at how the remaining sprouts have sized up in just the past few weeks.  In mid-Jan, when I harvested a big crop of sprouts, the top-most sprouts were hardly bigger than a jumbo pea.  Now they are a respectable large-marble size, and just right for cooking!

Overwintering Cabbage

We ate that last winter cabbage last month, so now we are out until the early cabbages come in.  We do have several little proto-cabbages started last fall.  They’re about 9″ across and clearly growing.  I’m not sure if they’ll head, but until I need the bed space I’ll leave ’em and wait and see.

Sprouting Broccoli

Not yet sprouting.  The Sprouting Broccoli is small this year, maybe 12″ across. In past years, it’s been over twice that size. The soil it’s growing in this year is on the clay side, so I think that’s slowed it down a bit, and then the really low temperatures over this past winter definitely checked it’s growth for some time.

Everything Else

Chard

I am amazed to report that some of the chard is coming back.  Looks like the Fordhook Giant was the most cold hardy because it’s sending up new leaves that are pretty respectable – about the size of my palm.  The Bright Lights has been winter killed.  The crowns are all slimy.  The only thing eating them now are the worms, and they are welcome to them.

Leeks

Still a half bed full of nice, small leeks.  Until I can figure out how to dig them without breaking them all to hell, harvesting will be limited.

Greenhouse Lettuce

The greenhouse lettuce is looking nice!  Again, I’m surprised.  It hung out looking on the verge of molding away for much of the cold winter, but now it’s got some life in it again.  There’s lots of new growth from the butterhead and romaine lettuces, and some Ruby Streaks mustard I planted last fall is positively beautiful.  It’ll run to seed fast as the days get longer, so I’ll be harvesting the mustard asap.

Stored Winter Squash

Still have a couple mini acorns, a banana pink jumbo, the lone sugar pumpkin, and nine – 9! – butternut.  We like squash but the huge blue hubbard I cracked into a few days ago because it was starting to soften will keep up in squash for weeks.  I’m going to have to get creative to get my family to eat that much butternut before it goes the way of the compost.  Any great suggestions?

What are you eating from your garden right now?