Last updated on December 2nd, 2011
READER JED S. recently asked if I had planted my vegetables yet. Indeed I have. Shall we open the gate to the Kitchen Garden, and see what’s growing?
Here, pod- and snap-peas share gossip with leafy green lettuces. (Click to enlarge)
Two beds are devoted entirely to potatoes, including the blue variety above, which stores well for winter use.
Bell peppers await the heat of summer to produce flowers and fruit; behind them, not visible, are six ‘Big Boy’ tomato plants tied to wooden stakes.
Brussels sprouts in the foreground, with broccoli behind. Broccoli, if picked regularly and frequently, can be harvested until the first hard frost.
I always include flowers in the kitchen garden, because they attract pollinating insects, including bees and butterflies. Here, delphinium ‘Blue Mirror’ blooms in a bed that includes purple zinnias, red and yellow snap-dragons, and blue Bachelor Buttons. 
A pair of hardy, glossy-green Kiwis, ‘Meader Male’ and ‘Green Goddess,’ flank the arbor. I have not seen any flowers yet. Next year, perhaps?
I hope that your own edible garden is progressing nicely. If you have any questions about vegetables or kitchen-garden design, please post them in the comments section below.
See you next time!
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Jed Swift says
Hi Kevin,
I do love those early veggie shots and hope you will continue to add photos as the garden blooms. We need to bring you out here to help get us started on a veggie garden. I know Anna would love it!
Jed
Judy says
Beautiful!! I love Brussels Sprouts but where are the little round parts that we eat? Beneath the leaves?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Judy – the “sprouts” or marble-like cabbages, are born on stems that rise from between the leaves. They are very slow to emerge. They are harvested late, sometimes not until October or even November. Thanks for asking!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Jed – I'll see you and yours during some pleasant weekend in July! Be prepared to work!
Justin says
What kind of wood did you use for your raised beds? Cedar?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi, Justin: The 4×8 beds are framed with rough-hewn hemlock; the 2×8 beds with #4 pine. #4 pine is the cheapest pine you can buy, but it turns a beautiful, silvery hue as it ages. Contrary to popular thought, there is no need to buy expensive wood for a raised bed.
Donna says
How many of those sugar snaps and pod peas actually make from your garden to your house? I eat mine as I pick them! Frozen or canned? No comparison.
sharon says
Do you grow any berries in your vegetable garden? If so, how do you keep the birds from getting at them?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Sharon – Nice to meet you. I grow several types of berries. You can read about birds and berries in my June post: “It's Time To Cover The Berries.” (See “Archives.”