Last updated on March 12th, 2012
TODAY, after a week of high heat, sauna-like humidity, violent thunder storms and blinding downpours, Nature has delivered to the Northeast a cool, crisp morning. The kind of morning, in fact, that invites a gardener to take photographs of his veggie plot. Will you walk with me through this Kitchen Garden? Though small, the plot provides me with a year’s supply of organic food:
The colorful mix of ‘State Fair’ zinnias that line the garden’s central path serve two purposes: first, they make a cheerful greeting for all who pass through the garden gate, and next, they attract bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. Without these pollinating insects, there would be no tomatoes, beans or other vegetables to harvest.
Brussels Sprouts — or at least the promise of them. You can see the tiny cabbages emerging between the axils of leaves.
‘Blanca’ currants. Do you know these juicy pearls of sweetness? They are delicious off the vine, and superb for jam.
Sweet peas. These have all but succumbed to the summer heat. I’ll plant a fresh crop (for storage) in late August. Maybe you have found, as I have, that the climbing varieties are far more productive and easier to harvest than the bush-types.
Carrot ‘Touchon.’ Seeds are sown every two weeks here; those planted in fall are left in the ground through winter. They make a lovely treat during the March thaw.
Tomatoes. Indeterminate varieties (mostly heirloom) have done an admirable job climbing the tee-pee trellis I built for them.
Lima Beans. This is the first summer I’ve had luck with these starchy staples for winter storage. No pods yet, but at least they’ve produced flowers!
Green Beans ‘French Fillet.’ Great for fresh eating and freezing. I plant them at 2-week intervals up until frost.
Bell Peppers. What a disappointment this summer! No flowers, and hence no fruit. Perhaps they don’t enjoy the company of blue potatoes, with whom they share a bed.
Strawberries. Here, day-neutral ‘Seascape’ strawberries have started their second grand flush. I try to save some for storage, but its a losing battle around here. We raid the patch whenever company calls.
Kale. Purple curly-leaved-, Tuscan-, and Russian-varieties thrive despite drought, heat, and insufferable humidity. And that’s a good thing, because I rely on these three for my crispy, oven-baked snackers!
Broccoli ‘Green Goliath.’ The spring-sown crop is presently squeezing out a few last heads. I’ve already planted a fresh crop beneath them. Pick, pick, pick if you want them to produce over a long period.
Soy Beans ‘Sweet Pod.’ Because I might turn vegetarian one day, I’ve sown these for protein. They are incredibly slow plants, typically 85 days to harvest. I have them tucked between rows of red onions and radishes.
Cucumber ‘Burpee Hybrid.’ This one grows in my Herb Garden. Sliced cukes are a great no-carb substitute for traditional crackers. I like them topped with creamy Borsin cheese, and also tuna salad. Then there are pickles…
So tell me — what’s in your veggie garden? Are you harvesting already?
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erin says
My peppers didnt so well either…. It took weeks for them to finally take off after I put down red poly. Now they are growing but no flowers here…..Everthing else is overwheming!!! The strig beans are so yummy – the dog and I eat them before we even get back into the house!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Erin – Glad to know I'm not the only pepper-less person on earth!
Your dog likes string beans? I'll have to see if Lily the Beagle likes them, too. (We recently discovered her fondness for currants, strawberries, and rose-geranium frosting!)
Yolanda says
Kevin, your garden is beautiful. Love the zinnias! Does your fence keep the rabbits out?
Here's what I've harvested so far: zucchini, yellow summer squash, green beans, peas, cukes. I could use a pickle recipe for the cukes, if anyone has one they like.
My peppers are coming along fine. But I bought the plants already in flower. Lots of little green peppers on them now. I'll let them ripen to red.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Yolanda – sounds like you have your own “produce department” too!
Regarding a pickle recipe, I'll post one soon. Promise.
And yes, the wire-mesh fence, 4-feet tall, does keep rabbits out of my garden. I have seen a woodchuck climb the fence, however. Walking Lily the Beagle in the garden a few times a week seems to discourage the woodchuck.
Erin says
When our dog had to go on a diet the vet told us to give hime frozen string beans… He loves them and sniffs them out on the vines!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Erin – that's amazing!
Justin says
I just harvested my Detroit Red beets! Great flavor if you roast them at 400 degrees.
Ann Flowers says
You have got a nice garden out there. I think a connection with plants means a connection with the nature itself.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Justin – I love beets in all forms – roasted, pickled, you name it.
Ann Flowers – Thank you. You are so right…growing plants is the best way to stay in touch with nature.
Lisa says
Hello! Your kitchen garden is beautiful and very inspiring! I have a section of old driveway that I attempted to take up several years ago. After jackhammering thru 8 layers I threw in the towel! I drilled drainage holes every 6 inches (down to dirt) and turned it into a pea stone patio. I'd like to build a kitchen garden inspired by yours in that area. How deep should the raised beds be – considering there is still several layers of old driveway under about 3 inches of pea stone? The area gets sun for most of the day and is close enough to the house so deer and woodchucks aren't much of a problem. Thanks
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Lisa – welcome. It is indeed a royal pain to remove asphalt. I took up an entire black-topped parking lot in order to plant my rose garden!
I suggest you make the raised beds 10-11 inches deep. To keep soil from washing away, lay a piece of water-permeable landscaping fabric on top of your gravel base. Finally, fill the bed with soil. Most plants require only 8 inches for their roots.
Now, I don't know if petroleum in the asphalt can leach into such a bed. But considering lots of gardeners grow potatoes in stacks of old tires, the risk of contamination is probably minimal. Plus, you'll have a gravel-barrier between roots and asphalt.
Let me know how this works out for you.
Anonymous says
Hi 🙂
About 3 weeks ago i mixed a heaping teaspoon or two of Epsom salts with about 32 ounces of warm water in a spray bottle and started spraying my big, beautiful, pepper-less plants once every five days or so….the plants are still big and beautiful but are now filled with flower buds and tiny baby peppers.
now if i could just get rid of all these nasty cucumber beetles..*eye roll*
Jen
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Jen – Thanks for the tip. I'm off to buy Epsom salts…
As for cucumber beetles, hand-picking is the safest (and most disgusting) cure.
Larry says
What a great blog. just found it and love the ideas. thank you.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Larry – Nice to meet you. Welcome aboard!
anonymous says
tee-pee trellis link is missing
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
anonymous — Link is fixed. (All of my links became broken when I moved this site from Blogger to WordPress. I work daily to repair them.)
Connie says
Kevin,
I enjoy your blog very much and I too regard Mondanto as the
“Evil Empire”. I tried to get to your link about not planting Monsanto seeds but theink was broken.
Mary Hoblit says
Anyone out there planting a winter garde, but then it is only Nov 1st.n? And how is it doing? Mine is growing great guns, but then it is only early Nov. MH