Mid-May Garden Update

Despite the cold, rainy weather we had in the beginning of May, the vegetables I am growing are progressing nicely. This week’s sun will only help.

I just ate my first food from the garden. Granted, it was only one, small radish (which I pulled from the ground more for the photo op than for the eating experience), but it was delicious. In about a week, most of the radishes I planted in mid-April will be adult-sized.

I also ate some turnip, radish, mustard green and broccoli rabe sprouts, by-products of the thinning process.

When I put seeds in the ground, I plant more than usually necessary, not knowing what percentage will turn into seedlings. If most of the seeds germinate, then I must thin out some seedlings to give the remaining ones room to grow. The pulled seedlings are edible sprouts, which taste like the vegetable they were supposed to become.

The garlic (photo, left) is growing well, and now stands between two and three feet. The peas, bok choy, purple kale, mesclun and spinach are also coming along nicely and should be ready to eat in about a month.

Seedlings (one to two inches) have also appeared for the some of the vegetables (turnips, beets, carrots, scallions) that take longer to grow. If all goes well, they should reach maturity in six to eight weeks, depending on the vegetable.

I also just planted seed for lemon cucumbers and Asian long string beans, which like the warmer weather. I also seeded new batches of carrots, scallions, beets, mesclun and radishes, which will provide successive waves of food during the summer.