community garden update: late summer in our first year

We were really flattered the other day by our community garden coordinator. Dan told us that he was quite impressed with how well that we’ve done in our “first year” with a garden plot. Many others, he claims, struggle.

Michelle's sunflower is starting to show itself

Well, certainly we’ve been eating kale a lot: to the point where I had to put my foot down when Steven tried to harvest some more this weekend. We’ve had it cooked in so many ways! It is really good, and obviously healthy, but two or three times a week for months is a bit much. Can you believe it? Here I am, rejecting kale, my favorite veggie of all time? Steven says… next year let’s have only one or two plants! I think we agree on that plan. We uprooted a few of the older plants. They’ve gotten overgrown and the eggplants were suffering for lack of sun. We still have plenty of kale though.

We’ve eaten almost all of the lettuce that we’ve grown from the seeds our friend Michele gave us when we
met her in NYC last May. We were both surprised how well it did. We must have had at least two dozen heads. Growing among all the speckled trout lettuce was a single broccoli rabe plant. I am letting it produce seeds so we can try sowing them next year.

our community garden plot

The tomatoes are struggling a bit because of the unusually cold weather and the furious afternoon winds. So far, from the three plants, we’ve had only one ripe tomato. There are many green fruit in various stages of development. If the sun doesn’t shine more, we might have to prepare a large batch of fried green tomatoes. Though I’m still vaguely hopeful that the Indian Summer will come soon and save the crop.

Purslane, sage and chive have all been growing wild. We’ve had sautéed purslane twice already, and Steven’s been drying the sage for winter stews and to burn in the fireplace on a rainy February day. He’s got big plans to dry the lemon thyme and Greek oregano, too. I just replanted the chive and relocated the sage bush to make more room in the miniscule space for other things.

the summer fog looks romantic, but it is no friend to my tomato plants

close up of one of the larger albeit still green tomatoes

The artichoke plants have dried out, but little offspring are growing around them. So no more artichokes for now, but the future looks bright. Amazingly, after a weak start, the Serrano pepper bush is producing. It is always in bloom with tiny white flowers attracting bumble bees and butterflies. I wonder if the honey from the beehives nearby tastes sweet and spicy? We’ll harvest some peppers soon and let you know how they taste.

Michelle’s sunflowers are doing really well. Grown from seeds, the two surviving plants are tall and strong. I love the rich deep orange-red colors of the flowers. They look beautiful and one of the buds is starting to open.

our garden plot neighbor thinks these little flowers are chamomile

My hue, or arruda, as they call it in Brazil, at the entrance of the garden, is growing slowly. I like to touch the leaves to get some of the fragrant oils on my fingers. I can’t describe the wonderful scent, but I love it.

The garden has changed shape. When we planted the first vegetables, they were all sort of placed in an orderly way. As old plants give way to new ones that sense of a ‘manicured’ garden has gone away. It is looking more organic now.