It was a cool and rainy day for June (again), so I took advantage of this to go pick some peas without sweating like crazy. I planted these peas on these trellises this year, and they are doing well, except I kind of figured by now the peas would be done, so I could use these trellises for my cucumbers. Our cool spring kind of delayed everything, so my peas are just getting going now. I have to hope that the weather doesn't slam into the high 90s, (which wouldn't be untypical of Iowa) and end the cool season veggies lives abruptly.
Every year I try to save more seeds. I am saving some seeds from a few Easter Egg radish plants that I left behind. I really think the flowers are quite delicate and beautiful. I've never saved seeds from radishes before, so I'll have to look that one up...but so far so good.
Here is a close-up of the pea blossoms. I just love the blueish-green tinge the leaves have. I grew Wando, Sugar Snap, and I think Frosty this year. I am very impressed with the vines on the Wando peas. They are taller than all the others and have more pods and blooms.
Here is part of my broccoli crop. I am so excited to have broccoli see it through from seed to finish this year. If I leave a broccoli in the garden, can I save seeds from that too? Like I said, I am new to saving some of these seeds. Broccoli is another one I need to look up. The silver on the leaves is fantastic.
If you pull the leaves to the side and look down in, you see the little broccoli heads. How do I know when they are ready to be picked? I don't want them all to bloom...but when is the magic moment when I know they are as big as they are going to get?
Here are a few of the sugar snaps I picked today. There are still quite a few pods on the vine, fattening up, but I left those for now. These will make a tasty addition to my lunch tomorrow. Do you grow cool season crops in your garden? I would love to hear from you...
Our weather is just as crazy as yours is ... we were wearing sleeveless & sweating a week ago & wearing sweaters today ... Your right - it is making for an interesting crop season ... I've put in 80 tomato plants and they had a growth spurt but have seized up and the peas are making a dash for - and as for me - I've been a little ahead of myself on some things and behind on others ... I'm going to put my sprouting potatoes into soil tomorrow & hope for the best up as I really behind everyone else on potato planting here in Toronto ... I'm learning to finally relax with gardening - it only looked like I was relaxed with it before - lol - I think you are taking it to the next level by collecting you'd own seeds (are you planting back up store bought seeds as back up)?
ReplyDeleteI planted Amish snap peas this year, and they're not quite ready... (as you know, I'm more than a little behind on the planting cycle. I'll get it right one of these years!) But I just checked last night, and I have several little tiny pea pods emerging from the blooms! This is the first time I've grown peas, so I was very excited to see the baby pods. I'll be even more excited to EAT them!
ReplyDeletebre- yeah, it is bizarre, but i'm not going to complain if it means I can get all my veggies eventually. I got my potatoes in in early May, which was late for me in Iowa. We are zone 5 here, just on the edge of zone 5, almost zone 4. But you should be able to plant your potatoes now no problem...they will be great for storage since they will be ready so late. The first year I will probably have some back up seeds for the broccoli...more than half of my tomatoes are from my seeds this year though.
ReplyDeleteErynia- Yay for baby pods! That is very exciting. I learned last year not to leave them all on too long. If it gets hot and the peas sit on the vine too long, I think it makes some of them taste bitter. So I am picking them as soon as they are ready this year...even if that means I have to keep adding to a stash in the fridge or freezer.