Gotta have flowers among the veggies

I've decided I like to have flowers among my produce when gardening.  There's a lot of practicality to gardening but I also need the visually appealing beauty of the flowers.  Of course flowers are vital to producing anything and also attractive to pollinators and other beneficials.  So I make sure there's room to plant marigolds, zinnias, and nasturtiums with my veggies.  Nasturtiums are tasty and nutritious, too!  And are  supposed to improve the flavor of tomatoes.

Fingerling Potatoes

I planted 8 fingerling potatoes that I got from the grocery store (organic) in a large container.  It was originally a self-watering contraption that my husband and I made but the weight of the dirt and everything pushed the self down so far it covered up my watering hole.  We probably didn't do something right.  It's a great concept.  Here's what I pulled up 2 weeks ago from four of the original potatoes!  I stopped counting after 50!

Carrots!

I don't know why but I have always been kind of scared of growing carrots.  I didn't think you COULD grow carrots in Texas.  A couple of falls ago, I planted a few and waited and waited but nothing came up.  About a year later I noticed I was getting a weed that looked just like a carrot top so I let it grow, curious to see what it would become.  A few months later I pulled it up and there was a healthy little carrot on the other end!  Ever since then I've tried harder to grow carrots.  And I don't know if it's because my soil has been improving or what but I've had more success!  This week I pulled up my finger carrots- I think I planted them in January or February.  (This is partly why I'm going to be better about this blog- so I can remember these things.)  Look how beautiful these babies are!!

They have a delicious, mild flavor.  I had them planted in front of one of my patio tomatoes.  Carrots do love tomatoes!

In other news, we had a good rain on Saturday and by Monday the squash and beans I planted last Thursday were peeking through.  What a difference rain makes!!

Pick a Peck of Peppers

Now for some current happenings...

Today I planted Kentucky Wonder green beans in the far garden where the lettuce was growing before.  I also planted a jalapeno pepper in the far corner.  I'm hoping it will get enough sunshine behind the tomato plant I planted last month.  I took out the sugar snap peas that have stopped producing much now that the temperature has been rising.  I also dug up the potatoes there.  They did not win out in the competition for sun with the peas and so only made about one potato per plant.  In their place I planted 2 hills of fall squash- delicata, one hill of tatuma summer squash and one hill of patty pan squash.  In a pot I planted a pimiento sweet pepper plant.  I've never tried this kind before and am hoping it does well.  The bell pepper I planted a couple of years ago it producing tons again but the leaves are looking really sickly.  I think I need to find out from our local agricultural extension what is going on with it.

The beauties of gardening! (Flowering dill)

Jalapenos always love our hot summers!

Swiss chard enjoying a bit of sun in its shady corner.

I think this is a beneficial bug?  Am I right?

I never realized that eggplant grows these thorns on it.

Blackberry season will soon be here!!

Why the mottled leaves?  Poor pepper plant, you have served us well!

January Garden

And just because I want to remember what for next year, here's what my garden looked like at the end of January.  A few weeks later, we had lettuce coming out of our ears!!  I was giving it away.  By March it was covered in aphids.  I tried to wash them off but there were so many I had to throw most of it out.  I don't know if there's really anything I can do to deter them next year.  They didn't seem to be a huge problem until it started warming up more.  But I probably shouldn't plant lettuce in my far garden again next year.  I believe I planted oak leaf and a blend.  Also in this bed were broccoflower, carrots, beets and turnips.  The beets and turnips mostly just made tops.  The broccoflower was great but it took a really long time to grow.  The cauliflower was in my strawberry bed.  This was the first year I grew cauliflower that made a head.  I think it's because I fertilized it with an organic fertilizer a couple of times.  This plant actually made two heads!  Also, at this time in my strawberry bed my sugar snap peas were producing like crazy!

Spring Is Here!

I know I'm really behind with my posting but here are some pictures I took back in the end of March when everything was starting to bloom and peek out of the ground.  I love the arrival of Spring!!

Strawberries and green onions- our battle with the birds has begun!!

Black swallowtail butterfly caterpillars on the dill.  That's okay- we'll share!

Society garlic around the plum tree

Our plum tree starting to bud out.  It amazes me how these beautiful flowers emerge from a lifeless stick.  

Sugar snap peas growing like crazy!  These grow anywhere I plant them and my kids love to come up and pick off a snack while they are playing outside.

My cilantro usually bolts really quickly but it sure looks beautiful, especially against the purple kale.

My first daffodil.  I planted bulbs in December and they all came up!!!

Kale Recipes

My kale has been doing fabulous in my garden! It doesn't mind the few freezes we've had and basically planted it and forgot about it!  What an easy vegetable!

I think it's beautiful to behold - almost like purple peacock feathers- but that doesn't mean my family equates that with good eating. 

  Here's what WebMD says about kale:

"One cup of kale contains 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and 15% of the daily requirement of calcium and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), 40% of magnesium, 180% of vitamin A, 200% of vitamin C, and 1,020% of vitamin K. It is also a good source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus. Kale’s health benefits are primarily linked to the high concentration and excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K -- and sulphur-containing phytonutrients. 

"Carotenoids and flavonoids are the specific types of antioxidants associated with many of the anti-cancer health benefits. Kale is also rich in the eye-health promoting lutein and zeaxanthin compounds. Beyond antioxidants, the fiber content of cruciferous kale binds bile acids and helps lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease, especially when kale is cooked instead of raw." 

Reason enough to try to sneak in to our diet more often!  So I've been experimenting and found some good recipes to use with our kale.

Kale Chips

I've seen lots of recipes for this but basically...

1. Wash the leaves.  Then strip them off the stem and tear into 3 inch pieces.  

2. Place the pieces on a cookie sheet in a single layer.  Drizzle olive oil over the leaves and toss to coast lightly.  

3.  Sprinkle kosher salt or experiment with other spices.  We tried nutritional yeast which gave it a cheesy flavor my family loves! 

4.  Put the pan in an oven set at 250 degrees for 15 minutes.  Turn and then cook for 25 more minutes.

Enjoy!  These were good- not comparable to potato chips- but good.

Orecchiette with Kale, Chickpeas and Sausage

from Williams Sonoma "Cooking from the Farmer's Market"

1 lb orecchiette or shells

1 T olive oil

1 t minced garlic

1/2 t red pepper flakes

1/2 c chicken broth

2 bunches kale, stems removed and leaves cut into 1" pieces

salt and pepper, to taste

3/4  lb sausage, slice to 1/2" thick

1 1/2 c canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/4 c grated parmesan cheese

Boil pasta and cook al dente, 10-12 min.  Reserve 1 c of cooking water and drain the pasta.  While pasta is cooking in a large frying pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil.  Add garlic, red pepper and saute until fragrant, about 1 min.  Stir in broth, kale and a pinch of salt.  Raise the heat to high, cover pan and cook until kale begins to wilt, 1-2 minutes.  Continue cooking until the leaves are tender and the liquid has evaporated, 3-4 minutes more.  Stir in chickpeas and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.  Add pasta to kale and stir to combine.  Stir in 1/2 c of pasta water to moisten mixture, adding more if needed.  Transfer the pasta to a serving dish and sprinkle with cheese.

I really liked this.  Kale pairs well with sausage.  My family liked it just fine, too.  

Zuppa Toscana

1 lb ground Italian sausage

1 1/2 t crushed red pepper

1 large diced white onion

4 T bacon pieces

2 t crushed garlic

10 c water

5 cubes chicken bouillon

1 c half and half

4 large potatoes

1/4 bunch of kale (I used atleast a whole bunch & it was still great!)

Saute Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot.  Drain excess fat.  Set aside.  In the same pan, saute bacon, onions and garlic over low-medium heat for approximately 15 minutes or until the onions are soft.  Add chicken bouillon and water to the pot and heat until it starts to boil.  Add the sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour. Add the half and half and just cook until thoroughly heated.  Stir in the sausage and the kale, let all heat through and serve.  

Yummmmy!