Spring Summary

Spring vegetable plants are being pulled to make way for fresh new plants. The squash was first to go, even though one squash was planted late and is still producing. The beans have gone to the compost. the big cucumber row has been pulled. These rows have been turned awaiting fall planting. This break in the action has been provided by a rain of over 1.5"!

Pickles are resting quietly in the cabinet. I have canned 76 jars of pickles; 10 gallons! The freezer is full of squash and beans. The summer plants are starting to yield their crops. Pictured above is the first two cantaloupes, all cut and ready to eat. Tomatoes are starting to ripen. Yesterday, we picked the first okra. Onward to summer!

For Mature Gardeners Only!

I know this is X rated! Look what the squash vine borers have done to this squash plant!

However, think about what a wonderful plant this is. I have just picked 4 beautiful yellow squash off this plant. The insects hollow out the stem, but the vine has enough power to keep on for weeks. What an effort! I appreciate this plant. (and of course I will need to pull it tomorrow)

Snails

Determined

Slimy

Unwelcome

Fresh Picked Cucumbers

Knobby

Prickly

Crunchy

Flower attached

Fresh Picked Squash

Warm

Fuzzy

Squeaky

Rain? Rest?

We did get rain. I did not get much rest. But, it has been great. We got 1.5" thunder rain overnight and .3" gentle rain on Wednesday morning. I have continued to harvest and can the cucumbers. Pictured above is the syrup for 6 pints of Sweet and Spicy pickles which I canned yesterday. One of the jars did not seal. Always check the seals. A failure does not happen very often, but if it does you can put the pickles in the refrigerator and eat them sooner rather than later.

The second photo is the syrup just after the pickles were added. The dried cayenne peppers in these pickles were dried from the radish stew garden last year, I put one in each jar.

I also blanched and froze 2 quart packages of green beans. I have been picking over 1 1/2 pounds of beans per day.

Today I canned these seven 3/4 pint jars of pickles relish. I have used all the relish I canned last year. It is so great to make potato salad and just open a jar of relish to flavor it perfectly. Of course, the other side of the story is that it takes a lot of time and precision to dice the vegetables just so. I diced in the morning and left the veggies in the brine in the fridge. Then I went to the art museum at UT to see the Matisse prints exhibit. I came home and canned these in record time. I had to buy peppers for this dish, the first vegetables I have canned not from the garden.

First Tomato

The first tomato was picked June 7 and a record 4 lbs of green beans were harvested.

Since then:
I have blanched and frozen 3 quart size bags of beans with about 1 lb of small whole beans in each.
I made a salad with potatoes, green beans (diagonal cut), sliced cucumbers, red onions, fresh basil (also the first of the season)
I have blanched and frozen 2 quart size bags of squash.
I made squash casserole with saltine crackers. (Again! I think I have the recipe down now.)
I canned 6 pints of Bread and  Butter pickles. I won't post a picture because by now, you get the idea!

In the garden:
Pulled the last of the older row of squash plants.
Turned the compost
Harvested the garlic (pictured on the summer Radish Stew picture)
Turned and treated the garlics row and planted 6 tomato plants: Burpee Best Boy.  I planned these to be my "fall tomatoes" to be planted in July and produce in the fall, but I got crazy and planted them now because I felt they were outgrowing their little pots.
Removed the giant sunflower and yaopon from the bluebonnet spot.
I spread some of the bluebonnet seeds beyond the watermelon patch
Fertilized and deep-watered (I will explain this in detail another day)

I hope we get some rain so I can rest!

Bread & Butter Pickles

Four pounds of pickles generally makes 7 pints. I packed these really well, so the 7th jar was not full. I put it in the refrigerator to eat soon. I want to decide if this is "the" recipe. We'll see!

June 3 harvest

4 lbs cucumbers
1.5 lbs squash
1 lbs beans

I was out of town on the 2nd of June and it RAINED! We had thunder, lightening, and .7" of rain. I should leave more often.

May 29 through June 1, busy!