Pea Flowers

Current harvest count:

1.3 oz lettuce 

9 radishes

The lettuce leaves are still baby; I haven't seen fully matured or colored leaves yet. Because I am growing such delightfully named lettuces as Flashy Trout's Back and Frizzy Headed Drunken Woman, the salads tend to be visually interesting as well as delicious. I am also growing a few mixes, which contain Devil's Tongue, red Ruffled Oaks, and Speckles. Apparently I am drawn to red-hued lettuces. And heirloom lettuces with interesting names. 

Most of the spinach has bolted, and much of it did it very quickly. "Bolting" is the plant going to flower--it shoots up tall pretty much over night and develops buds. At this point, the leaves are bitter and undesirable. You can let it flower and go to seed, but it's recommended to do this with your last plant to bolt, so that you grow plants that are more bolt-resistant. Bolting is generally caused by heat and sunlight, and certain varieties do better in the heat than others. I believe I am growing Bloomsdale, and it doesn't seem very bolt-resistant at all. Maybe it's more of a fall spinach? I will plant again in the fall and see. 

Kale and chard are slowly maturing. I don't particularly like kale as a tough, mature plant, but the baby leaves are much more palatable in salads and smoothies. I do like chard, but again, there's a lovely sweetness to the immature leaves. This is one of the benefits to growing greens, which are fairly easy to grow (once you get your sunlight needs pinned down)--harvest at your preferred stage of growth. Other benefits include taste (did you know lettuce can have a taste?!), variety (so mant more types than Iceberg or Romaine) and the ability to cut-and-come-again (harvest the outer leaves, not the whole plant, and it will continue producing fresh salads when you want, instead of trying to eat a whole head before it goes bad).

I just saw the first few pea flowers. I am excited to see what happens, since I haven't grown peas before. 

Everything is looking really great so far. This feels like a period of suspended animation. Things are growing and looking lush, but there isn't much to harvest yet. I kind of love the watching and waiting.