In My San Diego Garden and Kitchen
I’ve taken a break over the last month. I updated and reposted a few popular and timely blog posts while we spent several weeks in Washington State, visiting our son’s family (and the grands, ages 4 and nearly 2). We spent long weekends with them near Seattle then camped and savored North Cascades National Park, Olympic National Park, Deception Pass State Park and Whidbey Island.
We also hiked, walked PNW seashores and took in a lavender farm at its peak. We’re happy to be home and thankful for our coastal location in the midst of this “heat season.”
Garden tenders kept the young summer garden going and now I’m doing the same for one of them. Several first harvests occurred while we were away and I was amazed by the growth of tomatoes, beans, peppers, zinnias and corn over sixteen days. Long days and sunny weather work their magic.
First harvests deserve a single (vs. group) photo. The ‘Raven’ zucchini plants produce several like this daily which keeps me and a few neighbors happy.
Sauteed zucchini slices and shallots were topped with browned herb panko crumbs for the first use.
This was the first of daily harvests of trellised green beans. I find ‘Emerite’ pole beans pleasant at this size but prefer them even thinner. Dilly refrigerator pickled green beans are planned for tomorrow. My folder of green bean recipes provides daily inspiration.
Nectaplums are the fruit of the week (or month) now. We picked 15 pounds yesterday. The crop was thinned but likely we’ll probably still have 75-100 pounds from the two trees. Kitchen work ahead and plenty to share.
Like other fruit this year, the rhubarb is late and only now coming into full production. It’s an extender for many of my fruit sauces using apples and strawberry guavas.
And oh the glorious flowers now.
Here’s a bouquet my four-year-old grandson, Shiloh made from one of our “flower walks.”
Check the What I’m Planting Now page as I add to the summer garden. Then head to Harvest Monday, hosted by Dave at Happy Acres blog and see what garden bloggers around the world harvested last week.
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