Have You Noticed Something

The summer months have reached their height, but regardless, it's time to plant the last 16 of broccoli and the last 4 cabbage. Yep, I did say the last of them. My does that shelf look empty now, especially now that the last of the cauliflower is going to start spending time outside now too. Do you miss the in and out of that flat, day after day, week after week. It's almost over.

We're going to start something new today though. Today, we're going to start harvesting the spinach. Just pick the outermost leaves by carefully pinching them off. Leave the center-most three or four leaves to help the plant maybe produce more. If it goes to flower, it's over. Might as well turn over the row. Harvest every day or at least every week. Hopefully you'll be out in the garden weeding often enough to keep up with it.

This afternoon is a good time to can up those spinach you've harvested. Save a few to saute for supper; figure a fistful per serving.

Pressure Canning:

• Wash thoroughly. 
• Trim away the tough stems and mid-ribs.
• Place about 2 1/2 pounds of spinach in cheesecloth and steam for about 10 minutes or until well wilted.
• Pack loosely to 1/2 inch of the top of the jar
• Cover with boiling water, leaving 1/2 inch at the top of the jar.

for pints (what I'd use) 70 minutes at 10 pounds in a pressure cooker.
Follow pressure cooker instructions. There's more to the cooking than just those 70 minutes.

Freezing: (not for me)

• Blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes or in steam for 3 minutes.
• Stir a few times while blanching to prevent leaves from matting.
• Cool and chop, if desired, before freezing.

Have fun. See you next time.

Another Day In The Garden

Back to those babies that have been basking in the sunshine, liquid and otherwise. Time to introduce the best 20 cauliflower to their summer home in the garden.

It's also time to start introducing the broccoli and cabbage you planted on May 1 to some sunshine, liquid or otherwise. Remember, an hour today, 2 tomorrow and so on.

I'm sure I don't need to remind you about those pesky weeds. Don't let them get ahead of you. The whole point of having a garden is to harvest vegetables, though it may seem like you're harvesting more weeds than vegetables.

Easy Summer Day

Today is easy as far as planting is concerned. Set out the 16 broccoli and the 4 cabbage you've been hardening over the last week, and then start hardening off the 20 cauliflower you planted on May 1.

That's it for planting, but I'm sure you've discovered the incessant need to hunt out those energetic weeds.

Meet you right back here next week

Summer is Here

Well, at least it's really summer now, here. Not necessarily by the calendar. Today you'll plant the Broccoli and cabbage you were hardening last week, and you will start hardening the Cauliflower you started on April 17th. Reading this it all sounds so confusing, but by now, with next to nothing left in your house, the sorting should be easy.

Remember, it's only 16 broccoli you'll be planting and only 4 cabbage. Pick the healthiest and discard the others. Shed a tear for them or better yet, rinse them off and munch them down. I do.

See you next week

PS - you might want to start hunting down weeds. I bet there are some.