Lettuce Link

I have been offering up my lettuce to friends who have the same problem I do. Too much lettuce and not enough meals in the day to have salad. I contemplated sneaking it onto my friends' doorsteps, but it would take them less than three guesses who it came from. Not a risk I was willing to take.

What should I do with 15 extra heads of lettuce? I had heard of Lettuce Link who encourages p-patchers and home gardeners to grow an extra row for food banks and meal programs. Since my eyes are bigger than my garden and stomach, I never seem to have a problem growing more.

Under the frequently asked questions, I found a link to where I could take my lettuce. The table showed what food bank takes what type of produce and the hours they are open. The Food Bank at St. Mary's is close to me and they take lettuce. And they are open daily for donations. When I arrived, they were busy sorting food and eagerly took the lettuce off my hands. They asked what p-patch it came from, and I was proud to say it was from home!

So, if you're in the same boat as me. Don't be sneaky--whether it be lettuce or zucchini (really, no one wants that on their doorstep baking in the sun--especially a south facing one like mine!). Harvest it, wash it, and bag it up for someone who will truly appreciate it.

Dilly dally

My dill 'Tetra' was pretty slow to start this season. My impatience got the better of me at the farmers' market and couldn't resist picking up a mini pack of pickling dill seedlings from Stoney Plains. Plus, I was able to share them with friends--the perfect excuse.

Now as these seedlings are starting to bolt, the 'Tetra' is ready. Plus, I have another random crop from a seed packet I picked up at Floriade (check out my other blog here). Plenty of dill to go around!

Herbs are an easy way to break into kitchen gardening. They don't require a lot of space or maintenance. And they're a great way to brighten up your recipes.

My sandwich with Loki lox and cream cheese garnished with freshly picked dill. Simple, easy, delish!

Kohlrabi 'Kolibri'

This was my first year growing kohlrabi. I chose 'Kolibri' for it's flatter shape and purple bulb. I had no idea what to expect, but figured I'd give it a shot. One misconception I had was I thought the edible part grew underground like a turnip. I thought I had to sink the starts way down deep as I do if my kale starts are too big. I wasn't able to plant them that way. The starts were more stubborn than me so I let them have their way and hoped for the best. Once they were in the ground, I didn't have to do much to them except make sure the soil stayed moist. I real no fuss crop!

I was pleased to see attractive kohlrabi is. I like how the purple globes and midribs play off the Allium cristophii. I planted this batch furthest away from the house and out of view from the rest of the garden. Next year I will plant them closer to my purple sage.

I harvested my first round from the plot a couple of nights ago. What a beauty! As I carried them into the house, my neighbor warned me about them getting pithy and if they aren't adequately watered, they'll have a more concentrated mustard taste. I asked how he likes to eat them. "Raw with mustard!" he replied with a smile. Not exactly the flavor I was after. I wanted a crunchy refreshing side dish to my fish tacos.

Only having had green kohlrabi in a local Vietnamese restaurant a few times, I wasn't sure how quickly it would cook or how well it soaks up flavors. I peeled and diced it, sauteed it my cast iron pan with olive oil, ground cumin, salt, and pepper. I halved some grape tomatoes and smashed them with my hands before adding them to the mix. I added some cilantro ('Standby' from my garden as well!) to the pan at the very end. The whole dish start to finish took about ten minutes.

Easy growing! Easy cooking!

Gutter Gardens

I was super lucky to experience Floriade last month. Floriade is the World Horticulture Expo and happens once every 10 years in the Netherlands. This time Venlo is the host city; located within the Linburg province and close to the German border. The festivities go through October.

I know the Netherlands has a reputation for horticulture excellence, but I had no idea until I arrived in person.

This expo goes well beyond tulips and daffodils. Everything from whimsical spaces with fire breathing dragons to voices in the forest to gardens showcasing edibles. And cultural experiences from countries all over the world from Chile to China.

There's a trend to maximize growing space by going vertical called "gutter gardening."The idea was well executed at the Floriade by mixing wall sculptures with rustic troughs.

I really like this look. Some of the troughs have a small wall behind them while others are more "see through." Though this garden featured succulents and grasses, this concept can be used for lettuces, micro greens, strawberries, and herbs.

They've even included a wood burning fireplace for cooking. The ultimate dream of taking your veggies straight from the garden and grilling within minutes of harvesting. Fresh!

Dino Kale

We've been lucky with our weather lately. Unusual for Memorial Day weekend in Seattle! It's been feeling like summer is almost here the last couple of days. With that came the urge to not cook dinner. And then I started to feel guilty.

I made up for it by gathering fresh dino kale from the garden to saute as a side dish to our BBQ. With a little olive oil, garlic and a sprinkle of kosher salt in the cast iron pan, it was super sweet. There wasn't a hint of mustard-y heat that it can get when it's about to bolt.

Though the leaves may be too bitter to eat, I am looking forward to my kale bolting soon. I'd like to saute the flower stalks just before they open. I'm ready to delve into my lettuces for salads. It will also free some space for more summer veggies. Tomatoes are waiting in the wings!

Early Purple Sprouting Broccoli

Finally! My Early Sprouting Purple Broccoli produced something edible. After having it in the ground for at least a year now and constantly battling with it encroaching along the path, I managed to actually eat it. I'm not sure I will grow this one again. Or maybe I'll start it later in the fall for the following spring. Then it will truly live up to its name.

A Welcome Weed

Cerinthe major, also known as honeywort, is a what I call a welcome weed in my garden. I planted it several years ago and never fails to reseeds itself in the fall. While everything is losing its leaves and going dormant for winter, this plant shows some promise and fills in empty spaces.

Even after snow and frost, honeywort is not phased and continues to grow. These are my first flowers of spring, blooming along side my daffodils and pansies.

I planted them close to my espaliered apples. Bees love them and it's possible having them in close proximity to each other helps with pollination. I had such a great apple crop last year.

I'm not sure if I have the plain species or the 'Purpurescens' variety. There is also C. retorta that has a yellow throat peeking out from the purple bracts. I would love to get my hands on some seed!

I highly recommend this annual. Plant it near your fruit trees and hopefully they'll help with pollination as they have with me!