I had my first vegetable harvest from the veggie patch at the house this week and Friday I harvested most of the radishes. It's nice to be harvesting these little rewards for all of the hard work that was put into the beds this year.
The spinach this spring was pathetic looking and starting to bolt. I harvest all of it (which wasn't much). Look how yellow it is...just pathetic. but it tasted just fine in a salad. Next year I will try to overwinter a crop.
Some of the lettuce was harvested to make room for brussel sprouts:
Two of my broccoli plants started buttoning so I harvested the buttons.
Check out Daphne's Dandelions to see what others harvested this week!
I usually have a very difficult time growing spinach. My overwintered bed did very well though. That may be the trick.
ReplyDeleteNice lettuce and broccoli for a nice salad!
I'm just glad I didn't fill more squares with spinach, at least there are other things that are doing well :)
DeleteI've been eating a heap of broccoli this week - mine isn't quite ready but my dads was and he gave me the hugest head. My plants always seem to send up side shoots once I harvest the main head. I'm not familiar with the term buttoning though.
ReplyDeleteThey sometimes develop "buttons" instead of a full head if they are exposed to a cold snap. With all of the weird weather I'm not surprised that it happened.
DeleteNever heard the expression "broccoli plants started buttoning" before, but it is very descriptive, going to borrow your expression, hope you don't mind.
ReplyDeleteno problem ;)
DeleteDefinitely leave the plants - they will give you five times (or more!) that amount in side shoots! Same with cabbage, even sunflowers will do it.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to Harvest Monday.
Thanks! Good to know, I'll leave them to keep producing until I need to plant something else in the square!
DeleteYour greens look very nice and way to go on broccoli! Mine is just starting to form so at least a week before it can be picked. I always keep them in ground after harvest for small offshoots.
ReplyDeleteThanks, They were tasty!
Deleteall of my broccoli were buttons this year and they all put out side shoots with more buttons, so i vote to leave them. I chopped them leaves, stems and all; the leaves are even more nutritious than the heads.
ReplyDeletehmm I never thought of eating the leaves before! I'll leave them growing, thank you!
DeleteI learned so much, from the term "buttoning" to what to do when that happens--harvest and keep growing!
ReplyDeleteI've had nothing but greens until this week, and those measured in ounces. But they count!
http://planetpooks.com/?p=4552
I agree with many of the comments about leaving them, I am getting a wonderful flush of buttons from plants that I though had finished cropping last year and nearly pulled them up.
ReplyDelete