Don't even have time to add a post-harvest picture. I have a circular bed with a diametre of 100feet to finish before the long weekend.
I'd write more about perennial vegetables of which there are thankfully many but I have to garden. For the interested, try:
Plants for a Future - great website, but I double check their zones (always good to triple check)
Perennial Vegetables - book, available at the Ottawa library and website with some useful info.
The New Food Garden by Frank Tozer - a fantastic author that I HIGHLY recommend. This is a book combining small lot farming, permaculture and the pleasure of growing. Filled with information. I quickly tried to find a good, independent review but didn't come up with any in the five seconds that I have so please suggest a link or I'll try to write one soon.
P.S. If I haven't mentioned it recently, Harvest Monday is hosted by Daphne's Dandelions. Head on over to check out some more harvests.
12 comments:
What? A harvest of something that I've heard of? That rhubarb looks huge.
Yeah, I know. I decided to shake things up a little ;) Next year, hopefully the gardens will be more established.
That rhubarb is huge! What are you doing to it? Heating cables and steroids? Mine is much smaller. Mind you, I have mine in a cool spot and it doesn't get as much light as it probably should there...
Yes, the tubing for chemical enhancement is hidden by the leaves... No, it is in about 6 hours sun and has probably been there some time. So far, I have only grown sizeable rhubarb. I can't exactly explain that. though this one is probably smaller than you suspect. It's a good foto.
How much longer until you put your tomatoes into the ground, or are they already planted? I read that our average last frost date is May 6th here in Ottawa.
Thanks!
I normally plant tomatoes around the 14th of May to hedge my bets a bit. I have waited for the long weekend or longer some years depending on the longterm forecast. It's always wise to have something handy to cover them up in case we get cool temperatures. If you haven't hardened off much yet, you could do that for a week before planting out. Setting up a low tunnel over tomato cages or with whatever's available so you can throw over a frost blanket is helpful. So far, the longterm forecast looks promising this year :)
Oh forgot to mention, it also depends on the warmth of your soil and the size of your plants and any microclimate you may have. I would wait longer if you have heavy clay, are in a frost pocket, or have small plants. I'd plant sooner (taking a risk) if you have large, especially determinate plants, and sandy soil with the ability to cover easily at night. If you have some to spare, you could do half and half. They grow fast so waiting until May 24 works great for most people. One year I was still covering on June 4.
That's a nice looking rhubarb plant! I just did an ode to rhubarb post last Wednesday - as ours is now at harvesting stage too. There is something rather lovely about a well established rhubarb plant.
How damp is your plot? I'm next to a stream, tend to get waterlogged in winter, and apart from the odd time a couple of clumps drowned in very wet weather, I get massive rhubarb as well. I've just cooked the first crumble of the season.
I can't grow asparagus, I think it's the waterlogging that does for it.
heyhey! Lookie there! Next thing I know you'll have celery! ;-)
Is there a day that you harvest unrecognizables? A little vegetable roulette maybe? The rhubarb looks awesome, makes me think of my favorite pie.
I am jealous of your rhubarb. We had two harvests by this time last year, but this year our patch is still sad and tiny. The weather is very wet and cool. I very much enjoy your blog.
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