Today's harvest

[GinnyPNW]

Yes, Ginny, that's the same thing, as far as I know, and Renee's was the last one I grew, and it grew like crazy, like those I had from previous sources. This year I have some from Pinetree, labeled Cutting Celery , which I thought was a strange name - isn't most of it cut? I wanted to see if there is a variety that grows less vigorously, and would be manageable - same thing I had to do with parsley, for hydroponics and pot growing, as flat leaf grows like wildfire! I had both of these break open the 2" baskets in the hydroponics, by the end of the season! Renee's curly parsley grows fine in both the hydroponics and the windowsill boxes on my deck. The flat leaf, down in my herb bed, that I thought was a smaller variety, turns out larger than gigante! Go figure...

Thanks and I have a huge curly parsley + basil in my kitchen right now. I've been holding off ending them, hoping the new gardens can take over for these. I want to switch the kitchen garden over to flowers to brighten the fall/winter seasons. Yes, plants seem to have their own plans, sometimes?

 

[taxlady]

The stalks and stems on celeriac are also stronger flavoured than the regular celery. In fact, in Denmark one of the names for the kind grown for stalks translates to "pale celery". They call celeriac, "celery root" and use it a lot.

 

[larry_stewart]

Had a baad rain storm yesterday ( 6 + inches, wheelbarrow is full) followed by a bad wind storm ( gusts up to 60+ ) this morning.

Knocked a bunch of grape sized kiwi's off the vine, so I spent about 1/2 hour picking them up off the ground. It actually did me a favor, cause the vines are climbing up an oak tree at least 40 feet high ,so no easy efficient way to pick them other than gravity.

I also have full sized kiwi vines, which I removed but they self seeded on the other side of my property , so I left them there. Only got 1 of those.

The grape sized ones dont have a fuzzy outer layer, and can be eaten whole. Ive seen them on occasion in Trader Joes sold in quart sized containers .

they taste better than they look.

 

[pepperhead212]

Sorry to hear about that storm, Larry. It didn't hit here nearly as bad, and a lot less that originally forecast. Yesterday's rain was only about a quarter of an inch, but it was supposed to be much more, to add to the 1.49" from the first line. And wind was bad, but nothing like up north, with it getting to maybe 40 mph at the most.

The wind let up some later today, so I went out and started cleaning up some more things, and cleaned off a few more pepper plants, and gave some milder ones to my neighbor. Then I noticed all that epazote that is still in the front bed, so I cut all of it out, and cut most of the flower heads from them, and put them in a bag, and took them up to the Mexican grocery in town. As usual, he was thrilled to get it. I gave him a few peppers, but mostly the epazote.
The last of the Oaxacan Red Epazote, harvested for the guy at the Mexican grocery. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I have two plants started in the hydroponics, but only need the best of the two.
Oaxacan Red Epazote, in the hydroponics, 10-27. Will probably keep the top plant, which looks best. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

 

[Bitser]

The day's pick. The tomato on lower right (a Russian heirloom called Moskvitch) is the largest I've grown.

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

Beautiful Bit!

Are those Plum or San Marzano tomatoes on the outside there?

 

[Bitser]

Are those Plum or San Marzano tomatoes on the outside there?

They're a Russian heirloom, a San Marzano type called Peasant that came from Seeds Trust. Very hardy and prolific. I've been saving the seeds of the best plants for about ten years.

Good greenhouse variety. This year they got twice as tall as usual and are bearing like crazy.

 

[GinnyPNW]

They're a Russian heirloom, a San Marzano type called Peasant that came from Seeds Trust. Very hardy and prolific. I've been saving the seeds of the best plants for about ten years.

Good greenhouse variety. This year they got twice as tall as usual and are bearing like crazy.

Wow! They are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing!

 

[larry_stewart]

Some sugar cane, Lemon Grass aa few small peppers and a few tomatoes ( that I picked last week) finally ripening.

 

[GotGarlic]

Some sugar cane, Lemon Grass aa few small peppers and a few tomatoes ( that I picked last week) finally ripening.

Sugar cane, wow. How do you use it?

 

[larry_stewart]

Sugar cane, wow. How do you use it?

Not sure
I always wanted to grow it. I tried rooting some cane that I got at the store. a few times, but didn't quite work out.
Each year I try to grow at least one or two unique things. More to see how they grow, the experience and education than anything else ( along with the challenge).

I was able to purchase small plants online. Wouldn't say they flourished, but got big enough for me to harvest a few canes.

Up until now, I;ve just been chopping off some small pieces to chew on for the sweetness, with no real plans on what to do with them.

Wont grow it again, but glad I did . Falls under the been there, done that list.

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

Not sure
I always wanted to grow it. I tried rooting some cane that I got at the store. a few times, but didn't quite work out.
Each year I try to grow at least one or two unique things. More to see how they grow, the experience and education than anything else ( along with the challenge).

I was able to purchase small plants online. Wouldn't say they flourished, but got big enough for me to harvest a few canes.

Up until now, I;ve just been chopping off some small pieces to chew on for the sweetness, with no real plans on what to do with them.

Wont grow it again, but glad I did . Falls under the been there, done that list.

That's what we did back home as kids in Hawaii.
I don't recall using them for anything though.

 

[pepperhead212]

Maybe make rum?

 

[Farmer Jon]

Haven't been in the field for a few days but this is what I'm dealing with. Corn had wind damage when it was small then grew back like this. The combine is missing a lot because of the way it's bent. Some of the soy beans are very dusty this year. That is my wife in the tractor.

 

[pepperhead212]

Today, I finally harvested all of my lemongrass - got 95 stalks, and only a very few small ones! I was surprised, for sure, as in the past it seemed that half the mass was small stalks, but you can see how few there were, even on the smallest clusters.

As I've done before, I trim these now, so when I thaw them, nothing is thrown away - it's already been done! Well, not really - all those trimmings (other than those greens I saved) are in the garden, as mulch! I took photos showing the woody centers in the stalks, and the first one trimmed to the purple rings in the center. Some I only had to cut a small amount from, while the ones in the center (the oldest stalks) I sometimes had to cut up to 3" from. Good thing is, I won't need to do this again for quite a while! I still have a few from 4 seasons ago, from 3 stalks - I couldn't find anyone that wanted my 4th rooting, so I planted it!
All 4 lemongrass clusters, showing the size difference. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Here's the largest cluster, with the stalks cut through, with a cleaver, showing the outer ones already with the purple rings in the centers, but most needed some trimming.
Largest cluster, stalks cut off, showing the woody center of most of the the stalks, which will need to be cut off. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The smallest cluster still had few small stalks, and had more of the ones that didn't need trimming at that end.
Smallest cluster, still with few small stalks. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I didn't save all of the greens - only half. These will be cut more, then Foodsavered, and the volume will decrease greatly.
Lemongrass greens, from 2 largest clusters, about 46 oz., filled a plastic bag from a store. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

And the 95 stalks I got from the 4 clusters:
95 stalks saved, and rinsed, draining, before vacuum sealing them, in the Foodsaver. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

 

[GotGarlic]

Not sure [emoji38]

I always wanted to grow it. I tried rooting some cane that I got at the store. a few times, but didn't quite work out.

Each year I try to grow at least one or two unique things. More to see how they grow, the experience and education than anything else ( along with the challenge).



I was able to purchase small plants online. Wouldn't say they flourished, but got big enough for me to harvest a few canes.



Up until now, I;ve just been chopping off some small pieces to chew on for the sweetness, with no real plans on what to do with them.



Wont grow it again, but glad I did . Falls under the been there, done that list.

We took a trip to Barbados about 15 years ago. Our tour of the island included a stop at a sugar plantation. It was pretty interesting.

 

[GotGarlic]

Nice harvest, pepperhead!

 

[larry_stewart]

Today, I finally harvested all of my lemongrass - got 95 stalks, and only a very few small ones! I was surprised, for sure, as in the past it seemed that half the mass was small stalks, but you can see how few there were, even on the smallest clusters.

Mine were actually larger this year than in the past too.
Usually I get stalks that are so hit, its almost not worth saving. This year, I got a late start, so the plat wasnt has bushy. Seemed to produce less stalks but thicker ones.

 

[blissful]

I kept a lemon grass for 2 years, actually kept it through one winter, definitely not worth it. I bought it 2 years ago, tiny, grew it into getting root bound, only harvested about 8 ounces the other day.


Next time, I'll just get 4 pots started and take it to fall, then harvest. I didn't enjoy trying to keep it alive over winter (I kill most indoor plants) or that the harvest was so small with that effort.

 

[larry_stewart]

I actually grow it more as an ornamental plant on my patio in a pot. It fills out like an ornamental grass does but with dual purpose ( you can eat it ). It definitely outgrows its pot in no time. I dont use it much, so Im not sure why I keep growing it.

And I also do a pretty good job of killing house plants.

I do have a pepper plant that has just finished its 3rd season. Ill try to over winter it for a 4th season.