What's Growing in the Vegetable Garden
My vegetable garden is so much fun to visit right now because of all the growing produce - there’s something new popping up every day.
So far, this summer’s weather has been quite pleasant, and we’ve had a good amount of rain, which means all the gardens at my Bedford, New York farm are looking very lush and green. In particular the vegetable garden, which is located down by the chicken coops. I go down there whenever I can to check on its progress. I will have an abundant harvest this week just in time for the July 4th weekend.
Enjoy these photos and the update on the vegetables I'm growing.
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- Here is a view down the center of my vegetable garden adjacent to the chicken coops. All the plants are doing very well and are growing quickly. I like to use salt hay in the footpath to enhance the look of the garden and to enrich the soil. It also helps cut down on those pesky weeds.
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- On this side are the peppers and eggplants. They were just staked using natural wood supports and jute twine. Staking various vegetables is necessary to keep weighty fruits off the ground and to reduce the risk of disease.
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- This year, I planted the tomatoes closer to the front of the garden. I always practice crop rotation. Doing this reduces the spread of soil-borne disease and avoids nutrient depletion in the soil. I grow both hybrid and heirloom tomato varieties.
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- Soon, these shorter bamboo stakes will be replaced with taller, more supportive teepee style bamboo canes. I like to use bamboo because they’re easy to buy in bulk, look most natural in the garden and can be found in a variety of sizes. One can also purchase tomato cages specially designed for supporting tomato vines at any garden supply shop.
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- The potatoes won’t be ready for some time, but the plants are growing extremely well – I am certain it will be a bountiful harvest come autumn. Potatoes are from the perennial nightshade Solanum tuberosum. It is the world’s fourth-largest food crop following maize, wheat, and rice. Notice the flowers – this means the potato is already developing beneath the ground.
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- My cabbages are also growing rapidly. This year, I decided to build raised, well-aerated square beds on one side instead of just long rows. This will make better use of the space and allow us to plant more.
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- The leaves of the Savoy cabbage are more ruffled and a bit more yellowish in color than the green cabbages. To get the best health benefits from cabbage, it’s good to include all three varieties into the diet – Savoy, red, and green. And, don’t forget, cabbage can be eaten cooked and raw.
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- Red, or purple, cabbage is often used raw for salads and coleslaw. It contains 10-times more vitamin-A and twice as much iron as green cabbage.
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- Broccoli is a hardy vegetable that is high in vitamins A and D. I always set aside a large bag of broccoli for my grandchildren, Jude and Truman – they love broccoli, and it is one of the healthiest vegetables.
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- This beautiful cauliflower head is brimming with nutrients. Cauliflower holds plenty of vitamins, such as C, B, and K.
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- Kale or leaf cabbage is a group of vegetable cultivars within the plant species Brassica oleracea. They have purple or green leaves, in which the central leaves do not form a head.
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- This is green kale. Kale is loaded with powerful antioxidants, such as quercetin and kaempferol. It is also an excellent source of vitamin-C.
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- Vicia faba, also known as the broad bean or fava bean is an ancient member of the pea family. It has a nutty taste and a buttery texture. I always grow lots of fava beans.
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- These fava beans are ready for picking.
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- And don’t forget all the lettuce. Lettuce is a fairly hardy, cool-weather vegetable that thrives when the average daily temperature is between 60 and 70-degrees Fahrenheit. Look how beautiful these lettuces are growing in this square bed.
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- I love all the different lettuce varieties and colors and can’t wait to harvest them for my family’s many delicious salads.
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- Swiss chard is a relative of the beet and a superb source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as magnesium, potassium, and iron. It makes a colorful and tasty side dish, or a nutritious addition to pasta, soup, quiches, and more.
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- Here is Swiss chard with its bright yellow stalks. The Swiss chard harvest typically begins in the late summer and lasts into the fall.
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- Four of the first square garden beds were planted by Jude. She loves to garden and is already excellent at it. Her crops are ready to harvest.
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- In the garden next door, the natural wood trellis is secure and ready to support the sprouting cucumber plants. I started using these types of trellises a couple of years ago after I saw similar structures during one of my trips to Maine. They work very well and can be completely assembled using materials already at the farm.
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- The upright supports are made from branches with a natural “V” shaped notch at one end. This is important so it could hold the heavy cross branch.
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- Everyone always asks what I do with all the vegetables I grow. I share them with my family, but I also love sharing the bounty with friends, colleagues, and my hardworking crew here at the farm. I provide fruits, vegetables, and eggs for magazine and video shoots. And, of course, all my birds get vegetables too. It will be a very good and productive season. What vegetables are growing in your garden? Share your comments below!
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