Wednesday, July 7, 2010

It's Sea Peason...um...Pea Season!

I harvested the first peas a few days ago, but last night (actually, that would be two nights ago, now), in the 90-degree heat, I picked the first real batch - almost a half bushel. Most were snow type peas - the kinds with the edible pods. These include the sweet golden peas (new this year - found in a market in Inida - that's what all the descriptions in the catalogues say),


and the Schweitzer Reisen, which are HUGE.


The humidity is a killer, though - I had rivers of sweat running down my face while picking. Things were made even worse in the house later that evening as I blanched the produce for freezing. It took HOURS for the fans to pull out the heat and humidity and bring in the cooler air from the wee hours.

Still, it is great to have the summer harvest officially underway.

The spinach bolted...before it ever reached edible status.

Most of the greens fed the slugs. I think I had them too close to the peas this year, for they never really thrived and the peas over-topped them. The cool, shady, damp microclimate was perfect for slugs and snails.

It seems like most of the carrots never sprouted. One batch is doing okay (needs thinning), but the others are so Spartan that thinning is not required. Most of what you see are weeds. When the weather breaks, I need to go out with the cobrahead and do some weeding.


Some of the beets are up...they need some thinning, too. I've never had luck with the beets, so maybe this year will be a first.



And the spuds, well, the CPB are lovin' them!


Hooray! The pole beans are finally starting to climb! I knew all they needed was a little heat, although this heatwave is a bit excessive. Feast or famine, that's the weather in these modern times.



The runner beans are blooming, but are barely 6" tall. Maybe they are really crawler beans.



Only one bed of squash is thriving. The rest of the pumpkins and cukes are struggling, and I don't think the melons are even remotely in evidence.

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