Summer Greens

[digitS']

Yes, these bok choy plants are suffering from the 90°, afternoon heat. I was fixin' to put the sprinkler on them when I took the picture. It's running now.

These were some of the tiny seedlings I referred to on June 24th, so their slow growth hasn't been that slow. We had a few of them for dinner, last night .

Steve

 

[thistlebloom]

I'm going to have to grow some bok choy. Do you think I could direct sow it for a late summer or early fall crop Steve?

 

[digitS']

Sure, Thistle'.

Just don't commit all at once. It needs what it needs in the way of weather conditions. So, a little seed/week beginning in the next week or so and over the next month or so.

I'm usually able to harvest nearly all of it but, yes, there may be some sowings where all the seedlings bolt when they are the size of a pencil.

All the Asian greens can be transplanted if the seedlings are a little crowded. A few cloudy days help.

Large packets of seed are available but two or 3 plants from a spring sowing can provide a following year's supply of seed for even the most enthusiastic stir-fry cook.

Steve

 

[digitS']

Yesterday, I sowed a little bok choy and choy sum seed. I used a little garden ground where baby carrots had been pulled.

The bok choy was my standard hybrid, Mei Qing. The choy sum was one from Agrohaitai, Late Green. I know it says, " Planted in winter and spring in South China." However, I've learned that I don't garden in South China ...


As best I understand, "choy sum" is an ingredient term. It isn't a garden vegetable, per se. (I like using "per se" and strive to find an excuse to do so at least every other year .)

No, there are plants from two species which can be used for choy sum. I'm not too interested in one - toooo small! I'm hoping that Late Green is like the one I've grown for years, and saved seed. It isn't much different from bok choy but the flowering stalks are more suitable for the kitchen.

Hopefully this afternoon, I'll remember to get a picture of my Perpetual Spinach, sown way back in the spring. It's really about ready for harvesting .

Steve

 

[thistlebloom]

Steve, I just received my bok choy seeds from Kitazawa Friday.
I'm emulating you and since you just planted some I'll be running out to the garden and looking for a likely spot to plant some of mine!

Your post had me grinning.

 

[digitS']

If you are digging new potatoes, Thistle', the timing is good.

The onions continue on their way out but those beds are being taken over by cucumbers, set out late. The broccoli came back! (Amazing how that stuff responds to fertilizer and water. ) Zucchini between the broccoli so I should be confined to the potato patch with my packets of Asian greens seed.

I'm just giving the potatoes a few more days. Both the plants and leaves are small this year and yet, they are all still green.

Steve

 

[digitS']

This is gonna make me appear as a goof ...

Okay, I won't try to deceive you into believing that these are perpetual spinach.


I don't know where that packet of seed has gotten to! I must not have found it in the spring either because these ain't them!

Maybe some of you remember me writing, "Dang, I'll have to remember to get my sugar beets planted ..." I remembered but I think these are just white beets, not sugar beets.

Now, notice how easy it would have been to pretend these are Perpetual Spinach: LINK. (Or, link, link) And, yes of course, I checked and "beita" is Italian for "beet greens."

Beet greens, green chard, perpetual spinach ... I've got the plants with the bulbous roots. Some of their leaves are in the fridge and I will let you know what they taste like.

Steve

 

[digitS']

Those kind-of-wilty bok choy in the picture above have nearly all been harvested. They were very nice plants. After 20+ years of growing bok choy, I'm still not sure of all the conditions which might cause bok choy problems with bolting ... it seems that it really is just best to throw caution (and seed) to the wind and keep right on sowing it about every 2 weeks. The fact is that sometimes, the plants just won't do well. And, I've got nice little seedlings coming up where I've pulled the carrots .

The white beet greens were good. Not as flavorful as red, baby beets but they do have the quality of not making a mess on the plate. I will have to grow the perpetual spinach in future gardens. "Steve, you need to forget about trying to find that old packet of seed; buy some new for 2016!"

This is kailaan (guy lon), South Seas.

It sure didn't do as well this summer as it did before. It isn't much different from what is sold in Asian markets but South Seas was a variety of kailaan that has grown as huge plants in my garden. That summer, it thrived through weeks of heat. Well, this is a different summer with way too much heat in June. I think it can't be rated that high for heat-resistance, after all.

On a final note, my Portuguese kale is pretty much just sitting around, looking at me. It obviously isn't very happy with this heat but it's a biennial so bolting isn't in its plans. The Portuguese kale will likely just bide it's time and begin to grow again when cooler weather arrives.

Steve