Oops! Sorry no pictures. I did not bring my memory stick to work. I would forget my head if it wasn't attached somedays!
It has been hot and sticky July weather here but TONS of growing and flowering has been going on in the garden! I seriously have not been this excited in a LONG time!
My zucchini and yellow squash have these beautiful orange flowers on them! You can pick the male flowers off and deep fry them or cook them in a butter sauce or just add them to a salad, they are delicious! If you don't know the difference the male flowers have a long straight stamens (they kind of remind me of the male anatomy). The female look like a few curled up little zucchinis (and yes they do remind me of female anatomy) there is an ovary behind it and will produce fruit if pollinated. Do not pick the female flowers, they produce the fruit! If you want to try some zucchini flowers use the male flowers!
I have a bunch of tomatoes and a ton of little yellow flowers! Those plants are almost 5 feet tall! I have three different varieties, Amish Paste, Black Krim and a type of cherry tomato! I remember growing up my grandfather teaching me how to grow tomatoes. I was responsible for watering them every morning! It's such a great memory and I hope someday when my girls grow up they remember this valuable lesson we have taught them!
I take back what I said two weeks ago because my corn seemed to shoot right up! "Knee high by July" is the old adage! We are right on course, hopefully we will start seeing some tassels soon!
We finally got the herb bed filled with dark loamy soil and I am trying to figure out what I want to put in there.
I keep checking the radishes but I think they have been overcrowded and are not going to grow anymore. So I started looking online to see how to prepare the leaves. I did not know you could eat the leaves. And did you know that if you leave radishes in the ground they sprout these little flowers? Neither did I. I got these beautiful little flowers on top.
And no my chickens have not started laying yet. On August 12th they will be 22 weeks old, I am keeping my fingers crossed!!
Ok so I promise to make the time to blog. Have a great week! I can't wait to see what everyone is growing! To check out the Kindergardens series head over to The Inadvertant Farmer!
Eeeek! I remember two summers ago counting down the days until my chicks were 22 weeks old. When you find the first, perfect, wonderful egg... I can't even describe it. Takes your breath away!
ReplyDeletesounds like the garden is doing wonderfully! looking forward to reading about those first eggs! :)
ReplyDeleteExciting stuff going on there! I want to try the squash blossoms, wish I had more growing on my vines!
ReplyDeleteLOL...glad I'm not the only that would forget their head!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your garden is thriving...July is such a fun time for growing things! Great ideas for squash blossoms. Kim
I agree with Jess---that first egg is very special.
ReplyDeleteDidn't know you could eat the leaves of radishes! I'll have to look up how to prepare them. Thanks for passing the idea along.
We are now on egg watch, I have been reading that golden comets start laying between 17 to 22 weeks. I cannot believe how much stuff has just grown. Everything has taken off at a feverish pace! Not sure we are going to be able to keep up with those tomatoes!! For the radish leaves I do a quick saute' in a little butter or olive oil. (A little garlic and red pepper flakes add a nice touch too.) They are delicious. I make beet tops the same way! I love those "two for the price of one" veggies! Great way to stretch your veggies!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the update :) I like radish flowers, too. They go to bolt just like lettuce in hot weather (have you had hot weather). I wonder if you can keep the seeds from the flowers for next year? Thanks for the tips on which squash flowers to eat :)
ReplyDeleteBack when I still worked full time (feels like a million years ago) I'd run home every day on my 30 minute lunch break, slap a sandwich together and eat it in the garden. I was so excited I had to check the progress mid-day! (And I lived 5 minutes away.) I just realized that since my squash plants haven't produced any female flowers yet, I could pick and stuff the males ones! Thanks for reminding me they are just going to waste out there.
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