It’s time once again for Harvest Monday, where we celebrate all things harvest related. The harvests here have taken a turn for summer I believe. The greenhouse cucumbers are a dependable summer crop for me, and a good use for the greenhouse when summer temps regularly get over 100°F during the day. I’m trialing a couple of new ones this year, as well as growing my tried and true favorites. Mini Munch is new to me, and gave us our first fruits of 2020. I love the Beit Alpha types with their thin and tender skins. These small ones are sometimes called “cocktail” or “snacking” cucumbers, and are generally pricey whenever I see them in the grocery.
Mini Munch cucumbers
Corinto is a slicing type with dark green skin and one of my favorites, and it always produces well for me. It’s hanging out with a couple heads of Muir lettuce, which are holding on in the greenhouse despite the hot weather. I turned the cuke into refrigerator pickles.
Corinto cucumber and Muir lettuce
The bees haven’t found our squash plants yet so I have been hand pollinating every morning. Once they find the garden, they usually clean the male blossoms of pollen before I even get out there. It’s not hard to do by hand, but I sometimes forget to check for female blooms.
pollinating squash
My efforts have been rewarded with several yellow squash and zucchinis. Tempest is a great tasting yellow squash bred by Johnny’s. I sauteed these two in a little butter for a side dish. I also like them grilled, which is what I did with one of the zucchinis.
Tempest squash
The kohlrabi I have growing behind the greenhouse are mostly ready for pulling. I took nine the other morning, including Konan, Beas, Terek and Kolibri. I used some to make fermented kohlrabi pickles, and a couple more to make a pint jar of kohlrabi kraut. The rest are for fresh use, either raw or cooked.
kohlrabi harvest
trimmed kohlrabi
And more of the broccolini was ready to cut last week. Apollo is one I’ve grown for several years and makes decent sized main heads with lots of side shoots. I used this bunch for a Broccoli and Walnut Salad we enjoyed as a cool side dish on a hot day.
Apollo broccoli
Burgundy is a purple sprouting broccoli that heads up in spring and fall. It too makes decent sized main heads and lots of side shoots.
Burgundy broccoli
The lettuce is holding up in the greenhouse but not liking the heat. I won’t replant any more until fall when the temps moderate. We should have plenty to eat for a couple of weeks more.
Tango and Starfighter lettuce
Harvest Monday is a day to show off your harvests, how you are saving your harvest, or how you are using your harvest. If you have a harvest you want to share, add your name and blog link to Mr Linky below. And be sure and check out what everyone is harvesting!
We really like Mini Munch
I was thinking I had seen someone growing it, and it must have been you. I only planted one and the vine is loaded with fruits and blossoms coming on.
You definitely have summer in your harvests, once again giving me envy. That’s also a nice harvest of kohlrabi. Have you posted the kraut recipe before?
Here’s the recipe for the kraut and the kohlrabi pickles
https://happyacres.blog/2015/07/09/fermented-kohlrabi-two-ways/
What cute little cucumbers and another lettuce (Muir) to consider for warm weather. Days over 100 degrees would weary me. Most days I work in the vegetable garden in the cool of the morning. Nice that Apollo produces so well for you and good to see Burgundy show up for you. Onward to summer!
I work outside in the cool of the morning too, though some mornings here it isn’t that cool – even at 6am!
This is my first year growing vegetables, so I appreciate this linkup to give me ideas of what else to grow in my little garden! Thank you for hosting!
I get lots of ideas from seeing what other gardeners are growing, and how they are growing it too. Good to see you here at Harvest Monday!
OOOH lots of exciting harvests this week Dave! I have only just sown Khol Rabi, and squashes like that seem a long way off, but there is always something good to have, don’t you think?
Hi Dave, our Center Cut is growing really well now, we have about 6 fruits ready for harvest and have taken a couple over the previous two weeks, with at least another 6 at finger size on their way. So prolific compared to courgette in the same space (a 35 litre container). I’m a huge fan of the mini cucumbers, we grow a lot of La Diva, but mini-munch too, we must have harvested about 15 fruits this year so far, the plants are aging a bit now though so I’ve got a replacement batch well on the way. Like you I’m doing most of my work from early and late, 8-9am and 7-8pm.
I have two of the Center Cut vines in the main garden, and they are just now starting to bloom. I agree, they are prolific compared to most summer squash. I’m also trialing two Korean moschata squashes that are harvested at the immature stage like Center Cut. Meot Jaeng I Ae looks like a zucchini, while Teot Bat Put is also called ‘avocado squash’ because of its shape. They are just beginning to bloom here too, so I should be getting the first fruits soon.
It’s interesting that your outdoor beds are only a couple of weeks behind my polytunnel already! My outdoor plants are several weeks away from harvest