It’s time once again for Harvest Monday, where we celebrate all things harvest related. It’s now officially summer, and the harvests show it. The summer squashes are bearing almost daily now. Safari is a striped zucchini I’m trialing here this year, and so far it’s looking promising. It’s making long slender fruits, and this one weighed in at 13 ounces.
Safari zucchini
Tempest is a my favorite yellow squash, and we have been enjoying it lightly sauteed in a little butter. Bred by Johnny’s for flavor and for drier flesh, it is truly my favorite yellow squash. We also enjoy them cut in half lengthwise and grilled. Here they are hanging out with the large Kossak kohlrabi and an Astia zucchini.
Tempest squash with Kossak kohlrabi
Kossak is a variety that makes large kohlrabi that I like to use for fermenting into kraut or pickled sticks. The one in my hand weighed in at 1.5 pounds, which is the size I like to harvest them. They are good for other uses too, like cutting into slices or chunks and roasting in the oven.
Kossak kohlrabi
We’ve been enjoying the smaller sized kohlrabi either raw, or stir fried. This is one I’m growing for the first time called Korist. It’s done well, though I’m not sure it is an improvement over Terek or Konan. All of the kohlrabi from this bed have quite a lot of slug damage, but it doesn’t hurt the end product since the skin gets peeled anyway.
Korist kohlrabi
The greenhouse lettuce is struggling with the heat but we’re still eating it. I’m growing Starfighter for the first time and I’m impressed so far. It reminds me of Simpson Elite, and handles the hot weather quite well. By hot, I mean the greenhouse regularly gets over 100°F in the afternoons, so this is a tough lettuce indeed!
Starfighter lettuce
Sea of Red lettuce is also holding up well. It keeps its red color in the greenhouse better than many I have grown, since the color tends to lessen somewhat when grown in there. I’m cutting it before it is full sized, but still large enough to give us lots of tender leaves.
Sea of Red lettuce
The cucumbers are not minding the heat in the greenhouse so far. We’ve been getting a steady supply of slicing and snacking types like Corinto and Mini Munch.
Corinto and Mini Munch cucumbers
The broccolini plants have made all of their main heads now, and we’re moving on to the side shoots. Artwork and Atlantis were the last to head up this year, Happy Rich and Apollo the first. I think I may have finally found a mix of varieties that don’t all come on at once. The Burgundy side shoots are nice sized, and Artwork’s main heads were bigger than usual. We have been well supplied with broccoli lately, though I can’t imagine it will linger long if the heat wave continues.
Burgundy broccoli
Artwork broccoli
In the future harvests department, the first of the Center Cut squash are setting on. I’m still hand pollinating all the squashes, not hard to do as long as I remember to do it. There are usually plenty of male blossoms to use for a pollen source.
Centercut squash on the vine
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!
Your plants come on so quickly. We are trying to use our broccoli before it runs to seed too
So many of my favorites featured this week–Astia zucchini, Sea of Red lettuce, burgundy broccoli. Another lettuce similar to Sea of Red that holds up well for me in the heat is Redina. Renee’s Seeds sells it in a summer lettuce mix but I’ve grown in the winter too. Garden writer, Barbara Pleasant plants sunflowers next to her squash timing bloom and blossoms to encourage pollination. A great idea I’m trying.
I was thinking of planting buckwheat. It’s quicker to bloom here than sunflower, and makes a good cover crop too.
Wow, your broccoli looks good and it’s amazing that your lettuce is still holding up. All mine have gone to seed, so I’ll be digging them out soon and maybe use it as a seed starting bed.
I haven’t been getting normal bees in the garden either. Just tiny sweat bees that pollinate the tomatoes and big bumble bees that are always drawn to the cucumber blooms.
many of your veg are ahead of mine, esp your abundant flowing lettuce leaves mine are still small considering i sowed them a while back. Your stripe courgette is lovely, i think i will be harvesting my first next week, along with kale, beans and peas and maybe even turnip. My broccoli and kohlrabi are a fair way from being ready though, i don’t think i’ve ever had it raw so will def. try it raw when ready.
Hi Dave, I was looking at your courgettes and wondering if you had already tried the round courgette from Nice (Ronde de Nice). I found it to be the most tasteful I ever tried. I was not a big fan of its shape, but the flavor it’s really good. And I cooked it with others the same time just to compare them! It’s wonderful grilled or any other way. Even if they get bigger than they should you can discard the core (or use it in soups the seeds are soft for a long time) and use the sides.
I have tried the Ronde de Nice, but it’s been years ago. Thanks for the tip, I will check it out!