Arugula done for the season

I did forget one thing last night — I pulled the remainder of the arugula out of the garden yesterday.  Several of the plants had bolted and the rest tasted too floral/peppery for me.  It was a good run and a very productive plant.  I’ll probably do it again next year, but earlier and in smaller quantities.

Other post-vacation garden updates

Other news from around the garden:

• Shaggy (the Cherokee Purple tomato) had a bad accident while we were gone too – one of his main vines either got too heavy or got whipped around in the wind, and snapped completely. When I went to cut it off with my knife, I think I snagged the stem and dug into it. Hopefully poor Shags doesn’t mind a few nicks and scratches.

• The lettuce pest I mentioned the other day turned out to be a cabbage looper (as identified via e-mail by my wonderfully helpful local university extension office). They recommend I use a BT-based pesticide to help remove them. I picked up some Thuricide at the local garden center and sprayed it on the lettuces. This seemed to help for a bit but I noticed a few more eggs and caterpillars in the garden yesterday, so I guess it’s an ongoing process.

• We also returned to find a minor aphid infestation (also identified by the extension’s master gardeners) on the Black Cherry tomato plant…

I sprayed some homemade insecticidal soap on them (lighter formula this time) and that seemed to take care of them.

Full garden photo round-up (couple days old) after the jump.

Fresh caviar and more additions

You’d think fresh caviar’s a good thing, right? Not so much.

Back home on Memorial Day

Came back home after being gone Wednesday afternoon through Monday day-time, and WOW! Garden explosion! In five days, significant growth all around. Check it out:

The radishes, mesclun mix, and arugula are all ready for harvest now, and the zucchini and a couple tomato plants are starting to show some blossoms.

It was late when we got home and we had almost nothing to eat in the house, so we raided the back yard and had an awesome salad of mixed greens with radishes and topped our pasta with home-grown basil.

It’s official – having a garden kicks ass.

Planted lettuces, onions and radishes

Sowed seeds for the following in the west raised bed:

• Radishes – French Breakfast – 1 4 ft. row
• Radishes – Cherry Belle – 1 4ft. row
• Green onion – Evergreen Bunching – 1 4 ft. row
• Lettuce – Mache – 1 4 ft. row
• Lettuce – Rouge d’Hiver – 1 4 ft. row
• Lettuce – Mesclun Mix – 1 4 ft. row
• Lettuce – Arugula – 1 4 ft. row