What a day we had yesterday. 88 degrees and that is too warm with a strong south wind. Watering was a problem but we did it a lot yesterday to make sure everything stayed watered. Gardeners came which was good. Moving plants outside to the racks so they hardened off, as the greenhouse is full.
Have you planted peas? I was going to do them this weekend, but right now it is raining out. See how the soil looks tomorrow. I am using our front flower bed for the early spring vegetables, as I talked about before...but haven't done it yet. There is time yet, so if you haven't yet you can still plant the early spring seeds, radishes, onions, lettuce, peas, spinach, cabbage, broccoli. Here is some things you can do with peas. Even if you don't grow them, you can pick them up at the store fresh or at a farmer's market.
Peas are one of the oldest cultivated vegetables. Originally the tender tops of the plants were cooked along with the pea pods. Today we have shelling, snap, snow and sugar pod peas. They are a rather brief, cool season vegetable that are well worth the easy effort to enjoy them fresh from the garden. Harvest when the peas have enlarged in the pods. To judge this you will need to gently squeeze the pods. The exception is snow peas, which are grown for their edible pods and are harvested when the pods reach about 3" in length, but are still flat. You can also eat the tender first shoots or even the vines and tendrils themselves in soups and stir fries.
Using Peas: Fresh peas need only minimal cooking in boiling water. Two to 3 minutes in boiling water will suffice for small, tender peas - just enough to warm them. If you are using them as part of a cooked dish, add a few at the start of cooking, to add flavor, but save most to stir in a few minutes before serving. Mint and peas are a classic combination. Dill makes an unexpected complex combination. Bacon and pancetta play nicely off peas sweetness. A squirt of lemon retains the green freshness of homegrown peas. Peas complement any starch - potatoes, rice, pasta...
Enjoy spring like weather in IOWA or where ever you are...till next time this is Becky Litterer from Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa
May 6, 2016
Have you planted peas? I was going to do them this weekend, but right now it is raining out. See how the soil looks tomorrow. I am using our front flower bed for the early spring vegetables, as I talked about before...but haven't done it yet. There is time yet, so if you haven't yet you can still plant the early spring seeds, radishes, onions, lettuce, peas, spinach, cabbage, broccoli. Here is some things you can do with peas. Even if you don't grow them, you can pick them up at the store fresh or at a farmer's market.
Peas are one of the oldest cultivated vegetables. Originally the tender tops of the plants were cooked along with the pea pods. Today we have shelling, snap, snow and sugar pod peas. They are a rather brief, cool season vegetable that are well worth the easy effort to enjoy them fresh from the garden. Harvest when the peas have enlarged in the pods. To judge this you will need to gently squeeze the pods. The exception is snow peas, which are grown for their edible pods and are harvested when the pods reach about 3" in length, but are still flat. You can also eat the tender first shoots or even the vines and tendrils themselves in soups and stir fries.
Using Peas: Fresh peas need only minimal cooking in boiling water. Two to 3 minutes in boiling water will suffice for small, tender peas - just enough to warm them. If you are using them as part of a cooked dish, add a few at the start of cooking, to add flavor, but save most to stir in a few minutes before serving. Mint and peas are a classic combination. Dill makes an unexpected complex combination. Bacon and pancetta play nicely off peas sweetness. A squirt of lemon retains the green freshness of homegrown peas. Peas complement any starch - potatoes, rice, pasta...
Enjoy spring like weather in IOWA or where ever you are...till next time this is Becky Litterer from Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa
May 6, 2016
