Update

Everything is growing beautifully. The cilantro is finishing up and bolting, but I got a week's worth of burrito toppings out of it first. The basil also has seen a lot of use—the grocery store has gorgeous heirloom tomatoes now, so I've been indulging in caprese salads quite a bit.

Green beans

I planted green beans on May 26. I don't recall the variety (I'm bad, I know), but they're a very compact, bush plant.

Flowers on July 6

Some pretty sizeable beans by July 11

Harvested the first batch today — July 14

I'll saute them tonight with butter and salt.

Bug Cop patrols the tomatoes

The first tomatoes I've ever grown are so red, ripe and absolutely delicious. They're like little Christmas ornaments hanging on a festive tomato-tree.



But what's this?! Poop on the basil? Ewww! Where'd it come from?



Eeewwwwwww! More on the tomato leaves! And it's fresh!



OMG! THEY"RE EATING MY TOMATO LEAVES! I must become Bug Cop to investigate and find the insectoidial criminal!


The search ensues....



You aren't eating the leaves....you're just an earwig. Ugly, but harmless.



Hi, Ms. Spider, you're not causing any trouble...looks like you even got something for lunch...good!



You! You, Mr. Hornworm, are causing a lot of trouble. Bad! Bad! Bad! Time to squish...

Muahahaha!


I hoped it was the end, but I keep checking, and keep finding more hornworms. I'll probably have to search all summer.

To Be Continued...

Pea pods

Garden peas


Snow peas

This is just about all the harvest I got this year – barely a bowl-full of each type. Sad :(

I'm starting to think peas aren't worth growing. (I think this is about all I got out of them last year, too.) They take up a good chunk of space, are annoying to get to climb up supports (I've seriously never had a stupider plant), and don't produce all that much for the space.

Since I don't have much room, I think there are other things I'd rather grow. And it would be nice to open up a little more space. I know my man would appreciate that.

Although, nothing beats the taste of fresh peas. And, the leaves and stems of the pea plant are edible, and although it's getting pretty late in the season (when the stems get woody and stringy). Like many greens (like spinach) they're perfectly fine to eat raw — toss them in a salad or as a garnish. Or you can cook them.

I harvested just the newest, most tender growth.

Sauteed in a little oil

Finished with salt and pepper.

Even the strings are edible, though the texture is very weird. Some of the stems were too woody and unpalatable, but the leaves were still OK.

And that's my culinary adventure for the week ;)

Lettuce harvest

I've been eating the lettuce all spring, but not a lot, just a salad here, a sandwich there. But it got so hot this weekend (highs in the 80s) and it's supposed to be the same all week. So it had to come out of the garden before it bolted.

Here's the "before"

photo taken through the bedroom window

And the "after"


So, the fridge is full of lettuce. I guess my menu this week will be dominated by salads. Hooray!? I mean, I like salad, but I may have gone a little overboard with it this year.