You Are What You Eat

Here I be, footloose and fancy free in 2006. Who knew one day I would resemble a cauliflower.

This badass is Cauliflower-Purple of Sicily. These Italian heirloom seeds where purchased from one of the raddest seed suppliers around, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. If I don't attend the Spring Planting Festival in May I'm going to run away to Bakersville.

A flawless cauliflower! Planted in the shade garden and undisturbed by the insect infested broccoli raab that sat next to it. I fearlessly snapped off a shoot and consumed it immediately. Normally I wouldn't do that considering I spit out a slug recently. Oh yeah, no joke, it was living in my salad. Bleh.

Pretty and delicious. Mild and not at all caulilflowery. I roasted half in a little olive oil, sea salt, and ground pepper. The other half I’ll eat raw. Clear out room if you like cauliflower because I highly recommend this variety. I’ve never harvested such a perfect vegetable.

Shade Garden Revisited

What a difference a month makes. The first picture was taken on January 26. The second picture was taken on February 27.









Ok, not the exact angle but do compare the wimpy seedlings in the first picture to the robust seedlings in the second picture.

Cauliflower-Purple of Sicily is flourishing. To the right of the cauliflower is Broccoli Raab Rapini. This is my second (or third) stint at growing both crops and planting them in the shade has made growing both a lot easier. My first attempts were planted in raised beds in full sun. Clearly they are thriving in indirect sunlight.

This area of the garden doesn't get watered often; rather I forget to water it. My guess, it’s watered once a week and it’s plenty. I’m very encouraged by these results. When I finally expand the vegetable garden a majority will be in indirect sunlight but with results like these it looks like I’ll be made in the shade.

PS, I am aware of my dork move; planting a bougainvillea in the shade. It’s one of those things I did in the first week of moving into our new old home, over a year ago. It’s grown just a tad, leaves no flowers. I’m transplanting it this weekend. Again.

Shade Happens

Who knew you could grow vegetables in the shade? I’m sure you fellow gardening friends knew but it never occurred to me. Never. I have a narrow ick spot between the side of the house and the space where we park a car that is always shaded. It’s been screaming for an update.

A search on mother Google yielded a plethora of possibilities. An article on In the Garden Online was especially helpful. The article mentions 10 crops that are suitable for shade and I happened to have some of those crops hanging around.

Y voila! I forgot to take a before picture but frankly it was ugly looking and who wants to see that side of me?

I transplanted Cauliflower-Purple of Sicily, Cabbage-Copenhagen Market, Lettuce-Container Garden Babies, Chard, and Parsley. Ah, chard, my arch nemesis. I have 5 different types of chard seeds. I think this is Rainbow Chard or it could be Bright Lights. Who knows and who cares because after about a year of trying I was finally able to grow it! My neighborhood BFF "just throws the seeds out" she says and gets enough bounty to feed the block. I on the other hand only produced three seedlings. What the pickles?

How cute is this lettuce? I mean c’mon it’s called Garden Babies. I haven’t tried it yet but it’s doing well in the new shady vegetable patch.