The long spring allowed us to put off picking rhubarb until this week. It’s rare that their season coincides with that of local strawberries, and, to celebrate, we straight away made a strawberry rhubarb galette.
All of the garlic is now scaping. The Music ones have completed their first turn, a good point to harvest at. Some say that the garlic bulbs will store better if the scapes are left on; we found it worth cutting them off for the larger bulbs that result. Leave them on and they’ll eventually straighten, a sign that the garlic is ready for harvesting.
Though the arugula bolted while barely past the seedling stage, the first planting of salad greens is still going strong.
Masai filet beans making an appearance, with their seeds still attached.
So far, favas are progressing beautifully this year. They’d be worth growing just for their orchid-like flowers.
The first year we grew English peas, we were disappointed to find the pods looking more like snow than shelling peas. We didn’t know the pods start out flat and fill out later, and made the mistake then of harvesting them too early.
Container potatoes will need hilling up soon.
Summer solstice marks our last harvest of asparagus; the bed will be left to nourish the crowns. We’ve still tomatoes that need to be put in the ground, though we’re holding back until this week’s sultry weather breaks. In the meantime, we’ll take care to make sure everything has enough water, including ourselves.
This week’s harvest:
Asparagus, garlic scapes, salad greens, tatsoi, fun jen, and rhubarb.
Diary of a Tomato 
Stunning photos as ever – the fava bean blossoms are gorgeous! I’m surprised your rhubarb hasn’t blossomed (which is when you have to stop harvesting, I have been told) – the plants here bloomed 2 weeks ago…..
We’re as surprised as you about the rhubarb not having yet blossomed!
Way ahead of you down here the mid-Atlantic. I harvested my early garlic today and I was too late. Should have harvested last week. Rest coming out tomorrow. Scapes were a month back.
We don’t expect to harvest garlic for another month but do seem to be a behind everyone, including those in the Seacoast.
The garlic scapes,asparagus,and peas are my favorite.
They’re hard to resist, aren’t they?
I love your purple asparagus! Beautiful!
KK
It’s funny, they seem to be more robust producers than the green asparagus, though they end up cooking the same.
Gorgeous photos, love the fava flowers! I like the way you write, too. Reads almost like poetry.
Ooh, you’re just being nice… ;)
healthy veggies you got there.. :)
Thanks, though we left out the wilting rice seedlings…
My arugula bolted too. Tried growing favas few years back without success, will try again next year.
Don’t know if it’s having some years experience with the favas but this seems to be the best year so far with them!
Nice batch of scapes. Your garden is looking great. Hope you get the tomatoes in soon.
The heat and relentless waves of thunderstorms are keeping them in pots so far…
Your garden is looking great. Hope the weather cooperates and you get the tomatoes in soon.
Us, too! At least before early blight gets to them!
Your rhubarb is so pretty. I’ve got a few plants but have not harvested any because I haven’t found a way to prepare it without sugar. But my rhubarb is nowhere near as red and beautiful as yours. I love fava flowers too. Have you noticed how fragrant they are? It always takes me by surprise when I catch a whiff of them in the garden. Have you ever seen crimson flowered favas? Beautiful!
The sugar requirement of rhubarb can be off-putting, I agree, though we’ve found some delicious savory recipes to use them in. Thanks for the tip about both the fragrance of lava flowers and to be on the look-out for the crimson ones!
We are getting rhubarb and strawberries simultaneously this year too. Doesn’t always work out that way. Those fava flowers really are gorgeous. I just never grow them (not sure why) but I keep saying I should. One year, I will quit talking about it and do it!
The first time we saw favas growing was at a community garden in San Francisco, and almost every plot had them. It was foggy, damp and cool, conditions much like ours as well as I imagine yours!
Your garden photos are just beautiful. We just planted the last of our tomatoes a week ago but all this rain certainly isn’t helping them. Really worried about blight.
Thanks, Karen! I’ve been very much enjoying yours also, especially seeing Maine through your eyes! As for the tomatoes, we’ve already had to pull off some leaves with signs of early blight…
Thank you. Unfortunately,I just did the same thing. :(