PURPLE SPROUTING BROCCOLI | There’s nothing like a few days of sunshine to bring on all the flowers in the garden. This is an overwintered broccoli plant that sent up just a few flowers despite the heavy harvesting. The gardeners are finished harvesting the purple-sprouting broccoli. The bees love the pollen and nectar provided by these flowers.
RAINBOW CHARD | The gardeners will harvest the rainbow chard this coming week as it starts sending flower stalks. Once that happens, the leaves become smaller, and the flavor changes.
VIOLAS AND MINER’S LETTUCE | The garden finally has an abundance of violas, and we encourage the JORY chefs to use them with a lavish hand. The miner’s lettuce (pictured) has all gone to seed. Unfortunately, the higher temperatures this coming week will end its season.
PARSLEY AND PEA SHOOTS | The gardeners have removed the parsley and pea shoots in preparation for rototilling.
STRAWBERRIES | The strawberries’ response to sunshine is flowers. Before the gardeners are ready to harvest them, they will have ripe strawberries. Naturally, before that, they will have green strawberries for pickling. If the weather continues warming, you can expect them in about three weeks!
THE GREENHOUSE | The greenhouse is full of plants, almost ready to head outside into the rough and tumble real world. It should be dry enough by mid-May for the gardeners to work the ground. To those sitting inside looking out, Anna Ashby, master gardener at The Allison, says, “That might seem late, but remember that we have had standing water in the garden for the past six months. There are seasonal springs in the upper part of the garden, which keep it very wet well into late spring. It takes time for gravity to work!”
HERBS | The gardeners are harvesting rosemary even though it is blooming. The other herbs they harvest are oregano, tarragon, mint, chives, and bay. The herbs that the gardeners are waiting to grow enough to harvest are thyme and sage. Of course, basils are still tiny plants in the greenhouse.
Come out to the garden and see what else is growing!
–The Allison
