Notes from the Garden

So far this season our growing conditions have been ideal. We have had timely rains, which enhanced the greenery of early Spring and flowers in our cutting gardens. Potato vines are thriving and ready to be hilled up. I always look forward to the first new potatoes that will soon follow. The tender skins of thosefirst new potatoes fall right off when being washed.

My favorite recipe for new potatoes is to boil them and serve with butter, freshly cut dill, and salt and pepper.
English Peas are in full production now, along with the edible podded varieties, and the shelling types. Another one of my Spring favorites is new potatoeswith fresh shelled English green peas served with a cream sauce roux.
For a number of weeks now we have been harvesting a wide range of spring greens, which include lettuce varieties, spinach, kale, Swiss chard, arugula,mustard greens, and a number of others.

Our two tunnel structures are filled with tomato, pepper, and eggplant, which are now ready to be set out in the fields. In the heritage gardens I have already started with varieties that are being grown out for seed preservation. These heritage varieties include the oldtime golden stick bean, the South Carolina red stick bean, the Murphy Pole bean, and a black seeded variety dating back to 1790.

These are just a few examples of Heirloom varieties that will be grown out this summer.

John Coykendall, Master Gardener