KC Tomato Times Blog

One of the greatest things about growing garlic is the harvest of the flowering stalk of the garlic plant…the scape.  Garlic scapes have so many uses as they make a wonderful pesto, are tasty when grilled, do very well in a hummus, and they can be used as you would green onions in stir fries or soups.  They have a very light, garlic/onion flavor and are one of the true delicacies of the garden.

I picked a bunch of scapes this morning and this will be the only time I’ll be offering these this year as they are a one time harvest crop.  Scapes are difficult to find at farmer’s markets as you usually have to be first in line to have a chance at buying them.  I put a baker’s dozen in each bag and have them priced at $5 a bag.  E-mail me at kctomatotimes@gmail.com and I’ll tell you how to pick them up.

With the exception of some sunflowers and melons going in a corner of the garden, everything is planted finally!  I’ve pulled a lot of the early season crops and planted summer crops behind them.  The garlic will be harvested in a month or so and I’ll plant more beans and corn in behind those as well.

Here is a breakdown of everything planted so far:

64 tomato plants in raised beds:

Cherokee Purple (2), JD’s Special C-TEX, Carbon (3), Bear Creek, Chocolate Stripes, Sara Black, Brandywine Black, Brad’s Black Heart, Ananas Noire (2), Goose Creek (2), Mariana’s Peace, Eva Purple Ball, Soldaki, Lithuanian, Budennovka Pink, Arkansas Traveler, Grandfather Ashlock, Amish Paste (4), Brandywine Sudduth, Marmande Garnier Rouge, German Giant, Heavenly Delight (Rayskoe Naslazhdenie), Bolseno F1, Stump of the World, Cero Blackburn, Banana, Heidi, Boondocks, KBX, Pineapple, Pineapple Pig, Cherokee Gold, Cherokee Green, Absinthe, Green Moldovan, Malachite Box, Aunt Ruby’s German Green, Grub’s Mystery Green, Anna Russian, Rosella Crimson (2), Hippie Zebra, Kiss the Sky (2), Honeydrop (Medovya Kaplya), Juanne Flamme, Weisebehaarte, Green Tiger, Pink Tiger, Lucky Tiger, Sungold, Purple Haze, Blush, Sunrise Bumblebee, Purple Bumblebee, and Pink Bumblebee. PHEW!!!

90 peppers in containers:

Serrano Del Sol (2), S80D, hot Rod, Serrano, Sweet Banana (5), Large Red Cherry (5), Jalapeno (5), Jimmy Nardello (5), Canary bell (5), Purple Beauty (5), California Wonder (3), Cascabelle, Carmen, Trinidad Scorpion (2), Padron (2), Peppadew (3), Stavros (2), Anaheim (2), Pimento, Krimson Lee, Chimayo, Yellow Peter pepper, Red Peter Pepper, Hot cowhorn, Mellow Star (3), Shishito (5), Chocolate Habanero (2), Numex Joe E. Parker (4), Santa Fe Grande (2), Hot Wax (2), Hungarian Cheese (2), Carolina Reaper (3), Chocolate Moruga,  Pot Burgundy, Queen Laurie, Chinese Naga, Brazilian Ghost, Malawi, White Habanero, Billy Goat, Thai Hot, Tepin, Yellow Pequin

10 eggplant in containers:

Long Purple (4), Florida Market (2), Nadia, Black Beauty (2), Rosa Bianca

Other veggies too numerous to name by species: Summer Squash (12 varieties), Bush Beans, Sweet Corn, 6 varieties of cucumbers, Oregon Giant snow peas, 4 types of beets, tons of onions, asparagus, cardoon, elephant and Russian red garlic, rhubarb, cauliflower, lettuce, carrots, okra, kohlrabi, 3 kinds of kale, myriad herbs and probably some more I forgot about!

I’m already out of my lettuces for this week, but I did manage to make a big haul of Cherry Bell radishes and green onions from the garden this morning. Radishes and Onions are $2 a bunch.  Stop by today between 8 and noon to get some crunchy goodness to add to your meals this weekend!

I’ll head to the garden Saturday morning and pick a few gallon bags of lettuce and several bunches of green onions.  The lettuce will be $5 a gallon bag and the onions will be $2 for  bunch of 5 onions.  Stop by tomorrow between 8 and noon if you’re interested.

I also have plenty of plants left.  Hopefully everyone covered their plants last night and tonight, but if you lost plants or still need to get plants for your garden, stop by tonight between 5 and 7 or tomorrow between 8 and noon.  I’m down to about 75 varieties, but the plants are in great shape and ready to plant after tomorrow morning’s chance of frost.

I’m at 215 East 97th St., KCMO.  See you this weekend!

It is the morning of May 15th and we’re supposed to have frost tomorrow morning and possibly Saturday morning as well.  This evening will be spent covering everything up with Agribond19….lots of work, but it’s better than losing all the plants to the frost.

Red Tide Lettuce Tsunami!

Baker Creek Lettuce, Black Seeded Simpson, and Pac Choi

It’s a lettuce bonanza this week!  I am harvesting a bunch of my lettuces from two beds to make room for summer crops.  I have lots of varieties in all shapes and colors.  I’ll harvest them with the roots on and wash them once.  Keeping the roots on them allows them to stay fresher longer and keeps the head together.  You’ll need to give them a second washing, and chop them or tear them up for your salads.  $5 for a gallon bag stuffed full of lettuce!

No need to e-mail to get them, just stop by Friday night from 5-7, Saturday from 8-3, or Sunday from 8-noon.  Get there early for the best selection!

215 East 97th St., KCMO

I plant my beets very densely so I can thin them and enjoy the greens now and the beets later on in the summer.  The greens are absolutely delicious!  The tops of the greens can be sauteed in olive oil with  little garlic, then give them a shot of balsamic vinegar for an amazing dish.  The stems can be chopped up finely and cooked down in a soup or stew, or if you make smoothies, they make a fantastically sweet and earthy drink when mixed with some yogurt and frozen strawberries.

I still have plenty of spinach, radishes, and salads as well.

Prices are $5 for a huge bundle of beet greens, $7 a gallon bag of spinach, $6 for a salad kit, and $2 for a bundle of 10 or so radishes.

I’m open from 8-3 Saturday and 8-noon on Sunday.  Stop by and grab some fresh veggies for your dinners this weekend!