December 30, 2005

The garden in winter.
We had an untimely freeze that took out my tomatoes and peppers when it was only November. Knowing it was coming, I picked all that looked useful. I still have some tomatoes turning red as they feel like it. I roasted my anaheims and froze some. Some are in the fridge where I can reach them for pizzas and tortilla soup and such.
So finally I gave up on the plants this week, and in beautiful 70 degree weather I pulled them all up.
But the garden has developed a couple of wild areas that I keep watered. One is in A, where the cilantro plant went to seed. There are dozens of tiny cilantro plants that I thin when I want some. Bill asked me would they grow bigger, or much bigger. We agreed they are nothing like you find in the store. I like it, though, that they are there and so fresh. I hope one will grow up and go to seed and start the process over.
The other is in B, which is infested with tiny lettuce plants. I must develop the habit of thinning and eating these as well.
My collard has grown big, and at intervals, worms devour it. I have cooked a couple of cuttings of it, and I plan to do it again for New Years, to go with the black-eyes.
I had one small broccoli head on the volunteer plant, but I neglected to cut it. Now it is flowers. Another stalk is growing up beside it.
And of course, I still have chives, and the new parsley I planted. Out in the compost, north of the fig tree, I planted a thyme plant, which lives in spite of the punishing heat of summer and the drought that continues. So there is a pretty good collection of fresh herbs to be had, if nothing else.