Bed 15
Broccoli
Broccoli is a cool-season crop that thrives in full sun. It is rich in Vitamin A, potassium, folic acid, iron, and fiber. Broccoli can be harvested more than once - once the main head is harvested, it will often keep producing smaller side shoots that can be enjoyed for months to come. The leaves are edible, too! How to Harvest: Harvest broccoli when the buds of the head are firm and tight, just before the heads flower. However, if you do see yellow petals, harvest immediately, as the quality will decrease rapidly. Cut heads from the plant, taking at least 6 inches of stem. Make a slanted cut on the stalk to allow water to slide away. (Water can pool and rot the center of a flat-cut stalk, runing the secondary heads.) Most varieties have side-shoots that will continue to develop after the main head is harvested. Broccoli leaves can also be harvested and prepare like kale or cabbage greens. Be sure to wait to harvest broccoli leaves until after you have harvested as the leaves are necessary for the broccoli plant to feed itself. |
Vates Blue Curled Scotch Kale
Vates Blue Curled Scotch Kale has blue-green, crinkled leaves that are delicious, very cold hardy and rich in vitamin A. Like other varieties of kale, light frost actually improves its flavor and tenderness. Kale is filled with cancer-fighting antioxidants, as well as excellent amounts of calcium and dietary fiber. How to Harvest: Kale is ready to harvest when the leaves are about the size of your hand. Pick leaves one-by-one, starting with the lowest, outermost leaves and working toward the center. Pull or twist leaves down and away from the plant, or use a knife to cut the leaves off. Leave a few of the small central leaves attached to encourage growth. |
Romaine Lettuce
Romaine Lettuce has a tight, dark green rosette of tall, upright leaves and a white heart. It grows best in full sun. It is crisp and sweet, and it is very nutritious! Because it is rich in fiber, vitamin C, beta-carotene, folate, potassium, and lutein, romaine is especially good for heart health and eye health. How to Harvest: Romaine lettuce can be harvested as soon as leaves are large enough to eat. Pick baby leaves for salads, cut leaves as needed, or cut the entire plant at the base, leaving a short stub to resprout. Alternatively, regrow lettuce in water by placing the stub in a jar of water. |
Savoy Spinach
Also known as curly leaf spinach, savoy spinach is dark green in color. Savoy spinach has crinkled leaves and offers a very rich "green" flavor. Each leaf is five to six inches long and used as much for its appearance as for its taste. Savoy spinach can be cooked for longer periods of time than other spinach varieties, and holds its shape and texture well. How to Harvest: The whole plant can be harvested at once, and cut at the base, or leaves may be picked off plants one layer at a time, giving inner layers more time to develop. |
Bed 16
Romaine Lettuce
Romaine Lettuce has a tight, dark green rosette of tall, upright leaves and a white heart. It grows best in full sun. It is crisp and sweet, and it is very nutritious! Because it is rich in fiber, vitamin C, beta-carotene, folate, potassium, and lutein, romaine is especially good for heart health and eye health. How to Harvest: Romaine lettuce can be harvested as soon as leaves are large enough to eat. Pick baby leaves for salads, cut leaves as needed, or cut the entire plant at the base, leaving a short stub to resprout. Alternatively, regrow lettuce in water by placing the stub in a jar of water. |
Broccoli
Broccoli is a cool-season crop that thrives in full sun. It is rich in Vitamin A, potassium, folic acid, iron, and fiber. Broccoli can be harvested more than once - once the main head is harvested, it will often keep producing smaller side shoots that can be enjoyed for months to come. The leaves are edible, too! How to Harvest: Harvest broccoli when the buds of the head are firm and tight, just before the heads flower. However, if you do see yellow petals, harvest immediately, as the quality will decrease rapidly. Cut heads from the plant, taking at least 6 inches of stem. Make a slanted cut on the stalk to allow water to slide away. (Water can pool and rot the center of a flat-cut stalk, runing the secondary heads.) Most varieties have side-shoots that will continue to develop after the main head is harvested. Broccoli leaves can also be harvested and prepare like kale or cabbage greens. Be sure to wait to harvest broccoli leaves until after you have harvested as the leaves are necessary for the broccoli plant to feed itself. |
Nasturtium
Nasturtium is an annual plant whose leaves and flowers are edible. Both the leaves and the flowers have a peppery, spicy flavor and add a bite to green salads. They prefer full sun and well-drained soil. To prolong blooming, cut off the faded and dead flowers. How to Harvest: Pluck off the flowers and leaves as needed throughout the growing season. Flowers can be eaten as buds or when in full bloom, but the leaves have the best flavor when young and tender, so pick off newer growth for culinary uses. The flavor of the plant will actually get spicier as the day wears on, so pick early for milder tastes and later in the day for more kick. |
Vates Blue Curled Scotch Kale
Vates Blue Curled Scotch Kale has blue-green, crinkled leaves that are delicious, very cold hardy and rich in vitamin A. Like other varieties of kale, light frost actually improves its flavor and tenderness. Kale is filled with cancer-fighting antioxidants, as well as excellent amounts of calcium and dietary fiber. How to Harvest: Kale is ready to harvest when the leaves are about the size of your hand. Pick leaves one-by-one, starting with the lowest, outermost leaves and working toward the center. Pull or twist leaves down and away from the plant, or use a knife to cut the leaves off. Leave a few of the small central leaves attached to encourage growth. |
Lacinato Kale
Lacinato Kale, also know as Dinosaur Kale, has ark blue-green to black leaves with a heavily crinkled texture. Lacinato Kale is a cold-hardy vegetable whose leaves sweeten after frost. Kale is a super food; it is thought to contribute to lowering cholesterol, fighting cancer, and decreasing inflammation. How to Harvest: Harvest leaves when they are up to 10 inches long. Younger, shorter leaves have the mildest flavor. Pick lower leaves first, and the plant will continue to produce new upper leaves. |
Cherry Tomato
Cherry tomatoes are 2” in diameter - they are quite small! They are sweeter, perfectly shaped, and have thinner skin than regular tomatoes. rich in calcium, iron, lycopene, and vitamins A & C. Most cherry tomatoes are indeterminates, meaning they will keep on growing, flowering, and bearing fruit until frost kills them. How to Harvest: To harvest, grasp a ripened tomato gently and firmly. Twist it until it snaps off the vine. You can also use a garden clippers or knife to harvest tomatoes. Cut the stem close to the fruit. Cherry tomatoes crack if left on the vine too long. Pick them just before they look like they’re perfectly ripe. |