Texas Hill Country Garden

20 days after planting the seed, Pak Choi is ready, or almost ready if you like the big white bulb at the bottom. I prefer the leaves. You can cut the outer leaves off, and the plant will continue to sprout from the middle. This way of harvesting is sometimes called “cut and come again”.

This plant is relatively easy to grow and is good in soups and stir fried with some garlic. I like the leaves better than the white base. One problem I ran into this year was worms, likely cabbage worms. I don’t mind a few holes in the leaves, but if it gets too bad, you can use BT. It is safe to use, just rinse your veggies well before eating them. Always do this, even if you have not sprayed with BT.

Ok, so we planted on Oct 28th and the picture below is on November 6th. Hope springs eternal! It looks like they sprouted a couple of days ago. At this point I am watering with a watering can with a rain nozzle (very common) so that I do not wash the seeds away or disturb the very young plant.

November 8th below. Still growing. Watering overhead with watering can.

November 18, thinning day! I potted up some of the “thinnings” and gave them to friends and family. You can eat them now too. I guess at this point they are called microgreens. I admit. I ate a few. I love picking fresh veggies in the garden.

December 3 after being thinned again. You can eat the pieces that you thin out. Like microgreens, but a bit bigger.

December 7

And at this point it is ready to harvest.

If I can grow bok choi, anyone can.

I was looking for some water tanks that no longer hold water, so that I could make some raised beds.  I’m not as young as I used to be and I think these tanks will be easier on my back.  Also, hoping that bermuda grass will not get in them, like it has in the past.  Well, a very sweet neighbor offered us these.  We will put them to use and give her vegetables for years to come.  Thankfully, my husband was able to do some welding for her too.  Funny how things work out.  I love when this happens.

I’ll post pics of the beds in use in the months to come…Now I’ve got to fill them permaculture style!  Can’t wait!

Ok, so I’m not complaining.  I’ve gotten probably 12 good size squash from this one plant…and I only planted one this year.  But, here is the plant now.  It is covered in stink bugs.  I tried to vacuum them up and only got about 12 of them.  lol.  At least it was fun.  I am pesticide free so it looks like the beginning of the end for this year’s squash.

These sunflowers are pretty and also provide some relief from the sun when we are harvesting vegetables and pulling weeds in the garden.  They do not always get this tall, but this was a rainy year.  I think the variety was called Mammoth.

You know, for the last couple of years, I get one good harvest of squash and then the stink bugs come along and get them.  I have not found a way to organically get rid of them.  I still plant them, because an organic squash can cost $3 here in Texas.

I love these rainy years.  They make me feel like a great gardener.  lol  I think eight broccoli plants produced good size heads that year.  That has not happened again since 2015.

They are sweet and relatively small, which is nice for small families.

 

A home made canopy!