June 10, 2008

Warm Weather is Finally Here!

• With the return of warmer weather in the next few days, spinach will soon be to the end of season. If you have extra spinach now, maybe you are interested in freezing some for later use. Preserving spinach is easy. Once the spinach has been washed well and drained, heat 2 or 3 qt water to boiling in a 4 to 6 qt pan (smaller pan for smaller quantity). Put the spinach in water. Using a longed handled spoon to be sure the spinach is completed submerged and until leaves are wilted (maybe only 30 seconds). Drain and cool spinach. Put in freezer bags. This will keep in the freezer for several months.
• Removing the cool weather crops such as lettuce, spinach, and mustard greens will provide space for additional planting. This is a good time to plant cantaloupe, lima beans, summer squash, orka, sweet potatoes, green beans, or sweet corn.
• Peas will soon be ready to harvest. This can be a little difficult at first. The pods develop first then the pea forms inside the pod. As the peas grow the pod will begin to fill plump. This time to pick the pod is just before it is squeezed full of peas. Waiting to long will damage the quality of peas tremendously.
• Beets will also soon be large enough to harvest. Look under the leaves toward the ground. The beet will probably have grown to a size that a portion of root is above the ground. The beet is begin enough to begin harvest when it is about 1.5" in diameter. Remember to look at each plant because they grow at different speed.

Information provided by Sharon Crum, Pike County Master Gardener.

Posted by Jennifer Mowen at 4:01 PM |