The End of the Chard

My "energizer chard" has run out of energy. I may have harvested over-zealously some weeks ago. My timing was poor as very hot weather hit almost immediately after cutting back most of the nice big leaves that provided shade for the younger leaves. Even with the shadecloth hoop covering the plants, our brutal summer temperatures proved too much for the tender greens.


I watched and waited, hoping for another good harvest but the plants have barely grown. My sweetie and I decided it was best to call it a good run and free up the garden space for something else, but I kept forgetting to get out early enough to harvest the last bit of it. The forecast for this week calls for hot (over 100 degrees F) and dry weather so this morning seemed like a good time to clear out the little plants.


This is the final harvest. The leaves are a bit bitter after so long on the plant, limiting their options for preparation. We decided the best use would be in bibim bap due to its strong seasoning.

In other garden news, we're having two major problems. One is the heat. With our previous plans to move, currently on hold, nothing was planted at the right time. The garden was planted much later than would be ideal. As a result, many plants are stunted or struggling. The upside-down tomato planter was a complete bust, with the seedling dying a slow and torturous death, even after a last minute transplant right-side up in the ground. The corn tassled way too soon and then the plants were damaged by high winds in a monsoon storm so we've pulled it out to replant the bed.


This squash came from the CSA as a seedling but is still a pretty puny plant. It has flowers on it, though, so we still have hopes of eventually harvesting something from it.

The other problem has been house sparrows. These little buggers have been destroying any bit of garden greenery they can access. They are not eating the plants, just pecking off the leaves to die beside the bare stems. They've killed many seedlings, including watermelon, squash, peas, and beans all over the front and back yards. If I wasn't a strict vegetarian, I think I'd trap them and serve them up for dinner.


My sweetie replanted the corn bed this weekend and went to great lengths to keep the sparrows away. Hopefully the lizards won't get stuck in the bird netting. I've already had to free a couple in another location. I'll keep checking the netting throughout the day, every day, so that no lizards roast in the sun. We like the lizards since they eat ants and other annoying insects.


The shadehouse is bird-proof so the plants have fared somewhat better in there, although their growth is stunted by the heat. The okra plants in the front should be bigger, as well as the long beans behind them and melons off the side. We've harvested only one long bean with itty-bitty little beans in it so far. The pepper plants never took off so they were removed and potato starts were planted in their place.

Some of the pepper seedlings, and a few other plants, have become part of my sweetie's latest growing adventure: hydroponics. He will be writing a guest post about this to go with photos at a later time. This garden is doing better than anything else right now!


I'll leave you with this cheery picture of our ripening sunflower seeds. I may need to put some protection over this soon before the darn birds find it and have a feast. If they do, the dogs may get to enjoy some roasted sparrow pie!