Vegetable Demonstration Garden
This week’s harvest includes:
Okra—27.95 pounds
Hot peppers—1.35 pounds
Sweet peppers—0.99 pound
Eggplant—7.15 pounds
Crowder peas—1.35 pounds
Lima beans—3.45 pounds
Southern peas—0.7 pound
Golden crispy melon—0.58 pound
Mexican sour gherkins—0.3 pound
Sweet potato leaves/vines—16.8 pounds
Sage—0.1 pound
Tomatoes—.06 pound
A total of 60.78 pounds of produce was harvested this week. These vegetables were donated to the Caring Place. To date, Williamson county master gardeners have donated a total of 3,288.315 pounds of demonstration garden produce to local charities.
Weekly rainfall: no rainfall was measured the week ending 09/25/2016
Summary of garden activities
Activities this week included removing spent plants, rejuvenating soil in empty rows, weeding, pest management and amending beds for fall planting. The west ends of rows 3 and 4 were weeded. Spent squash plants were removed from row 3. Remaining plants were infested with cucumber beetles, therefore, were removed from the garden. Cottonseed meal and molasses were then mixed into row 3 and covered with compost. Mulch from row 4 was raked off and compost added. Dead okra leaves were raked off the trial beds. Row 7 was raked and irrigation tape reset. On Friday, Early Jersey Wakefield Cabbage, Golden Acre Cabbage, Roodnerf Brussels Sprouts, Long Island Brussels Sprouts, and Cauliflower were planted in row 7. Compost,cottonseed meal and molasses were worked into the soil in one of the teaching beds and the keyhole garden. Row 2 was broad-forked then Radicchio, Rutabaga “Joan” and Purple Top Turnips were planted. Chicken wire fencing was placed on the trellis row to keep rabbits out of the newly planted area. Construction on the water diversion wall near the orchard continues.
The 12-foot tall okra plants make gardeners stretch to harvest the pods!
Sweet Potato leaves and vines
Looks like we had quite a haul of sweet potato leaves and vines this week! So, what do you do with them? Sweet potato plant vine leaves are an excellent source of vitamins A, C, K and B vitamins. They are also packed with calcium, magnesium, manganese zinc, copper, potassium and iron. What an awesome super-food!! Sweet potato leaves and vines are commonly consumed in Asian and African cultures. Leaves are prepared like turnip greens or spinach. Boiling or steaming the vine leaves in a small volume of water softens the leaves and stems. Once they are tender enough for your palate, you can use them in your favorite recipes–much like you would use spinach or other greens. Try a stir fry combination of sweet potato leaves with garlic, topped off with some soy sauce or vinegar, then season with salt and pepper (or Sriracha) to taste. YUM!
September Gardening in Central Texas
The Texas A&M Agrilife Extension vegetable garden planting guide suggests the following vegetables for late summer planting:
Artichoke transplants
Asian greens (seeds or transplants)
Beans, snap and lima
Beets
Broccoli (transplants)
Brussels sprouts (transplants)
Cabbage (transplants)
Collards (seeds or transplants)
Carrots
Cauliflower (transplants)
Cool season greens
Garlic
Swiss Chard (seeds or transplants)
Kohlrabi (seeds or transplants)
Kale (seeds or transplants)
Lettuce (seeds or transplants)
Onions (bunching/multiplying)
Mustard (seeds or transplants)
Spinach (seeds or transplants)
Shallots
Peas (English, snap, snow)
Radish
Turnip
Come and visit us!
Our demonstration garden is located beside the Williamson County Extension Office driveway at 3151 SE Inner Loop Road, Georgetown, Texas. Master gardeners are usually at work in the vegetable garden on Tuesday and Friday mornings from 8:30 AM to noon, weather permitting. Anyone is welcome to stop by to see the garden or to ask questions of the master gardeners!
Click here for location on Google Maps