The Garden 2021

[Spider]

Got anything cool going this year? Share your harvest! Veggie garden, fruits, flower garden? (Or maybe for those in AZ, it’s just a rock garden). Either way, let’s see what you got.

 

[Spider]

Here’s what happens when you ignore your garden for a few days…. You get Zucchini gone wild!

2 liter bottle and size 10 combat boot for scale.





Some big cucumbers too

 

[heysi]

I live in Las Vegas.....this is my front yard.

 

[heysi]

Some big cucumbers too
View attachment 56079

You might want to open a road-side vegetable stand.......or a sex shop.

 

[dangerousdon]

So...not my garden...but the sister-in-law put a nice one in this year!

 

[beginish]

We have a pretty small plot, but got a bumper crop of Swiss Chard this year, and I pickled 4 quarts of stems. Kale turned out to be a tasty treat for some critter. Cherry tomatoes are doing well.

 

[Spider]

I’ve pulled about a dozen cherry tomatoes so far. First ones to ripen.

 

[woodpusher]

Num num num ... supper will be good tonight



If you don't recognise that "dragon skin," it's bitter melon.

 

[Spider]

Bitter? Ewww…

 

[woodpusher]

You simply cut it in half lengthwise, de-seed it, slice into ~1/8" half-rings, and then fry with garlic and onions. It is an acquired taste, but once you acquire it ..... YUM!!!
@Graybeard57 did you end up trying some?

 

[Spider]

I thought your cucumbers had mutated!

 

[woodpusher]

Bonus attribute ... Rabbits won't touch them in the garden.

 

[woodpusher]

KJ, ready to eat with chopped hot pepper and some salt fish added.

 

[Spider]

Bitter melon, hot peppers, and salty fish…. You northerners have strange ideas about food. Remind me to not accept any invitations from you for dinner.

 

[Graybeard57]

@Graybeard57 did you end up trying some?

No, I've yet to experience them.

 

[woodpusher]

Just picked.
(Yes, it's supposed to be off-colour, it's a heirloom)

 

[woodpusher]

We have had a bunch of ghosts (Chad should try one!) and a load of scotch bonnets already, but I am waiting for this bad boy to ripen up…

 

[August West]

We have had a bunch of ghosts (Chad should try one!) and a load of scotch bonnets already, but I am waiting for this bad boy to ripen up…
View attachment 59262

Nice. I don’t know if this is a pro tip, but a chef once told me to tie your hottest pepper on a string(with a small washer as a counter weight)and seep it when cooking soups and stews. Don’t cut or leave in loose. I think it works well on two levels. Balances the heat better throughout the dish and doesn’t shock the palate because it is removed before serving. I am talking about peppers very high on the heat scale. Also, I have found this method works well when cooking for a broader audience that doesn’t necessarily appreciate the burn.

 

[woodpusher]

We either cook whole and “bust it up” in our plate/bowl or dice it for some dishes.

 

[August West]

We either cook whole and “bust it up” in our plate/bowl or dice it for some dishes.

Me too. I strictly use this method for “mixed company”.