Its called cilantro when we harvest its leaves, and coriander when we use its seeds. Being an annual, it’s one of those plants we get to witness a complete life cycle. It was originally planted in the fall, bolted in winter, flowered, went to seed and now ready for the seeds to be harvested. Collect […]
Good news ‘choke fans, artichoke season is upon us. These edible buds are grown as perennials in our mild winter garden zone which means for those of us with year-round school gardens the time to enjoy them is now. Artichokes should be picked while the buds are still tight. The edible parts consist primarily of […]
In order to get our spring vegetables harvested before the end of the school term we are currently sowing the following from seed directly into the ground: bush beans, pole beans, zucchini, and lettuce. We are also transplanting seedlings of corn and cherry tomatoes, which we started in our greenhouse. Cherries mature quicker than the […]
Its late February here in our California school gardens. Some of the veggies we planted in September are now going to seed (broccoli, bok choy, cilantro) while others are still producing (fava beans, peas). Either way by observing the flowering of our plants we are reminded that all our annual plants go through a similar […]
I love the sour taste of Sorrel. Its great raw in mixed green salads or as the main ingredient in the French classic, Sorrel Soup or the Eastern European classic, Schav. Sorrel is a perennial in the Polygonaceae family along with such relatives as buckwheat and rhubarb. The reason I mention it now is that […]
Kohlrabi was harvested recently and like other uncommon vegetables the question most asked was, what do we do with it? First, a little information; Kohlrabi is a member of the cabbage family. Its name is derived from the German Kohl (cabbage) and Rube or Rabi (turnip) because the swollen stem looks like a turnip. The […]
After a three week winter break school gardens with watering angels (or on automatic timers) saw a spurt of growth that caused many to utter “WOW” upon their return. Pea vines were 7 ft tall and full of ripe pea pods. Bok choy that wasn’t picked before the break had bolted and flowered with stalks […]