Last of the Broccoli
 

Here in SoCal the so-called winter has been warm and dry, but still
good for what we think of as cool season crops. This last hot spell
(high 70's, low 80's) has ended my broccoli for the year. It was
already down to the smaller side heads and they were all about to bolt
so I cut them yesterday. Ate about a third of it last night, mostly
thin tender stalks needing no peeling, just some little florets. I
steamed them for 3 minutes, drained and cooled. Then when the rest of
the meal was ready, tossed the broccoli in butter, salt and pepper, and
a squeeze of lemon juice. I know we usually value the florets, but
these young stalks were utterly delicious.

Now shall I try to get another cool season veggie in the vacated space,
or should I wait a few weeks for an early sowing of something for the
summer season? -aem

Last of the Broccoli
 

Now shall I try to get another cool season veggie in the vacated space,
or should I wait a few weeks for an early sowing of something for the
summer season? -aem

You could try both, using something that comes up quick--leaf lettuce
from a store-bought 6-pack, radishes (30 days to maturity from seed),
brocolli rabe (45 days to stalk harvest from seed--might be simliar to
what you just ate), spinach (about 50 days).

The wholel planet's weather is screwed up this year. My theory is that
it is a combination of global warming and also some transients left
over from the 2004 Tsunami earthquake, that increased the earth's
rotation 3 millionths of a second and shifted the rotational axis by
about 3/4 of an inch (similar to a skater pulling in arms to spin
faster). That is, I think the ocean currents have been screwed up by
these factors and that is why the weather is wacky.

With that in mind I suspect that we aren't going to have many frost
days this year, you might try planting some summer stuff now,
especially if you have a frost blanket to cover it if there are a few
random frost days. I don't think we're going to see weeks of
frostyness as we have in some past years. (I'm NE of Salinas).

I have started basil and peppers in peat pots already because I think
we're going to have an prolonged spring/early summer this year. But
I'm thinking about putting out another crop of quinoa (a cold-season
crop) because I think it won't get hot enough to ruin it until June or
so.

Last of the Broccoli
 

I'm north of you a little. All my cool season veggies are gone.
Our last frost date is the 14 February so I'm putting all my warm season
seeds down.
"aem" wrote in message
oups.com...
Here in SoCal the so-called winter has been warm and dry, but still
good for what we think of as cool season crops. This last hot spell
(high 70's, low 80's) has ended my broccoli for the year. It was
already down to the smaller side heads and they were all about to bolt
so I cut them yesterday. Ate about a third of it last night, mostly
thin tender stalks needing no peeling, just some little florets. I
steamed them for 3 minutes, drained and cooled. Then when the rest of
the meal was ready, tossed the broccoli in butter, salt and pepper, and
a squeeze of lemon juice. I know we usually value the florets, but
these young stalks were utterly delicious.

Now shall I try to get another cool season veggie in the vacated space,
or should I wait a few weeks for an early sowing of something for the
summer season? -aem

Last of the Broccoli
 

Nicole H wrote:
I'm north of you a little. All my cool season veggies are gone.
Our last frost date is the 14 February so I'm putting all my warm season
seeds down.

You know, I think I will too. It will be the earliest I've ever
started but it'll only be for a little more than half my small space.
I've already harvested a lot of really good eats for this cool season
and still have peapods bearing and beets, carrots, spinach and lettuces
thriving. So I guess I'll mix in some compost, maybe a little manure,
fiddle with the soaker hoses and figure out where I'm going to plant
what. And if we get a cold spell with a lot of rain, well, so what,
I'll do it again. -aem