Rosslyn Redux

Tag: Cucumber

  • Rosslyn Gardens: Mid-July Veggies

    Rosslyn Gardens: Mid-July Veggies

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mQqE7yNGkA&w=600&rel=0]

    After the rainiest spring/summer in years, the summer of 2012 appears to be one of the driest, and Rosslyn gardens have mostly profited. Time for an update on our mid-July veggies, plus an important question about squash blossoms at the end.

    Lake Champlain water levels are plummeting (waterfront/dock/boating update soon) and lawns are either crispy, crunchy or perpetually showered by sprinklers. With the exception of new grass we’re starting as part of ongoing repairs to the damaged waterfront, we’re trying to minimize our environmental impact by letting the lawns dry up but drip, drip, dripping the vegetables, herbs and orchard.

    Eggplant and Blossom, Rosslyn Gardens
    Eggplant and Blossom, Rosslyn Gardens

    It’s a curious twist of fate that we were just beginning to repair our waterfront from flood damage at this point last year, and this year we’re experiencing a sustained drought. But we’re taking advantage of the heat for lots of Lake Champlain watersports and Adirondack Coast bike rides. Life is good!

    What about that mid-July veggies update I promised?

    So far, the drought winners in the vegetable garden appear to be the zuchini and yellow squash (Are they are channeling their “inner tropics”?!?!), Imperial Star Artichokes, eggplant, peppers and tomatoes. Although I keep expecting the watermelons and cantaloupes to explode, they’ve been sluggish. Bizarre. Many years our seasons are too short for them, and yet when we blast them with dry heat day after day, they get logy. Why?

    The leeks are also struggling. I suspect they need even more water than they are getting… Will try to keep them wetter this week. The pumpkins and cucumbers are also way behind where they’d normally be at this point in the summer. I’d hoped to trellis the cukes this year. Never done that before, but intrigued by the smaller plot and self-shade possibilities as well as the opportunity to keep the cucumbers up off the earth so they’ll be less vulnerable to pests. Unfortunately the plants are still so small I haven’t been able to train any of them up onto the cedar trellises yet. Soon, I hope!

    Zuchini Squash Blossom, Rosslyn Gardens
    Zuchini Squash Blossom, Rosslyn Gardens

    The good news is that we’ve been devouring radishes (see French Breakfast Radish) and greens for over a month. Already finished with the first radish and lettuce patches and making good headway through the second patches. Will plant more lettuce this week along with beans and another squash crop. No more radishes. I think I’ve already hit my limit.

    Why so much squash? Yes, we too get sick of squash, but each year I plan to harvest and prepare squash blossoms. But so far it’s never happened. This year I’ve vowed to learn several good ways to prepare squash blossoms. I have some interesting recipes, but would love to hear your favorite way to prepare squash blossoms. And I need to figure out the best way to clean the squash blossoms before cooking. Seems that ants in particular love to get inside. How do you prepare your squash blossoms?

    Thanks to Sacha Marcucci for her tasty sounding recommendation:

  • Why Are My Cucumbers Orange?

    Orange-Yellow Cucumbers (Photo: virtualDavis)
    Orange-Yellow Cucumbers (Photo: virtualDavis)

    Why are my cucumbers orange? They’re turning yellow-orange, to be precise…

    This summer we have enjoyed more productive cucumber plants than ever before, but recently the enormous fruit are discoloring from green to yellow to orange before we can eat them. Here’s the reason why.

    Cucumbers turn orange when they grow excessively ripe before harvesting, explains Veggie Gardener. The cucumbers first turn yellow, and if left on the vine, they quickly develop a vibrant orange hue. This happens because chlorophyll levels decrease past the point of peak ripeness… [They become] very bitter and unsuitable for human consumption. (Source: Ask.com)

    Bitter. It’s true. I taste tested just to make sure they were no longer suitable for human consumption. They aren’t, though our caretaker assured us that his wife can still turn them into pickles. I encouraged him to take all he could haul!

    Green, Yellow, Orange Cucumbers (Photo: virtualDavis)
    Green, Yellow, Orange Cucumbers (Photo: virtualDavis)

    Our yellow and/or orange cucumbers are an unfortunate result of the extended heat wave and drought we’ve been enduring. It’s true we may have overplanted. But our beautiful cukes growing, greening, and spoiling before our eyes is heartbreaking. What to do?

    The only way to prevent cucumbers from turning yellow and orange is to harvest them at the proper time. Ripe cucumbers have firm flesh with a medium-green rind and feel heavy for their size. Most varieties ripen between 50 and 70 days after planting. Size is also an important indicator of ripeness. Each cucumber variety has a different optimal size and quickly develops a bitter flavor if allowed to grow larger. Some cucumbers, such as those used for pickling, are naturally smaller than other varieties. Consequently, gardeners must know what type of cucumber they have planted and the target size for ripe specimens in that category. The most common cause of orange and yellow cucumbers is over-ripening, but the discoloration is sometimes a symptom of the Cucumber Mosaic Virus. According to Gardening Know How, the Mosaic Virus produces soft, mushy cucumbers with mottled patches and curled, withered leaves. This incurable virus also affects peppers. When a cucumber displays symptoms of the Mosaic Virus, the best course of action is to remove it from the garden. (Source: Ask.com)

    The good news is that we don’t have Cucumber Mosaic Virus. But the bad news is that our compost is becoming overwhelmed with yellow and orange cucumbers. Perhaps we should redistribute these technicolor cukes to our wild neighbors for their enjoyment? (See Woodchucks & Cucumbers!)

    Green, Orange, and Yellow Cucumbers (Photo: virtualDavis)
    Green, Yellow, Orange Cucumbers (Photo: virtualDavis)

    And if wild omnivores turn up their snouts at the curiously colored cukes, they’re not bad inspiration for a freewheeling riff…

    The oranging skin
    is a warning:
    I’m overripe,
    too mature,
    untasty, even bitter,
    and I’m 100% unfit
    for human consumption

    (Source: “Orange Cucumbers”, Rosslyn Redux)

  • Woodchucks & Cucumbers

    Woodchucks & Cucumbers

    Ever wonder how cucumbers would taste for breakfast? One of the joys of vegetable (and fruit) gardening is the opportunity to try new things, dip into the abundance in unusual ways, and experiment with combinations of ingredients and unusual pairings. As it turns out, a handsome woodchuck — a North American marmot (Marmota monax), if I’m not mistaken — and I agree on the appeal of cucumbers for breakfast!

    Don’t get me wrong, I’m a cucumbers-for-breakfast newbie, but I can confidently vouch for the refreshing crunch of peeled, sliced cucumber with your first mug of coffee, tea, or MUD|WTR. Especially when you lather it with honey roasted peanut butter. It’s practically a full, balanced meal.

    You convinced? Try it!

    Woodchuck Chuck

    Our hungry Rosslyn marmot, let’s call him Woodchuck Chuck (more of a nod to my juvenile enthusiasm than a gift for gabbing with varmints), turns out to love cucumbers for breakfast too. And his palette doesn’t even depend on peanut butter to tempt.

    After a couple nights of excessive buffet-ing his way through the veggies, we decided it was time for relocation. He’d burrowed himself a cozy accommodation beneath a temporary rock pile adjacent to the garden, so that’s where we placed the live trap. A broken up cucumber proved irresistible, and we were able to assist with his relocation to a less populated area with plenty to eat and no pesky gardeners vying for harvest priority.

    Woodchuck Chuck, sated on cukes
    Woodchuck Chuck, sated on cukes

    Will Woodchuck Chuck return? Perhaps. But if he’s anticipating a never ending smorgasbord, well, hhhmmm… Maybe peanut butter?

    After sharing pics on our Instagram (@rosslynredux) and Facebook (@rosslynredux) feeds it seems that peanut butter *might* be the secret sauce.

    Sara Star: Looks like you trapped the varmint. Did you use peanut butter? It’s great bait for critters. We have live trapped a few skunks with it, and relocated. That woodchuck looks big!

    Geo Davis: Huge! We didn’t even need to resort to peanut butter, just chopped up cucumber bits. Next time we re-relocate him it might require peanut butter though…

    Sara: Such are the challenges of growing good food. Everyone wants to eat your veggies.

    Geo: Heheh. True enough. Cheers to good food (and enough to share!)

    And another similar experience.

    Lorraine Townsend Faherty: we re-homed one (very chubby fellow) a few years ago using PB as bait for the trap. He knew how to get pb out of trap without getting himself trapped. but we persevered and he was taken away.

    You see? Peanut butter.

    Marmots & Abundance

    Whether or not I’ve inspired you to try cucumbers for breakfast — with or without peanut butter, with or without woodchucks — it’s worth concluding this post with some context. Gardens invite eaters. Human eaters. But also insects, mollusks (yes, slugs are actually gastropods), birds, animals, and all manner of hungry opportunists. So what’s an organic gardener to to? 

    I post often about our various creative solutions for gardening holistically, but I’ve never talked about marmots. And the reason is, until now, we’ve never felt with garden pressure from marmots. Deer, yes. Raccoon, yes. And plenty of others. But no marmots until Woodchuck Chuck. So this is a first foray but not likely a final foray. I’ll update if/when useful developments.

    Until then, it’s worth reiterating my underlying assumption that garden–to–table lifestyle need not focus on scarcity. I’ve likely explained that my gardening philosophy (upon rereading this sounds decidedly stodgier than intended) is an abundance mindset. What?!?!

    An abundance mindset refers to the paradigm that there is plenty out there for everybody. (Source: Forbes)

    Wait… what? Gardening enough for everybody? Everybody?!?!

    Actually, pretty much yes.

    We overgrow in the hopes that there will be plenty for us to enjoy even when our wild neighbors help themselves. Within reason. But when a wild neighbor, Woodchuck Chuck for example, gorges to excess, then we try to get creative. If our first relocation attempt is unsuccessful, then we’ll brainstorm how to leverage the magic of peanut butter!

    [N.B. Were you looking for Why are my Cucumbers Orange?]

  • Cucumber Plants

    Cucumber Plants

    One of the most refreshing midsummer garden staples is the cucumber. Cuke. Cucumber. Refreshing no matter what you call it.

    Cucumber Plants (Photo: R.P. Murphy)
    Cucumber Plants (Photo: R.P. Murphy)

    I think we’re just about ready to start transplanting our spring-start cucumber plants into the high tunnel. But it’s a gamble. They won’t withstand frost. They will wilt and wither, and we will ring our hands, wondering why we jumpstarted them… Don’t try to trick nature!

    And yet, starting tomorrow our evenings are likely yo stay above freezing, and our days are warming.

    Cucumber conditions stabilizing

    So we need to decide: transplant cucumbers or wait?

  • Orange Cucumbers

    Orange Cucumbers

    Orange-Yellow Cucumbers Watercolor Riff
    Orange Cucumbers Watercolor Riff

    Ever since I asked (and answered) the question “Why are my cukes turning yellow/orange?” I’ve been inundated with inquiries about orange cucumbers. Are yellow-oranging cucumbers safe to eat? Do they taste bitter? How can I use orangey-yellow cukes?

    While I’m flattered with your confidence that I can demystify your quandaries related to orange cucumbers, it’s time to go full disclosure. My gardening experience and perspective are super subjective. My actual *scientific* expertise is negligible. And my vegetable garden triumphs and fiascos are best regarded as anecdotal.

    Orange Cucumbers Riff

    Caveat emptor aside, I hope you’ll join me for a rambunctious riff on discolored cukes with no meaningful advice and no implied guarantees. After all, when knowledge is slim, lean into poetry! (Of course, your mileage may vary.)

    As green thumb inquiries 
    for vine ripe tomatoes 
    and full headed lettuce 
    ease then ebb, 
    fall fervor flows 
    to colorful corn kernels 
    and pompadoured pumpkins 
    with snaggletooth grins. 
    I’m tempted to revisit 
    the midsummer enigma 
    of cucumber cukes, 
    trellised or sprawling, 
    lush canopied and micro-spiked, 
    round and chubby-stubby 
    or curly-attenuated, 
    and ripe-ripening into pickles 
    or gazpacho or sandwich. 
    Knifing the crisp, crunchy 
    flesh on the bias, 
    or end-to-end slivered, 
    speared, crescent mooned, 
    this orange cucumber is 
    bellicose and celestial, 
    a bursting chrysanthemum, 
    a blazing headdress, 
    a sun dried citrus slice, 
    a September sunrise smeared 
    across a mountain 
    muddled horizon. 
    The oranging skin 
    is a warning:
    I’m overripe, 
    too mature, 
    untasty, even bitter,
    and I’m 100% unfit 
    for human consumption.

    Troubleshooting Cuke Coloration

    If freestyle riffing sans constructive takeaways isn’t what you need at the moment (i.e. a garden-full of cukes ready for mini jack-o’-lanterns), then you might prefer my earlier post:

    Recently the enormous fruit are discoloring from green to yellow to orange before we can eat them. Here’s the reason why.