Happy Saturday!

This week, in my opinion, has been full of distractions.

First of all, I listened to a gardening audiobook. It’s a book that was written decades ago but the audiobook was revamped in 2021. It’s one of those gardening book that’s been talked about on all the US-based gardening podcasts I listen to and it’s said to have influenced my gardeners’ gardening method. So naturally, I want to learn this method.

The book is called “Gardening without Work” by Ruth Stout. I also have this book in my Kindle library but I thought I’d give it a listen first before reading. Let me tell you, I feel inspired by this book and its concepts, thus comes the daydreams and distractions.

I’ve heard many controversies about mulch (what the book is leaning toward) and I’ve been pivoting toward either end. Ruth Stout embraces the idea of mulching and after listening to this book, I am convinced I must try this method. I actually tried this method with my first potato planting this year and I believe it kind of work though I might not had put enough mulch on top. The last few nights, I’ve been going through each of the raised beds and piling on the mulch.

The book recommends straw mulch but since I’m almost out, I went to my compost pile and dug up some plant debris that have not yet fully composted. I previously used some around my newly planted grape vine and flowers and they seem to love it.

This week, I have also been panic sowing. With the trip to China less than one month away, I have to either sow all the direct-sowing fall/winter crops now or never since it’ll be too late by the time I return at the end of September. I sowed a second and third round of fall snow peas and two rounds of radishes and carrots this week. Yes, I’m really panicking. I also transplanted the two surviving brussel sprouts and three heads of winter cabbages.

I’m trying quite a few new crops this year.

Two years ago, at the company Christmas party, I tried brussel sprouts for the first time and liked it. I completely forgotten about it until this year. Another thing I’m trying are French Breakfast Radishes and Watermelon radishes. I’ve never heard or had a watermelon radish. I got the seeds for free when I purchased a batch of seeds but the packet does say it’s a winter radish, so I guess we’ll see. I’m trying French Breakfast radishes because I had it last year at the department Christmas dinner and loved it.

My third distraction this week is definitely the harvest. I harvested 10 cucumbers in a single day. Coincidentally, I did the same thing on that exact day a year ago, except I harvested 3 more cucumbers last year than this year.

I made a salad with the smaller cucumbers. I diced them up before tossing them into a bowl. A little bit of salt, sugar, and extra virgin olive oil, mix the cucumbers and let it sit for a few minutes. Then I peel and dice a whole peach as well as a few cherry tomatoes cut in half and mix with the cucumbers. Yum.

Anyway, thanks to Natalie for hosting WeekendCoffeeShare and I hope you have a wonderful week ahead.