Turnip Time and the Magnolia Virginana is in Bloom

Blooming now -clary sage. Huge pink spikes, kind of funky scent attracting honey bees and other beneficials. Volunteer Tomatillos are blooming in the Elliot plot; they were volunteers last year too and grew better than the one's I planted, I'm keeping them, selectively. Its time to get serious about all these turnip greens. I spent three hours in the garden today, moving this, weeding that. The thyme alone had perilla, nigella, motherwort, galinsoga and that blasted bindweed. I did what I could, I'll revisit it on the workday next Saturday. I had lemongrass in a bucket in my studio. Rather than potting it up for the winter I just plunked it in a bucket and watered it now and then. More often than the dearly deparated avacado tree, how you forget to water a tree- I think this was a subliminal message about lugging that heavy plant to the third floor. The lemongrass survived and I planted it out on Saturday, now we have three plants.

Many of the turnips are ready, other need thinning to thrive. I thinned a big bag of greens which will become a layer in lasagna later today. Jessica told me about a Japanese way to pickle turnips. It sounded good and fast, I'm researching it I found one recipe that uses lemon, lemon rind and salt. The turnips will appear on the grill Monday night. Last time I cut them too thick and had to resort to pan frying them after grilling them. they'll be nice with the pork in lemon, garlic sage, thyme marjoram and rosemary marinade. I also pulled the rest of the arugula and some mustard greens. I kept the stalks with the biggest leaves and composted the rest. I now had a cleared space for those two remaining tomato plant, flowering in their pots.

It's Monday and despite huge thunder storms I grilled my dinner, on the front porch. It's quite possible to do this with a nice open porch. There was a bit of driving rain on the porch rails but the grill started fine. Georgia enjoyed the freedom of hanging out on the porch, where was she going to go in the driving rain. She enjoyed looking through the porch rails at the rain. I debated about starting it in the back yard but there was thunder and darkening sky - easier to move the grill before it started pouring I thought. The grilled turnips were brilliant. I also grilled eggplant, zucchini and mushroom/onion.bell pepper (aka mango - a North Eastern Pennsylvanian thing, I discovered the derivation of it in William Woys Weaver's Sauerkraut Yankees) kabobs. Also garlic, lemon rosemary, pork chops that were really tasty.

The Egyptian walking onions are walking, Ill try to get them in action next time I'm in the garden with the camera.

I looked at the pictures of the Chris plot from Thursday; too many conflicting shapes and texture, it's time to do some editing,or thinning. I pulled the remaining kale, also destined for that lasagna. I thinned the huge borage plants that were surrounding the tomatoes. I staked the tomatoes with the tall windy stakes, they kind of work. We bought them years ago and I like the way they look. The idea is that you train the tomato's main leader up the winding rod. This works to a point but I always find myself tying the rod to bean supports and around other stakes.The rods are an interesting addition to plot.

The mint is trying to reclaim the mint and basil plot. I'm adding a lot of mint to salads these days so the basil will thrive. It looks fine so far.

We have kiwis, little ones are forming on the vines. They are hardy kiwis that ripen around Halloween small hairless and sweet. The elderberries are coming in also. There are still some elderflowers. I didn't get around to battering any this year. I'm determined to make elderberry jam when they ripen.

The Alaska nasturtiums are making a big splash at the front of the herb garden, a nice contrast to the flowering lambs ears.

As Georgia and I were leaving the garden I was taken aback by the scent of the Magnolia Virginana. It's a sweet smell akin to waterlillies. This is the tree we got from Bartram's that has grown to at least 30 feet. I think there is a special something down in the rubble.