Peas out, cucumbers in...

The peas were definitely done producing after last week's big heat wave, so last Friday Ryan and I set about picking the remaining pods and pulling out the plants. We ate some fresh peas that evening; the rest I blanched and froze for later use. My little raised bed looks quite empty without the pea plants! That's a huge oregano plant on the left, some stragglers from the lettuce crop in the middle (those come out next), and an assortment of pepper plants in front (ancho, jalapeno, banana), plus some basil. Out of the frame, to the right, is a tomatillo plant. I'll plant the cucumbers along the back of the bed using the same metal fencing for support that I used for the peas.


The clematis next to our shed seems to be done blooming too. If I remember correctly it will bloom again later in the summer. I love the way the seed heads look after the petals fall off the flowers.


The cilantro is finally coming up. I find that trying to grow individual cilantro plants is a hassle- they bolt and go to seed in hot weather, usually before I've had much chance to use the leaves. So now I grow an entire packet in a single large pot and just shear off the leaves as I need them. If you cut the stems within an inch or two of the ground, the plants will regenerate- kind of like "cut and come again" flowers or lettuce. A pot of cilantro will last me a month or two; I usually start another pot when the first one is a few weeks along, helping to ensure a continuous crop. Here's what it looks like now- in a few weeks, they'll fill most of the pot. (Usually I do a somewhat better job of distributing the seed, but I had an eager toddler helping me this time...)