Westbury Community Garden held its first Plant Sale Fundraiser just in time for cool season planting on October 12. The sale was part of Bayou City Community Market located in the parking lot of Westbury Baptist Church, 10425 Hillcroft, near the corner of Willowbend Blvd. The market is held on the second and fourth Saturday mornings from…
Did you plant one or more of the Urban Harvest Broccoli Rabe (pronounced raab) seedlings this fall and watch the broad, spike-edged leaves grow bigger and bigger, finally developing small broccoli buds along the main stem? If it’s flowering it must be mature, right? But how do you cook it? Here’s a simple recipe, fixed…
Bok Choy is a mild tasting member of the cabbage family that is one of the first to mature in the fall/winter garden. Try this clean, crunchy raw version for a quick salad. Ingredients 1 bok choy or 2-3 baby bok choys, thinly sliced1 carrot, grated1 scallion, chopped Dressing 1 clove of garlic, minced2 Tbl….
It is the prime time to be out in your garden planting. The temperature is cool , your summer vegetables are probably dead or dying and best of all there are many seeds and plants that can be planted right now. Use the Urban Harvest Planting Chart for more precise times for planting. Use seeds…
The fall seed packs are ready to go! They are $18 per pack for WCG gardeners, $20 for non-WCG gardeners (friends, neighbors, whoever). There are 30 varieties of seeds in each pack, and there are 60 complete packs. There are limited quantities of two specialty items available for purchase separately: kohlrabi for $1.50/pkt and golden beets…
With one or two garden beds, or even a large multi-bed garden, a little bit of planning can lead to bountiful harvests of veggies you prefer to eat. This is a guide to help gardeners decide what to grow and how much of it to grow. Planning Make a list of the fall veggies you…
What is it? Black rot is a bacterial infection that affects the vascular system of members of the Brassica (broccoli) family. It is caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris. Which plants are affected? All cruciferous crops are susceptible including arugula, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage (including Chinese cabbage), cauliflower, collards, garden cress, kale, kohlrabi, mustard (including mizuna), radish, rutabaga, and turnip. NOT AFFECTED seems to be nasturtium (it must be far enough away on the family tree). Where did it come from? We don’t know the origin of our current outbreak. The bacterium infects all parts of host plants, including seeds, so it could have come in on a seed or on a commercial transplant. There are also some Brassica family weeds that can harbor it in the wild. Why is it such a problem now? We have had the perfect warm, humid weather for it to spread and multiply these past few months – temperature has been between 50-75, it has been breezy and wet. It wasn’t until Wayne saw the same pattern on several of his plants that he brought it to Ray’s attention. We’ve probably been living with it for months without realizing it, which allowed it to spread widely. How is it spread?…
Ever wonder what to do with those huge radishes that seem to want to grow above the ground? Did you know you can cook them? I’ve tried steaming them and serving with salt, pepper, and butter–yummy! Sort of like a mild turnip. And they can be sliced thinly and sauteed with other fresh veggies for…
Seed packets are ready for purchase! Do you have yours yet? The seeds have been chosen by gardeners who have years of experience growing in the Houston climate. There are 40 varieties of vegetables in this year’s seed packet. The cost is $12. If purchased individually the seeds would cost over $100. In addition to…
The first week of May, 2014, many gardeners reported seeing this bug on broccoli that had bolted and other plants in the brassica family. This pest is Murgantia histrionica, also known as the Harlequin Bug or Cabbage Bug. Harlequin bugs come because there are plants that are past their prime. They especially like all the brassica…