Have you been to Lucille’s Garden yet this summer?
Just a short walk past the Pollinator Preserve, our vegetable garden is bursting with edible goodness right now (1,000 pounds of which have already been donated to the Media Food Bank!). Stop by to see the wide variety of vegetables growing and pick up a few tips about how and what you can grow in your own garden – we are always happy to chat and share our knowledge!
Okra ‘Jambalaya Mix’
We are loving this okra right now!
With beautiful flowers and edible pods there’s a lot to admire about this plant. You might notice that the flowers resemble hibiscus or rose of Sharon blossoms.
Like these other popular garden plants, okra is a member of the mallow family (Malvacea). Small pods are so tender that they can be eaten raw, and okra is a great additive to soups, stews, and stir fries! The thick mucilage inside the pod make it a excellent thickener.
Okra is a staple in many food cultures and is widely grown in the tropics. Here in the United States, okra is a popular food crop in the south where it loves the long hot summer season. Historically, in here in Southeastern Pennsylvania okra has been a somewhat tricky food to grow, since it needs the soil to be at least 60 degrees to germinate and it takes 50 – 60 days from germination to harvest. However, as temperatures climb okra is becoming more and more reliable in our gardens. Maybe consider trying it out yourself next season!
We’re growing three kinds this year in Lucille’s, okra ‘Jambalaya Mix’, okra ‘Tree of Ghana’ and okra ‘Star or David’. Come check them out next time you’re in the garden!
Tender fresh okra.
Crazy about these squash!
Summer Squash ‘Early Bulam’
Sometimes called avocado squash, early bulam is a summer squash from Korea. And we are crazy about them!
You can find this robust vine climbing the trellis in the back of the garden and the lush beautiful green leaves are rivaled only by the huge brilliant yellow blooms. We’re just starting to harvest, but we can tell already that it’s going to be a prolific producer. These oval shaped squash have flesh most similar to zucchini, but we think the flavor is even better. Enjoy as a freshly sliced snack, saute, stir-fry, or even grate for delicious zucchini bread.
Mexican Sour Gherkin
Who doesn’t love these cute little melons! Sometimes called cucamelons, or more aptly, mouse melons, these tiny cucumbers look like baby watermelons.
They are perfectly crunchy and tangy for snacking. Delicious served fresh in a salad, these are also a popular pickling variety. We love that they are growing like crazy all over the fence around the Children’s Garden. These cute little melon play hide and seek beneath the leaves, but they are well worth the hunt.
An energetic plant and a prolific producer, this is definitely a great variety for anyone who is looking for a cucumber with a twist!
