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Another team from Woodbury Peaceful Grove United Methodist’s
summer stretch program helped today in the giving garden. 
A tomato sucker is a smallish shoot that grows
out of the
joint where a branch on the tomato plant meets a stem. These small shoots will grow into a full
sized branch if left alone, which results in a bushier, more sprawling tomato
plant. Because of this, many people like to remove tomato suckers from the tomato plant. Removing the shoots also helps divert the plants energy into producing tomatoes instead of more vegetation.
Quick work in the tomato garden by our volunteers, Dave, Catie and Leta let us move on to the root vegetable crops. Thanks for your willing hands!
Thinning rutabagas and turnips
The rutabagas, turnips and kohlrabies are about 4 inches
high – the perfect size for thinning. A
spacing of 2 to 4 inches allows for the roots to fully develop without
crowding. We transplanted some of the
small seedlings to fill in areas of the row that had not germinated as
well. A garden taste test of the thinned
vegetables proved they were tender and flavorful even though they were
tiny. We thought later that we should
have saved the turnip greens for salads and will remember that for next year. 
Can you name this vegetable?
It’s broccoli!
Whether you love broccoli or hate it, it is one of the healthiest vegetables, easy to cook and high in vitamin C and A. Broccoli is a member of the cabbage family and has large flower heads, usually green in color, arranged on branches sprouting from a thick, edible stalk. We didn't see any insects in the broccoli this time but will keep our eyes out for cabbage caterpillars that might try to eat up the broccoli before we get to harvest time.
- Contributing writer, Deb Lynch, Master Gardener
