Lidia and I discussed planting garlic months ago, under the direction of Grandma of course. I tried planting mine in a new location last fall and it is growing better than ever!

Thanks to a very mild winter, most of the artichokes survived and have begun producing. The small, delicate heads will be great shaved raw into a salad. The radishes on the other hand got a very late start so I don’t have big hopes for them.

I’m looking forward to watching the uneaten leeks from last year flower–I always leave some for just that purpose.  The sclopit, another early riser, has gone to flower as well. The walking onions, also known as Egyptian onions, are about to begin their walk.  You can see the onion bulbs forming on the top of the plant.  When they become heavy, they fall over and begin a new plant, walking (as it were) across the garden.  The bulblets are very strong (almost too strong), but I use the greens as scallions all year long; they’re one of the first beautiful green things to pop out of the ground–sometimes when we still have snow!

The Swiss Chard wintered over nicely and I have been using it in soups.  This year I am trying a new variety that has thick, wide stalks that should be delicious braised and then grilled. I’ve finally pulled up the last of the cool weather salad greens planted at the end of last summer. New greens for late spring and summer have been planted, but in new locations so the soil doesn’t become depleted of nutrients.  Many salad greens will tolerate some shade, and when the summer temperatures arrive, they seem to last longer and taste better in the cooler microclimates (the shady spots).  I love arugula, but it goes to seed as soon as it heats up here.  I find that the wild varieties of arugula (arugula selvatica) are much more tolerant of our Kansas City summers, so I’ve planted both to extend my arugula season.

I have planted seeds of zucchini, borage, carrots and a few early beans. Red Noland, Kennebec and Blue potatoes (the purple potatoes were inspired by a beautiful octopus salad I had dining at Felidia) have been in the ground a few weeks and are growing vigorously. The early heat inspired me to buy a few plants, especially many varieties of peppers and eggplants. More on those when we get closer to summer.

Fruit in a small garden isn’t as impossible as one would think. The rhubarb has been producing steadily and makes an easy warm topping for ice cream. I also use it to make a chutney that I preserve to go with my winter time Bollito Misto. Yesterday, I noticed the first strawberry beginning to turn red, and the blueberries, planted last spring, are covered with tiny little berries, but I don’t know if the squirrels will get them before we do. The plum trees (yellow Shiro and red Santa Rosa) are covered with fruit preserving season coming soon.

Back to gardening… and cooking!

Cody

Walking Onion

Potatoes

Garlic

Artichoke

Much to her surprise, Grandma discovered that some of the radicchio and parsley that was planted last year had overwintered (we think she must have transferred some of her own heartiness in the plants!). Although they were stressed from the winter, Grandma insisted on harvesting them. She claims that she didn’t want to waste anything, but we think the real reason might be her infamous sweet tooth; overwintered plants will be a little sweeter than crops harvested in the spring or summer because in the winter plants create extra sugars to prevent freezing.

Grandma with the radicchio

Chef Cody Hogan of Lidia’s Kansas City loves what his garden brings to the table.

“Now is the time when I start to get really excited about cooking.  My April garden already has fava beans (started inside in January), all kinds of baby greens like the chicory that Grandma plants (Zuccherina di Trieste), arugula, dandelions, Minutina, spinach (planted last fall), and Swiss Chard.  The radishes are just days from picking and wild fennel sprouts promise that I’ll have the seasoning that I love for the perfect porchetta later this summer.  The beet and turnip greens are up, so if I can’t wait for the roots, I can always start cooking with the greens.  Our warm spring has encouraged me to start a number of things that I would normally wait a little longer to put in the ground like carrots, cardons, and potatoes. Now is the time to start warm season plants like tomatoes, peppers and eggplant indoors (if you can).  With all of these great ingredients to look forward to, I know–weather willing–that I have three good seasons of cooking to come.”

If you’re in the KC area, be sure to pick up a copy of SPACES Magazine to read more about Cody and his delicious spring garden cooking!

Looking for seeds near KC? Cody loves GrowItalian.com, which specializes in Italian seeds.