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somewhat overwhelmed
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camprn
JocyMc
sanderson
GWN
johnp
9 posters
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somewhat overwhelmed
This spring I planted four new vegtables that I have never grown before; kale, broccoli, raab and bok choy. Someone from this forum told me to cover them to protect them from the white butterfly which I did. The results are that I have so much Kale that we can't use it fast enough. Can I freeze kale? The bok choy is starting to go to seed and I haven't even used any yet (tonight we will). Does it hurt the bok choy to go to seed? The broccoli has large heads in the center so I will keep aan eye on them as I know what to do but I have no idea what you do with the Raab. It looks like it is ready, it's about 2 feet tall. The rest of my garden looks like the day it was planted as nothing else except the lettuce is growing.
johnp-
Posts : 644
Join date : 2013-01-05
Age : 77
Location : high desert, Penrose CO
Re: somewhat overwhelmed
The only one I have experience with is KALE and what most people suggest is to make Kale chips with it ... drying.. I did not really care for them, and so I then took the dried Kale and put it in the blender and made it into an additive for soups and casseroles...... I think broccoli can be frozen, but will be interested in others responses. Hard to know why nothing else is growing, in my garden everything is slow, but I am WAY further north to you...BUT the warm nights start tonite

GWN- Posts : 2804
Join date : 2012-01-14
Age : 66
Location : british columbia zone 5a
Re: somewhat overwhelmed
Remember those frozen boxes of spinach? If I had a bounty of kale, bok choy, Swiss chard, etc., I would steam until wilted, drain, then freeze in zip locks, eliminating as much air as possible.
Last summer I experimented with dehydrating fruits and veggies, then storing in mylar bags. (I added OxyTabs then used a reversed shop vac to get out most of the air before ironing the corner closed.)
I dipped in boiling water or boiled all the veggies and some of the fruit to kill most pathogens before dehydrating. Another story . .
Last summer I experimented with dehydrating fruits and veggies, then storing in mylar bags. (I added OxyTabs then used a reversed shop vac to get out most of the air before ironing the corner closed.)
I dipped in boiling water or boiled all the veggies and some of the fruit to kill most pathogens before dehydrating. Another story . .
Re: somewhat overwhelmed
Here's a great link on freezing bok choy
I've made the kale chips and they turned out horrible. I used store bought baby kale and dried it in my oven.
I've made the kale chips and they turned out horrible. I used store bought baby kale and dried it in my oven.
JocyMc-
Posts : 17
Join date : 2012-05-05
Age : 66
Location : Pocatello, Idaho
Re: somewhat overwhelmed
I freeze all my extra kale. I was eating kale from my garden (via the freezer) in March.
Freezing kale is simple:
Wash kale
Fold leaf and cut out stalk
chop if you like
blanch; drop leaf into boiling water for 2 minutes only
drain
freeze.
I like to freeze dinner size portions in wax paper and then put those in a larger freezer bag.
Good luck and congrats on your garden bounty!

Freezing kale is simple:
Wash kale
Fold leaf and cut out stalk
chop if you like
blanch; drop leaf into boiling water for 2 minutes only
drain
freeze.
I like to freeze dinner size portions in wax paper and then put those in a larger freezer bag.
Good luck and congrats on your garden bounty!
43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
Re: somewhat overwhelmed
GWN wrote:... I think broccoli can be frozen, but will be interested in others responses...
Yes it can, but blanch it first. Being the lazy person that I am, I tried freezing without blanching first. Blanched broccoli is better.
Another option for you is to let the broccoli freeze on the plant, then harvest and stick in the freezer. My non-veggie son thinks that my broccoli frozen on the stalk is the best he's ever eaten.
Re: somewhat overwhelmed
I freeze lots of kale and chard; very easy to do. One thing I would add to the previous post, after blanching you need to put the veggies in ice cold water to stop the cooking for twice the amount of time you blanched it. I don't chop mine before freezing; it is simple to do after you thaw it out.
herblover-
Posts : 577
Join date : 2010-03-27
Age : 60
Location : Central OH
Re: somewhat overwhelmed
Camp RN, Blanche, that was the word I was trying to remember. Thanks
Herb Lover, Ice bath to stop the cooking process. Thanks
Herb Lover, Ice bath to stop the cooking process. Thanks
Re: somewhat overwhelmed
johnp, Raab is a great vegetable and extremely healthy. It is stronger flavored than broccoli, actually being closer related to the turnip than to broccoli. So it has a little hotter, more mustard-like taste to it. Before they flower you cut the little flower buds several inches below, including several of the leaves. You can cook it by sauteing in olive oil with a little chopped garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes. After it starts to wilt, turn down the heat and cover it to steam a little. If you like, add a squeeze of lemon juice and serve it as a side. Or toss it with pasta (typically Orrecchiette or gnocchi, but you can use what you have). Also good with Italian sausages.
Re: somewhat overwhelmed
Kale- go right a head and freeze it just blanch it first like e everyone above have mentions.
Bok choy- trim the flower buds off with a few of the leaves beneath the buds.
As for the rest of the garden not doing too well well maybe you temperatures have yet to get warm enough for you other crops to grow. The crop you mention in your post are cold weather crops so they love this time of year. In a few more week they won't be to happy but other crops with thrive. Let us know if they do pick up here soon if not post pictures and we will help you figure out how to get them growing.
Bok choy- trim the flower buds off with a few of the leaves beneath the buds.
As for the rest of the garden not doing too well well maybe you temperatures have yet to get warm enough for you other crops to grow. The crop you mention in your post are cold weather crops so they love this time of year. In a few more week they won't be to happy but other crops with thrive. Let us know if they do pick up here soon if not post pictures and we will help you figure out how to get them growing.
mschaef-
Posts : 598
Join date : 2012-03-12
Age : 37
Location : Hampton, Georgia

» Overwhelmed, but still here
» New & overwhelmed with getting started
» First timer and overwhelmed. Help!
» Brand new to this. A bit overwhelmed.
» Feeling Overwhelmed
» New & overwhelmed with getting started
» First timer and overwhelmed. Help!
» Brand new to this. A bit overwhelmed.
» Feeling Overwhelmed
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