- Author: Launa Herrmann
The newly purchased galvanized container that sits along my side yard fence outperformed itself for yet another season. In addition to last year's abundance of summer vegetables, I'm now enjoying winter vegetables. As you'll notice from the photos, I'm harvesting Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris) and bok choy (Cruciferae Brassica chinensis), and soon will be picking snow peas (Pisum salivum). Frankly, I can't ask for more in such a compact space.
This galvanized stock tank works for me. Available in a variety of shapes and sizes, this container sits at just the right height for tending vegetables and means less back-breaking work and fewer insects.
If you've never tried growing bok choy, give this member of the chard family a try. With its tasty, tender leaves and stalks, the charm of this cole crop lies in its versatility. The entire plant is edible, whether mature or immature. Simply snip off a few stems from each plant, chop up both the leaves and stems, then add to a stir fry or omelet. Within days new stalks will sprout on the old plant. Last fall I ordered two six-packs of bok choy from Vacaville's Pacific Hardware and look forward to a harvest through March.