Angled luffa
First angled luffa. Well, actually this is the second one. The first one was camera shy but it was tender and delicious.
Right photo: Cross section of the luffa. There was no seed. Could have waited a few more days to harvest. Wonder how much longer it would grow?????
To learn more about angled luffa click here.
Decided to do a quick simple stir-fry.
Peeled away the ridges and part of the skin. Cut into wedges. Stir fried in a bit of oil, salt, garlic slices and Chinese chives flowers for a few minutes. So tasty.
Butternut squashes not quite ready, but given the situation with the angry critters, decided to harvest 4. They passed the nail test but may not keep well, needed to stay on the vine a bit longer. Left 2 on the vine to make comparison.
Two of the 4 butternut squashes
Ping Tung eggplants
Having the eggplant wearing knee-hi’s kept away the critters but it also blanched the fruit. The eggplant in front was higher up from the ground so I decided it did not need knee-hi. Notice the deeper purple color.
Eggplant collection from my garden: Left, 3 ping tungs. Center, Japanese long purple. Right, Listada de Gandia. The Japanese long purple and the Listada de Gandia both have slightly thicker skin, may need peeling. The ping tung skin is thin and tender, never needs peeling, is never bitter, so no need to salt, my favorite eggplant.
Still harvesting: green and white bittermelons, sweet potato vines, Swiss chard, lettuce, kale, collard, blackberries and figs.
Days are getting shorter and nights are getting cold, plants will still be growing and producing but at a slower pace.
Asian pears
Too many pears in clusters, resulting in small fruits. Early spring, I was going to thin out the fruits, but the tree was self-thinning. Not knowing how much or how long this self-thinning was going to be, I worried that if I thin also I may end up with no fruit, so did no thinning, big mistake.
Showing off
Zinnia
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Garden to Wok 
What an incredible harvest you’ve got…that is called success! 🙂
Hello Annie,
Thanks. I have my share of failures.
It’s amazing how the colour of the eggplants differs by the addition of a stocking! I love the look of your pears and that fig is amazing. What a beautiful garden you have xx
Hello Charlie,
Thanks. My guess is that the knee hi’s blocked out some of the sunlight.
I have always wanted to grow luffa- maybe I’ll give it a try next year. If any get too big to eat, I can use them in the shower! Or does the angled sort not do that?
Hello GC,
I belive the angled luffa also becomes “sponges”, my growinng season is not long enough for me to find out.
Oh that fig – I am salivating! Can’t wait to harvest a few from our tree at the end of the year or maybe beginning of next – weather permitting…
🙂 Mandy
Hello Mandy,
Hope you will show pictures of your figs. What variety do you have?
Oh my, I have no idea what they are called – they are the ones with the green skin. 🙂
Hello Manddy,
I have no idea what variety I have either.
I put stockings on my lower clusters of tomatoes. The stockings block air flow, I think, creating nice humid conditions; the stockinged tomatoes are all getting anthracnose while the rest are OK. So it’s a choice: critters or disease.
Hello Mary,
So sorry to hear about your stockinged tomatoes having anthrocnose. I had worried about disease on my eggplants also, thank goodness they were all OK.
I love the eggplants. I do enjoy eating eggplants. I have had a pretty good eggplant year, but many of my other things didn’t do too well. I have asian pears in my yard, too, and my children and I love the crisp, crunchiness of the fresh fruit.
Hello Cristy,
As gardeners, we will always win some and lose some. Glad you are having a good eggplant and Asian pear year.
I read your post about the angled luffas; very interesting as I’d never heard of them before! They look good. Beautiful eggplants! My PingTung aren’t producing much, but my Swallows are making up for it. That zinnia looks like it should win a prize!
Hello Patsy,
I have not grown swallows, they look like the Japanese long purple, hope there is time for your Ping Tung to produce.
I honestly would never think to actually eat a louffa, I only think of them being grown for their fibrous interior for louffa scrubs. Learn something new every day. That fig is a beauty.
Hello Kitsapfg,
The young immature fruits of both the angled luffa and the smooth skinned luffa are edible.
Your eggplants are gorgeous! I’m hoping we still have time in the season for mine to mature, but I’m not sure we will. Your butternuts look wonderful to me! I accidently didn’t get any in the ground this year (planted pumpkins instead…stinkin!). Ah well…there’s always next year 🙂
Hello Melissa,
I hope you have time for your eggplants to mature. We gardeners are an optimistic bunch, there is always next year for whatever we missed or didn’t come out as expected.
That fig is making me hungry! I have a few at home for later this week. 🙂 mmmmm!
Hello Kristy,
I am sure you are going to enjoy those figs by making something delicious with them.
Amazing harvests- better to butternut than not to! 😉 Same for the pears. I think it was better to have left some than to have had none at all.
Hello Barbie,
Thanks, I needed to hear what you said.
Those Asian pears look lovely even if they are small. I keep thinking I should have put one in when I put in the fruit trees. I might decided eventually to get rid of one of the figs. I’m thinking they just aren’t going to grow well here if left in the ground. I might move one. Hard to say. I’m still debating.
Hello Daphne,
It is a difficult decision. I think you will be happy with Asian pears, they are easy to grow.
Eggplants and figs and butternut squash! Fall is coming.
Hello Sharyn,
Yes, fall is coming, I feel it in the air when I go out for the newspaper at 6:00 a.m.
Awesome harvest. I have had so much trouble with my LDG eggplant. Tried it from seed for 2 years with no success. Flee beetles forced me to buy two eggplants this year, but found that I LOVED the japanese eggplant! Perhaps I will try the PT Eggplant next year!
Hello Amber,
I think you will love PT eggplant.
would love to have your butternut squash. I have just 2 and they just set so will never make it to maturity.
Hello Wilderness,
Those butternut squashes are the only winter squashes I have, there is not sufficient time for the others to mature and develop a hard skin, sad.
You have an amazing harvest! Those asian pears and figs look so yummy! and the eggplants are so vibrant and colorful. didn’t know you could eat luffa so learned something new – thank you.
Hello Jenny,
The young fruits of both the angled luffa and the smooth skinned luffa are edible.
Butternut squash!!! O….I miss them terribly! I remember I used to buy some pickled Asian pears from a fruitstall at our local market. I can’t wait to see what recipes you gonna come up with those pears.
Hello Angie,
I just eat the pears as is from the tree. After sharing with family and friends there isn’t that much left.
Hi Norma! I actually like smaller fruits so your pears look just perfect to me, as well as all other harvest. Norma, last Farmer’s market I saw bitter melon, they were so cute but I didn’t know what to do with it. How do you cook them, or don’t? Thanks! 🙂
Hello Marina,
Go to my November 11, 2011 post where I explained about bittermelon and also have recipes.
That is a BEAUTIFUL zinna. They grew well for me and handled the Texas heat.
Hello SM.
Glad to know that zinna can handle the Texas heat and grows well for you.
Ohhh, Asian pears, what a treat. You sure have a heavenly little garden with pears and figs, not including the angry critters… 😉
Hello FC,
Will be a couple more months before the Asian pears are ready hope they get a bit bigger.
Your harvest is wonderful Norma. I love the eggplant. I’ve seen the angled luffa at the store but have never tried it. I’m going to check your link to see what I’m missing.
Hello Eva,
I think you will like it. You may want to peel away all the skin though. Most non-Asians do not care for the contrast between the crunchy skin and the soft flesh.
As usual you have another beautiful harvest!! I sure have noticed the days getting shorter!! I’m usually up in the morning to go for a run. I leave about 6:15 am an now I’m able to beat the sun home! It didn’t come up until after 7:20 today! Fall is coming!
Hello Rick,
Thanks. I kinda like the cooler weather, but I know first frost is just around the corner and that means losing all the frost tender plants, sad.
Your eggplant collection looks beautiful 😀
And fantastic garden update!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Hello Uru,
Thanks. The eggplants are beautiful.
What a harvest to celebrate this Monday, Norma! Sorry you had to pick some early & cover other vegetables but it sure beats finding them half-eaten on the ground. I must say, though, that the zinnia photo is stunning, a perfect way to end your post.
Hello John,
Thanks, it is a gorgeous zinnia, I was surprised.
The story of a gardener, need to be mindful of nature and other living things.
Norma you must be having so much fun making these wonderful vegetables for dinner every night. I am so jealous!
Hello Alyssa,
I do, I do. Not just dinner, but breakfast and lunch too.
Treasure in your garden! I adore eggplant, I think they might be one of my favourite vegetables!
Hello Celia,
Eggplants are so versatile, I can see why it is one of your favourite vegetables.
I love of of these vegetables especially the luffa that I cook with misua noodles. Norma you have all the vegetables that we always eat. I love your garden. Have a good week! 🙂
Hello Ray,
Thanks, I love my gardene too. I plant mostly what I like and want but are not readily available in the local markets. Would like to plant more but lack garden space not to mention energy. A good week to you too.
Wow, you have quite the green thumb…lovely harvest. I’ve never even heard of an angled luffa…so that’s one I’ll keep my eyes out for 🙂
Hello Liz,
Actually my thumb and fingers are brown from playing in the dirt.
Lovely variety! I cooked with some larger eggplants from the farmers market recently, and they were seedy and bitter, and the skins were tough — I’ve really come to appreciate these smaller, Asian varieties like the Ping Tung.
Hello Leduesorelle,
The ping tung is not seedy and never bitter and can be substituted for eggplant in any recipe.
Just look at how amazing your butternut squash and your eggplant look. If I show this post to my mother, she would want to come through the screen and cook it right now lol
Hello Kay,
I would love to have your Mother come and cook the butternut squash and eggplant, what a treat that would be.
Everything is amazing, as usual Norma! love those Ping Tung! Might have to try some next year. My luffa has yet to even show a flower bud; I planted a bit late plus it is not in the sunniest spot; next year it goes on the big trellis where it will get a lot more sun.
Hello Mary,
I am not getting a lot of maturing fruits from my luffa, many of the babies turned yellow and dropped from the plant. I think there is a lack of bees for pollination.
I have some unfinished butternuts that i had to harvest when the vine died, what are we going to do with them? c
Hello Cecilia,
I use immature winter squash in different ways. I sometimes peel slice thinly and saute in a bit of oil, salt, garlic and shallots. If you are into Chinese fermented black beans, a little is good also. I also peel cut into chunks and braise alone, maybe with some tomatoes or add to stew. Or use as one would with an overmature summer squash. Hope I helped.
those eggplant look terrific. I can almost taste Moroccan eggplant jam. 🙂 I just love your garden, Norma!
Hello Maureen,
Thanks, Moroccan eggplant jam, now that’s an idea.
Love the look of your Ping Tung eggplants: will be in the nursery next week an shall see whether I too can plant! Have just had two talks on line re the Japanes ones, which are the ones we most often get here bar the fullsized purple ones; glad I could place them: we call them ‘cocktail’!! 🙂 ! The Asian pears; do you find them ‘watery’ compared to the usual kinds – the ones I have had had a lot of juice but little taste! Oh, do you grow corinader ’cause that grows best in winter here and spring, but seeds awfully quickly when warmer weather arrives . . . .
Hello Eha,
There are many varieties of Asian pears, mine are juicy, yes, but also sweet and crunchy. I have coriander growing in a patch of the garden but they are volunteers, meaning I allow some of the plants to go to seed and now they regrow every year and is sufficient for my use.
Thanks for the tip on Ping Tung eggplants – I will definitely seek them out. I grew what I think was probably a similar variety a couple of years ago but I bought it as a seedling, and lost the label so I had no idea what it was unfortunately.
Hello Liz,
You are welcome.
Another beautiful harvest, Norma. I really envy your eggplant, bleached or not. I had the same experience as you trying to thin my Asian pears. Whatever pears I chose to snip from a cluster, a few weeks later the tree would drop more of the ones I chose to keep. Just shows I don’t think like a pear tree.
Hello Dave,
I don’t think like a pear tree either that’s why I was reluctant to thin.
Gorgeous harvest photos!
Hello YC,
Thanks.
Gorgeous as always Norma…I love your eggplant collection…I never seen the listed…so pretty. Your garden is amazing…I would love to take a tour 🙂
Thanks for sharing all this pictures of your harvest and hope you have a great week!
Hello Juliana,
Come on over for a personal tour anytime. A greet week to you too.
How Ironic! Guess what I just bought at the wet market today? An angled luffa. The lad at the wet market had to break it half to weigh it. So it must be cooked today and I will try your recipe. thanks, BAM
Hello Bam.
That must have been one of those 3 feet angled luffa. I planted that variety one year but unable to find the seeds since. Do let me know how you liked my recipe.
Your recipe rocked! Simple and yummy! Even my picky teenagers enjoyed it so that is saying a lot! Take care, BAM
Hello Bam,
Thanks, coming from you, I am flattered.
Envious of your harvest as always Norma 🙂 And I haven’t had angled luffa in YEARS! They were delicious.
Hello Yudith,
Angled luffa is becoming more readily available hopefully you will be able to find it in your Asian market.
I hate being out late reading posts but always enjoy your Monday harvests…even on Wednesday! I’d never heard of an Angled Luffa, nor did I know that variety of eggplant, which I have enjoyed in Asian dishes in restaurants but it was misnamed as a Japanese eggplant, was Ping Tung. Always learning something over here. Amazing fig and beautiful zinnia. All in all a grand harvest day I would say!
Hello B and B,
Thanks. Unfortunately my figs are coming to an end.
Wow, now Angled Luffa is a new one to me, read your other post also so I definitely learnt a thing or two. Very interesting about the eggplant, and please excuse the ignorance but what is the nail test for pumpkin? Another great and inspiring harvest Norma.
Hello Barbara,
The “nail test” for winter squash is: when you press on the squash skin with your nail if it does not leave a dent the squash skin is hard and the squash is ready.
All your hard work in the garden is paying off coz this harvest is superb! You are so lucky to have all those fresh veggies to cook with!
Hello Cakewhiz,
Yes, I do consider myself very lucky.
Wow – what a beautiful harvest, and an amazing variety!! You are so lucky to be able to grow so many fresh fruits and veggies. Sooo healthy. A quick question, though: What are knee-hi’s?
Hello WV,
Knee-hi’s are sock or stockings that come up to the knee. In my photo I show knee-hi’s made from stocking material.
That fig sure is showing off!! hehehehhe:) Your butternut squashes look amazing & pretty too! 🙂
Your longer aubergines too!
Hello Sophie,
And that was not the largest fig, I ate the other larger ones before realizing I should take a photo. The Ping Tung is the eggplant I mentioned in a comments to one of your post.
I know, Noram! Thanks! 🙂 Maybe, I can buy them in my Asian supermarket!