baby vegetables in the garden
I’m always excited by the arrival of the first baby vegetables in the garden!

Back in the old days when people would carry around photos of their kids and grandkids (instead of posting them on Facebook), I once had a friend suggest that I start carrying around photos of my baby plants.  I never did go quite that far, but there’s no doubt that the arrival of baby vegetables is something I look forward to eagerly every year.  I hope this post doesn’t inspire too much baby-vegetable envy among my readers and blogging friends, because this year it got warm very early in Utah, and because I was going on a long trip I planted my garden much earlier than usual.  I thought if it didn’t make it, I would replant when I came back from the trip, but the weather gods were smiling on the garden and the veggies got an early start!

Cucumbers are something I buy as small plants, and they can be pretty touchy but this year the cucumbers are growing happily in the box next to the deck. They’ll get lots of sun there so I’ll probably be giving away cucumbers to all the neighbors.

These little guys are my beloved 8-Ball squash, a type of zucchini that you pick when they get barely bigger than a pool ball.  They’re great for stuffing or slicing to cook on the grill.

I am quite picky about finding straightneck (not crookneck) yellow squash, because I like the smooth skins of the straightneck ones.  These are the squash that are an essential ingredient in the famous Denny family “Creamed” Zucchini.”

I also have regular zucchini as well.  This type of zucchini is the one I would use for making Julienned Zucchini “Spaghetti.”

The tag from the garden center just said Scallop Squash, so I don’t think these are going to be as colorful as the Flying Saucer Squash that I used a few years ago, but I bet I can still use them to make Marinated Summer Squash Salad.

I know I showed you a cucumber at the top of the page, but I couldn’t resist another photo of these two little cuties.  So many great salads with cucumbers, which one to make first?

And although I have nine tomato plants, the only ones that have tomatoes on them are the Celebrity tomatoes, a type that grows very well in Utah.  These little tomatoes are just slightly bigger than a cherry tomato, so it will be a while yet, but I have tomato sandwiches in my future!
How’s Your Garden Growing?
If you’re lucky enough to have a garden where you live, let us know in the comments if your veggies are making an appearance or how the plants are doing.  (You can see all my Garden Updates since 2006 or the 2012 Garden Updates if you’d like to find out more about my garden.)

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