It’s high summer and wow is it hot! Time to sit and wait, watch the garden grow, and pick, pick, pick.
In my garden, summer is my laziest time. After a hectic spring, I can relax and enjoy the beauty.
Everything is mulched so I don’t have to weed. Water, fertilize, and pick. That’s what I do in summer.
Ok. I do other things. I usually get around to organizing my seeds. I make sure all the envelopes are sealed and file them by planting season. Salad and other greens, tomatoes and peppers get their own categories because I grow so many varieties of each.
I try to start some salad greens and cole crops in flats for planting out in mid to late August. If I’m super busy with other things I’ll keep them inside under lights. If I grow them on outside, even in the shade, they need water daily, sometimes twice. Made that mistake before.
One of my favorite garden tools is a sharp pair of scissors. I use them to dead head flowers, pick beans, and cut the roots off salad greens as I pick them—less dirt makes the greens easier to wash. While you’re dead heading, don’t forget to use the scissors to cut bouquets of flowers for every room.
Cut your herbs back before they flower and dry for winter use. They’ll have more flavor because they contain more essential oil before they flower. Tie in bunches and hang upside down until crunchy. Strip the leaves from the stems but don’t crush them until you use them in your recipes. I couldn’t bear to throw away any part of my herbs and I’ve found that the stems add subtle flavor to soups and stews. Just make sure to fish them out before serving.
Now is the time to dig out the tomato and zucchini recipes collected since last summer. What better time to experiment with these vegetables than when there are so many of them?
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