Redlands, 07 July,08:00hr, hot, humid and yucky!
Summer has hit and with a vengeance. Temps over 100, thunder storms and humidity. Getting out into the garden is a task when it is this hot and yet, the garden needs our care more then ever. Plants are parched, many even look a bit limp and sad. Some have called it a day thanks to the heat [cilantro/spring lettuce greens] while others like tomato, cucumber, zucchini and bean plants are coming into their prime!
So as you sip on your cold glass of iced green tea with our English lavender, here are some simple guidelines for optimal edible gardening in the month of July.
What to plant:
In our home garden, we continue to successively plant heirloom basil, lettuce , kale, dill, fennel & arugula – the crops we are eating the most of. Once a week we add about 3-4 new transplants into the raised beds. By adding fresh plants, we are able to extend our harvest , not relying on only one or two plants for the food we love to eat. In addition, young leafy greens tend to be more sweet than the greens from older plants [especially the ones that have been in the heat for weeks now].
We have decided to give cilantro a rest, just can’t keep it going long enough during this heat. We have added heirloom Jarrahdale, Long Island, Futsu pumpkins, along with Buttercup, Table Queen & Spaghetti squash. All of these are referred to as “winter squashes” and well, they will be coming in from mid October through winter.
Speaking of winter squashes & the beloved pumpkin, this year, we are offering many more heirloom varieties for you to choose from: Buttercup squash [has a sweet and creamy orange flesh, sweeter than other winter varieties- can be baked, mashed, pureed, steamed, simmered, or stuffed and can replace sweet potatoes]Long Island Pumpkin[preferred variety of many for homemade pumpkin pie] , Turks Cap Squash[use as a pumpkin in recipes, as harvest decor or as a soup bowl],Delicata squash[one of the tastier winter squashes, with creamy pulp that tastes a bit like corn and sweet potatoes, can be baked or steamed-skin is also edible], Jarrahdale pumpkin [fairytale variety, silvery bluish-grey color, mild, nutty, sweet flavor for cooking], Table Queen squash[acorn type, early maturing winter,great used in fresh soup, baked or steamed] & Spaghetti Squash[larger ones are sweeter, when cooked flesh resembles spaghetti pasta].
Our winter squashes and pumpkins are the last of our warm season heirloom crops- having filled the racks of Cherry Valley Nursery with them along with 1 gallon heirloom tomato plants and all of your favorite herb starter plants. It is best to get both the winter squashes and tomato plants in by the first week of August [at the very latest] and know that both of these are very limited in quantity. Once they are gone, look for them again next year.
So while we are looking a few weeks down the road – past the bounty of tomatoes, cucumbers, summer squash & peppers, lets take a moment to talk about growing food year round. Here in sunny Southern California, we are fortunate enough to be able to grow food through all the four seasons. Sure, the type of foods we can grow does change each season, but how awesome is it that we can have right outside our front or backdoor a bounty of fresh, nutritious, delicious foods all the time!
We bring this up now because right around the corner, it will be time to add [or start] your cool season garden. Friends, growing in the summertime is far harder than the growing in the cooler fall temperatures. Keep this in mind as you begin to enjoy the bounty of your warm season garden, knowing you made this seasons garden possible – yes you, who said you had a black thumb! You CAN grow food and now, we are encouraging you to grow year-round! How exciting to know you will never be without the heirloom goodness that is now a part of your daily diet! How cool is it to know that you are growing more self sufficient while simply growing vegetables and herbs.
He is a good guy in the home garden!
Okay, back to July in the garden. Pest watch is critical! Spider mites, aphids, white-flies, earwigs, ants & caterpillars are out and about. The problem with pests is that they can spread disease [like mosaic virus to cucumbers & zucchini], damage or inhabit the plants produce, rendering it non-edible [or at the very least too gross to even bring inside]. Pests can not only eat our plants but can literally damage the plants tissues causing it to slowly fail or even worse, die. Not good.
When it comes to pests, perhaps the best course of action is to spend time in your garden, with your plants daily. By doing this, you can spot pests earlier, before major infestation or damage has occurred. If you see pests localized on a leaf or two, remove whole leaf. If you see many, consider using a OMRI approved pesticide, marking the calender and reapplying every 7-10 days [or as directed]. Many kitchen gardeners like to use an insecticidal soap during the summer months as a preventative – before pests appear.
Another course of action is to place praying mantis cocoons in your garden [we have some hung on tomato cages]. Each cocoon has between 200-400 mantis, plenty of “good pests” to help take out the “bad ones”. Mantis are not picky, they dine on a large variety of other pests – great for when you really don’t know which pest is attacking your garden. Mantis will stay in the garden provided there is enough food and the best part, at the end of their life cycle, they will leave cocoons full of future generations in your garden. talk about safe, effective & cost saving pest management!
Continue to deep water your garden at least three times a week.
Continue to feed your plants regularly so that they have the nutrients necessary to produce the food they are growing.
Continue to pull a handful [or two] of unwanted weeds daily as you visit your garden.
Continue to apply mulch [straw works well - look for it at local feed stores] around plants to help keep water in the soil and to discourage weeds.
Apply shade cloth over leafy greens [a sheet will work in a pinch] to help them not become as bitter.
Move container plants to more shaded location. These guys really can suffer in the heat, drying out so much faster than their relatives that are planted in the Earth. Do add GreenAll Soil Booster as a mulch and feed. Deep water – daily!
Growing a square-foot garden with tomatoes? Take a look at this way of growing lots of tomatoes in such a small space – single stem method. As you are noticing, when tomato plants are left to bush out, they can take up to 9 feet of space – not good for the other plants trying to live in the same space. This video should help.
Zucchini, melons or cucumbers taking up too much space? Vertical growing!
Interested in incorporating biodynamic principals to your home garden? Here in our home garden and nursery, we are using 5 Flower Formula or a combination of Self-Heal, Wild Rose & Love-Lies-Bleeding [these are Flower Essences produced by Flower Essence Society of Nevada City - each are certified biodynamic] and they are working well to assist the garden during this harsh transition into the warm summer months.
Do continue to enjoy the coolness of the evening in your garden – a great time to deep water and to connect with your living space.
What to harvest:
Cucumbers- Cut the fruits with some stalk remaining on each. Of course you can harvest large ones but smaller, younger ones are even more delicious. Pick daily since they really don’t keep well. If you do have too many, you can always pickle them or simply slice them into a bowl of salted water with a drop of vinegar. Cover, refrigerate and enjoy within a few days of harvest.
Tomatoes -Pick [and feed] regularly to encourage prolonged crops. Too many, we like to oven dry them adding a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and diced garlic.
Beans – The secret with both runner and snap beans is to pick them often. For the most tasty, tender beans, harvest the pods when they are smaller. Too many? Whole beans freeze well! [up to 3 months or longer if you blanch them]Do leave some on the vine to ripen as seed for another season.
Basil- How can you ever have too much? Harvest regularly, cutting straight across and leaving at least 1/3 of the plant. Allow several weeks to lapse before harvesting again [time to regrow]. Do make pesto [and freeze it! - will last up to 6 months frozen].
Herbs – From summer savory to mint, finely chop them and freeze what you will not immediately use in ice cube trays [then transfer to freezer safe container] to extend their yummy goodness.
Final words- Fresh batches of strawberry jam with our English Lavender & Sencha green tea with you guessed it, our English Lavender is waiting for you @ Olive Ave Market! We are loving the jam made into a balsamic vinaigrette added to arugula/fennel salad or on fresh grilled veggie sandwiches!
Farmers Market – Look for lots of naturally grown fresh cut herbs at our booth this summer [we are not at every market in the summer and off seasons]. The last of our pumpkin and winter squash starter plants will be at market through the end of July [and that's it!] along with some 1 gallon tomato plants. Look for new containers planted with single and multiple herbs – perfect for the kitchen gardener, as a hostess , housewarming or anytime gift [they are also available @ OAM 7 days a week - inside the market]. Last but not least, look for our seasonal herb/salt blends to hit farmers markets in the weeks to come – perfect for summertime grilling or used fresh on yummy yeggies!
Sunday Supper – Are you on board? Look for our blog posts full of inspiring recipes featuring garden [or farmers market] fresh seasonal produce along with agricultural products from our Golden state! Let’s do our part to support local and state agriculture!
Heirloom cool season crops- Yep, this is the month we are starting them. What are they? Broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce[ lots of these], onions, garlic, specialty greens [edible chrysanthemum, savoy, mizuna...] artichokes, kale, chard, spinach, etc. Do let us know what you are going to grow - we love to have just what you are looking for!
Home produce stand is OPEN! Like you, our gardens are giving us more than we can use. Look for weekly updates of what heirlooms are fresh and ready for you to take along to the beach, poolside, or to make into a delicious meal! From our garden to you- enjoy the heirloom goodness.
