Good morning!
We’re still a few weeks away from calendar summer, but here in the States, gardening weather is off and running.
Most of my plants and seeds are in the soil at this point, but tbh I’m still browsing the garden centers, always looking for that unplanned-for thing I just have to have this year. It’s the gardener’s imperative, lol.
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As I’m typing this, tucked away in the air conditioning, it’s feeling very much like July outside here in the Ohio Valley, so I’m tentatively expecting a boost in production from heating-loving plants and maybe some earlier-than-normal harvests.
Crossing fingers for a July 4th tomato!
Container Gardening
While we’re all getting our gardens finalized, I’d like to make the quick case for container gardening. Even if you have a lot of backyard space devoted to your veggies, container gardening has its place, especially for smaller plants, such as peppers, eggplants, and herbs.
If you’re on the fence, or don’t know how to begin, I have a blog post devoted to vegetable container gardening. I’ve grown everything under the sun in containers, from lime trees to tomatoes to corn on patios, backyard decks, and apartment balconies. I even grew all of my tomatoes in containers one year to give my garden plot a break from the blight that plagues tomato gardens.
It’s easy — and easy on the back! — maximizes available space, and makes vegetable gardening more accessible for everyone. I hope you’ll give it a go.
Perennial Herbs
As a cook and food blogger, I value my herb garden as much as my vegetable garden. There’s just nothing like a fresh Caprese salad with homegrown tomatoes and basil. Or roasted potatoes with a bright rosemary sauce. Or salsa with lots of cilantro.
But there’s another subset of herbs that are even more amazing: Herbs that die back in the fall … and then regrow the next spring, saving both time and money. I absolutely love that!
If you’re also an avid cook, check out this list of perennial herbs — from sage to thyme to tarragon and more — that you can plant once and enjoy year after year.
Garlic Watch
If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know that garlic is one of my favorite crops; second only behind tomatoes. It has so much going for it: Easy to grow, makes everything you cook taste amazing, bulbs store well.
And if you grow hard-neck varieties, you get two harvests every year from each plant: Garlic scapes first and then garlic bulbs.
Late May through mid-June is garlic scape time. Garlic scapes are the flower stems that produce seed, but since we’re really wanting the bulbs, we cut those scapes off before they bloom.
Did you know they’re edible? They taste like mild garlic and, chopped up, can be sauteed along with your other aromatics.
When the scapes start spiraling, like this:
… it’s time to remove them. Learn all about garlic scapes on the blog.
Meanwhile, the garlic plants themselves keep chugging along, nourishing those bulbs for a late June through July harvest. Keep your plants healthy and thriving with these expert tips.
Until next time, friend, stay kind 🫶🏻, stay hydrated 🥤, slather on that sunscreen 🧴, then go out and play in the dirt.