Last updated on January 17th, 2015
THANKS to a spring that brought terrible, no good, very bad weather to New York’s Hudson Valley, my Kitchen Garden got off to a poor start. But now that summer heat has arrived (along with oppressive humidity), the crops are finally progressing. Would you like to meet the movers and shakers in this living supermarket? Join me on a little tour.
Because it’s a muggy afternoon, I think we should walk while sipping a cold drink.
The drink in question is a Lemon Drop “martini.” It contains vodka, triple sec, and freshly-squeezed lemon juice. And it’s absolutely delicious. If you’d like the recipe for this frosty fun, just drop me a line in the comments section below. It’s an easy cocktail to make.
After a few sips of your lemon-icious cocktail, my Kitchen Garden will look far, far nicer to you. You might even think the zinnias in the long, rectangular central beds are bursting with bloom.
In previous years, the zinnias were in bloom at this time.
This year is not like other years.
Meanwhile, the zucchini is flowering…
And a charming pair of baby squash has emerged. I’ve named them Samantha and Darin.
Don’t pretend you don’t name your zucchini after characters from “Bewitched.”
Are you enjoying your cocktail yet?
In the same bed as the zucchini, and growing up a wooden tripod, is my beloved Butternut squash.
I use soft Velcro tape to loosely secure the Butternut vines to their 7-foot tall supports.
Another bed is devoted exclusively to potatoes. I’m growing these a little differently this year. This year, I placed a pine frame atop the existing, hemlock-framed raised red. The extra frame holds my “hilling” material in place. Hilling material — soil, straw, or shredded leaves — ensures the largest possible crop of new potatoes. Details here.
Creeping along in another bed is ‘Nutribud’ broccoli. I’d like to blame its slowness on the weather (not to mention a recent hail-storm that punctured the plants’ leaves). But in truth this heirloom variety often waits until mid-July to form its huge, delicious heads. ‘Nutribud’ is unusually high in free glutamine, a building block of protein and an important healing nutrient.
Sharing the broccoli-bed are ‘Ace’ bell peppers. And hallelujah — the plants have started to flower.
This summer, I subjected my indeterminate tomatoes to something called the “Florida weave.” As you can see, lengths of twine, attached to 7-foot wooden posts at each end of the bed, hold the vines in an upright position.
The method seems to be working.
Still, I have a confession to make.
I really, really, miss my Joan Crawford-approved tomato trellis.
The “J.C.” added a beautiful vertical dimension to the garden. Furthermore, the tomatoes loved to climb its dazzling height (with assistance from me).
I hope Joan Crawford can find it in her heart to forgive me.
The foliage of my autumn-planted, hard-neck garlic has started to turn brown. This means the bulbs beneath are nearing maturity.
Not sure when to harvest garlic? Read this post.
I recently harvested the garlic scapes, and turned them into this incredible dipping-sauce.
And here are the hardy kiwi vines that smother the arbor at the back of the Kitchen Garden. Shall we sit for a moment in the deep shade the vines afford? Honestly, it’s about 10 degrees cooler beneath the arbor.
Glancing upward, you’ll notice the vines are dripping with fruit.
And speaking of fruit…here are the ‘Blanca’ currants which grow against the garden’s wire-mesh fence. In another week or two, these pearls of green will turn translucent-white — a sign they are ready for harvest. The berries are sweet and juicy. I’ll probably use them to sweeten the Blueberry-Almond smoothie I wrote about last week.
Well. I hope you enjoyed this little tour, as well as your Lemon Drop martini. I certainly enjoyed your company.
Now, in the comments field below, mind letting me know how your own veggies are progressing?
Don’t miss anything at A Garden for the House…sign up for Kevin’s weekly newsletter.
Other virtual garden tours you might enjoy:
The Woodland Garden in Early Summer
A Late-Spring Garden Tour
An Autumn Walk with Lily the Beagle
Cynthia says
Did some wonderful Pesto with roasted Pumpkin Seeds and Lime juice with the Scapes.
Must watch what time of day I look at this site or my Thermos at work may start carrying something besides Coffee and Tea. Must look into Kiwi vines…
Kimberley says
Your vegetable garden is a fair bit ahead of mine (northeastern PA), although the heat and humidity of the past week did give it a big boost! I don’t have room for squashes, and I can buy them in great quantity at the farmers’ markets around town, but I do grow cucumbers up trellises in window boxes. The ‘Marketmores’ have buds and baby cukes. I harvested peas early last week, but probably won’t bother with them again because I just don’t want to give up enough space to grow enough to be worthwhile. My lettuce has been gangbusters since early June, even with the heat.
I don’t blame you for missing the “Joan Crawford” trellis for your tomatoes! I confess to using wire cages and stakes.
I may not name my vegetables, but the two snakes who live in my flower gardens are Severus Snake and Mittens!
Judith says
My tomatoes in hanging baskets are doing well. We’ve only just got some sunshine in England!
Your garden looks lovely.
Marjean says
The corn is up, tomatoes are on the vines and both cantaloupe and watermelon vines are setting fruit. No zucchini yet and the cucumbers are lagging behind too. Butternut squash plants are growing well though and we’ve been eating green onions for weeks. Early lettuce is over. We didn’t do a complete garden this year unfortunately. Hopefully we’ll have all of the raised beds done and ready for planting next March!
Laura Bremer says
Thanks for the tour, My garden in Northern MI is slow to start as well. I did grow some garlic this year and sliced the scapes thin and added to a pasta dish. It was delish. Peppers are a bit scrawny but there are wee peppers forming. I tried a potatoe tower and the potatoes are very happy! should have a great potatoe harvest.as always your garden tour was wonderful! Thank you
Cary says
Butternut squash on teepees? Brilliant! I’ve done lighter weight melons, cukes and green beans of course, but heavier butternuts? Kevin, how many plants do you grow up each leg of the teepee? I’m real estate impaired and have not been able to grow butternut but with using teepees, I think I can do it. Is more than 1 plant per leg too crowded? Please advise. and please pass that lemon drop martini. Divine! 🙂
Joyce says
Your gardens look lovely as usual! I’m pleased to see that my tomatoes & peppers aren’t so far behind as I’d thought. In central Indiana we’ve had lots of cool evenings and overcast days and I’ve been concerned that several tomato plants are just now getting blossoms. However, the cherry/grape tomatoes are really coming on.
Thanks Kevin for the tour, we all love it so much. We’ll be looking forward to a later trip through your gardens!!
Barbara says
I love your garden and just wish I had that much space. I’m here in southern California and it’s hot, hot, hot! Tomatoes, cukes, eggplant, peppers, chard (still growing) are doing OK but the insects are terrible this year. I have a question about freezing. How do you freeze sugar snap peas, the ones in the pod, not the shucking kind? I tried to blanche and then plop into ice water, and then freeze. The taste is good but the texture. . . leaves something to be desired.
Thanks for your help.
Robin says
Just started harvesting the early zucchini. Everything else in south central Indiana is about where your stuff is. Late, but coming along. Lots of flowers on the squash, the beans, the cukes. The eggplant is still pouting. The tomatoes are putting out the first flowers. I hope we have a late fall, too.
Ilene says
Your gardens are beautiful, the drink amazing 😉 Here in the Susquehanna Valley our beets have been harvested..some frozen some pickled and canned. First harvest of broccoli and cauliflower has been frozen. Also carrots are in the freezer. Whew..here come my green grocer in from the garden. Oh No !! Green beans, cucumbers, and squash. Ok so cucumber salad and baked zucchini with panko and grated Parmesan for supper. Almost time to plant second crop of broccoli and green beans. Nice tomatoes on the vine but none ripe yet. My favorite time of year.
Enjoying the veggies of my labor …have a blessed day!!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Cary – I planted one butternut squash per pole.
Hi Barbara – Your snap pea blanching/chilling/freezing method sounds spot-on. My only advice is this: after blanching and chilling, dry the shells thoroughly. Then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and “flash” freeze. Once frozen, you can pile them in plastic bags or tubs. (Probably you already do these things.)
Diane C says
Hi Kevin,
We have had much rain here in Ohio. I am afraid my pepper plants may never bloom. My cherry tomatoes are looking nice, though.
I am very surprised at how well my zinnias are growing! The red Will Rogers is gorgeous this year.
Love seeing your garden,
Diane
Heidi Haas says
I LOVE when I come home to a new posting from you..very relaxing and the cocktails are fabulous…but where are Uncle Arthur & Aunt Esmerelda?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Heidi – Arthur and Esmeralda are still flowers are this point. Serena and Larry Tate have yet to emerge!
Barbara says
Thanks Kevin. I don’t think I was drying them enough. Will be more care about that next time.
Erin says
I needed that little walk. Thank you for lifting my spirits Kevin. 🙂
Carrie says
Hi Kevin, I sure do love your posts, and I look forward to them all week! After a cold, rainy spring, followed by a cool, and then hot, muggy summer, my tomatoes and peppers are starting to show signs of early blight! Do you have any advice?
Trevor says
Well Kevin, I’m glad to see I’m not alone in my slow garden. I can’t drink lemon drop anything anymore, however after an unfortunate evening out with my partner’s boss. I’ll enjoy my oyster Bay Sauvignon blanc instead.
Having just moved into our first home last summer, my first garden attempt was small this year. I live in north central Alberta, Camada, and we had a very rainy June. My radishes are looking a bit dreadful. Just big leaves so far, I’m weeding out the week ones in hopes of some salvage, my peas are doing well, grown 1/3 up the trellis, and carrots and are still small, but the greens are getting bushy.
We’ll see about the red lettuce. After an intense marble sized hail storm, they are looking pretty good. Keeping my fingers crossed. I’m thankful for my green thumbed mother who is proving me with full heads of lettuce, tasty small cucumbers and zucchini.
Thanks again for the helpful hints and delicious treats. Your garden is an inspiration!
Marianne L says
Your garden is gorgeous – I’m green with envy!
Kelly M says
Now you’ve done it !! I will have to promptly go out and gaze upon my baby squash (I’m so proud of them!) until I’ve thought of appropriate names ……. I can see this becoming a yearly ritual.
“I can name that squash in 2 minutes … 1 minute … 30 seconds ….. ha ha.
badger gardener says
Here in WI everything is growing slowly as well. My tomatoes do have some fruits starting even though they are half their usual height. My eggplant and watermelon are the slowest of the bunch. This week brought some heat and humidity so maybe they’ll take off soon. Even the carrots are slow this year. My garlic looks about the same stage as yours and I’m looking forward to that harvest. I finally took your advice this year and started feeding my flower containers w/ regular frequency. It has made such a difference. I may be lacking in veggies but the flowers are beautiful.
Bethe says
It has been VERY HOT here in Sacramento. 110 degrees on July 4th. But my tomatoes loved it because I watered them twice a day. My black cherry tomatoes are finally ripening and they are delicious – first year growing them and of course I have Sweet 100’s as well. Picking Sioux tomatoes (also new this year) and they are very meaty. Great for burgers! Alas, the little nasty worms discovered my garbanzo bean plot before I discovered them and it is a race to see if any plants can be saved. I would think the hot sun would crisp up the critters, but noooo… I have had no tomato worms, though, so maybe it does help to be so hot. Picked first spaghetti squash and that was a fun vine to grow. Lots of new veggies this year and will do the same next year. I do love your garden and wish for the space you enjoy. I love your site – it picks up my day!
Annie B says
Lovely cocktail and tour. Here in Missouri, corn is tasseling and tomatoes are big, but green. Bell peppers barely ahead of yours. Broccoli was great, but done now. Some zinnias blooming, some creeping along slowly. Even cosmos are slow this year. Do you eat the kiwi?Thanks for inviting us!
Susan L says
My garden here in central Iowa looks similar to yours . Zinnias just starting to bloom, but really small. Tomatoes and peppers starting to flower, but the basil really took off with our recent heat. Yea! I brought the seeds home from Italy with me! Raspberries starting to bear fruit, garlic starting to brown. Lettuces about done wiht this heat but the beans and edemame love it!
Christine F says
I am glad to see that I am not the only on with a “slow” garden this year (W. NY) The Chili peppers are the only thing really taking off but I am seeing some improvement this week with the other peppers and Tomatoes. Thanks for the garden walk, you are very entertaining!
ayla dumont says
how soothing it was to go with you trough the garden, imaginary drink in hand. in may i was layed low with a bronchial thing that kept me down for 3 weeks. when i came out, my garden had decided to go back to NATURE, not my idea of nature. all i could do is pull and pull , parsley, 6 foot tall. etc. Tennessee is unforgiving when you dont tend your garden. Tomatoes, freed from the weeds, are coming around. gonna try that smoothie………………………
badger gardener says
I am softening some butter to try your lavender shortbread cookies today. Tomorrow I am making garlic scape pesto. I had no idea what variety of garlic I planted in the Fall. I just used an extra bulb I picked up at the local market. Yesterday when checking on my crop I found scapes a plenty. What a sweet (or should I say savory) surprise. I am so looking forward to trying both of these delicious looking recipes.
Ardis says
Kevin, I gotta tell you, I LOVE your sense of humor and fun! Every weekend I look forward to going on these garden tours and seeing how things are growing; not to mention the cocktails! I’ve learned a thing or two from you and I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge with all of us gardening fans. You make me laugh and smile every time! 🙂
Debra V says
Kevin, It is amazing what you can discover if you google winter sowing. That is how I discovered your wonderful blog.. I love everything about it, the amazing house, all of the different gardens, recipes, just everything. Thank you so much for taking the time to share all of this with us. As a gal from Texas, I would love to have a woodland and rose garden, but instead I am making a prairie butterfly garden. What really caught my eye was your Ballon Flower, as I have just planted one, it is now my favorite in my one part shade sun corner along with some sweet woodruff. Even though we are thousands of miles apart, different time zones, different planting zones, me, old 6 new 7 ( really doesn’t make since, I know it was -16 degrees last winter… I can’t wait to winter sow in December, as I am terrible at moving my seed pods from my east window to my west window everyday. I look forward to reading all of your posts from past to future. Deb
Debra V says
I for got to mention I also have two 4 x 8′ raised bed gardens, one for herbs and another for chili’s and lavender, emergency plantings, (bought these plants half price and have no place to put them).. I amended my clay soil in my beds with cotton burr compost, crushed pecan shells, composted manure, many different sands and whatever is local. On the high plains we don’t have very many trees so leaf mold is out of the question. I make compost from shredded newspapers and grass clippings and composted cow manure. I am just delighted we share some of our favorite flowers. I would love to have more roses, but the heat and wind turn them brown and it is more sad than enjoyable.
mary martinez says
hi, i love your blog and all the wonderful recipes. today i was happy to see your garden got a slow start i was trying to do a small container garden as i am disabled thought it would be better well bought the wrong soil and had huge root balls but not many leaves so just before they turned up there lil toes i bought new soil and made some small raised beds and put them in and some in the ground . well here in tx most people are ending the spring garden as the heat kills everything my little garden is starting to take off blooms every where some tomato’s and cucumbers and gourds seems what i thought was a loss has become a wonderful surprise next year i will know better
paula K says
I’m with Carrie (post 17) our tomatoes are suffering. I first thought it was Septoria Leaf spot but now there seems to be Early Blight too. Picking off the affected tomato leaves but two of them are have 5 or 6 nice green tomatoes and only leaves at the top~ Scarlet Red and Mountain Spring. The Mountain Magic and Sun Gold are healthiest. Juliet, Big Daddy, Brandy Boy, Early Girl all have some spotting but not severe yet.
I sprayed the gardens alive fungicide and it slows it and then it rains and the spots increase, eventually the leaf browns and falls but i try to keep up with removing them to a point. FRUSTRATING!!! My senior neighbors count on us for fresh veggies and i cant let them down. Any thoughts?
Joni Davis says
Would LOVE the recipe for s good lemon drop martini!!! Mmmmm!
Henrietta says
My zinnas are blooming but thy are not as tall as they were in pass years. I am picking zucchini beets lettuce and peppers however Peter rabbit ate the leaves off one pepper plant I now have cages around the pepper plants
When you have time please share your recipe for lemon drop martini Thank you
Jude says
Any tips for growing Kiwi? I bought two plants, but feel (after your photo) I don’t have enough support for them!
Kathy Fober says
We are so lucky in Nebraska with the wonderful rains we had all spring. The drought last year made gardening a challenge. I just dug my garlic and a few onions, I have been getting cukes, broccoli, and cabbage. I stopped putting zinnias in my garden ( miss them terribly) because I think they drew the spotted cucumber beetles. I have planted sweet alyssum, nasturtiums and borage to attract beneficial insects. And calendula. It seems to be working so far. The heat set in 2 weeks ago so now the challenge is keeping everything watered.
Marjie Butler says
This year I made 2 raised beds and used your milk jug method to get my seeds started! Love this process! Thanks so much. With the rainy and cold weather, it was a slow start, but now things are on the move. I am using trellises made from PVC. The tomato plants are twining up the strings as well as sunflowers and my snow peas. The tomatoes have blossoms, but not fruiting, so I am using a paint brush to help with pollination. I also went on a recent rock hunt for obsidian in Oregon. I’ve put fist sized obsidian rocks around the base of the tomatoes to increase the heat. When we collected them in the desert, they were hot hot hot so why not add to viewing pleasure and see of they hold some extra heat to encourage the tomatoes too.
Kevin, I really enjoy your blog and have used many of your recipes to liven up our family dining adventures. Looking forward to reading more from you.
Sherlie Magaret says
snow peas and beets so far in the garden, strawberries need some tlc, hubby has been laying down pavers and mulch between the planting bed boxes, first the sod was removed, it is a lot of work but he works on it some each day, it will be nice when done and wont have that terrible grass growing up and be easier to now. tomatoes are setting fruit and kohlrabi look like they are filling out, started zucchini late but they are growing fast. love your blog. ty for sharing with the rest of us.
Anna Lapping says
We’ve had bad weather this year as well, Kevin. Lots of rain and cool weather for our parts in the summer. I’m battling every fungus known to man with weekly sprayings of bacillus subtillis and liquid copper (on different days). I finally have some tomatoes starting to ripen, I’ve picked two cukes and i have baby beans on one variety. The leeks I planted according to your instruction were subjected to a monsoon the day after planting and some were completely covered, the smaller ones. Some have survived, maybe 1/3 of what I planted. I’ll try again next year. That’s the great thing about gardening.
Pat says
Hi Kevin,
Loved the tour and the lovely Lemon Drop Martini to sip as we went along. Do send the recipe and I will start my own Kitchen Tour. Thanks.
The tomatoes are growing gang busters. The stalks on the cherry tomatoes ( 7 heirloom varieties) are about 1 1/2 inches now and will certainly support the fruit once it appears. We have some fruit on the larger heirloom tomatoes too and they are growing to 5 ft. already. Loved the JC tomato cages but I think I am going to have to try the weaving technique at this point. I will send a picture.
The lettuce has been picked numerous times. We have mesclun, loose leaf, romaine and butter leaf. Delish with a sprinkle of red wine vinegar and a pinch of sugar.
All the herbs are pumping along beautifully. We have Parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme and oregano. I sprinkled some dill seeds a couple weeks ago but as yet no sign of growth. 🙁
It has been a crazy year weather wise but the plants haven’t really noticed, yet…
Thanks for the visit, see you soon.
Cheers,
Pat
Lori G. says
That does it! I’m trying your Joan Crawford approved trellis next year! I got stuck with my same old tomato cages and boy do I hate them. My tomatoes are finally, finally flowering freely and I have some tiny greenies on the vines. My squash is finally flowering. I’ve harvested all my onions. My broccoli and two of my brussels sprouts fell victim to some dread fungus that invaded the stems and swelled them until they burst open at the seams. It was pretty awful and disappointing since it’s my first try at both of those crops.
My zinnias are barely better than seedlings. I had to replant. And I had to re-replant beans since I can’t get them to sprout. Out of the second planting of nearly 50 seeds, I have 9 plants. Nine. So I’ve got my newspaper pots made and some seedling soil ready and I’m going to try one last time sprouting the seeds and then planting. I also found some asparagus bean seeds and have them planted. I’m determined to have beans!
gabrielle says
Yes Kevin, please post the recipe for the Lemon Drop Martini!
Sandy Sebold says
Your garden looks so nice and neat! I’m from Colorado and I’ve got one zucchini planted in a whiskey barrel which is growing them faster than I can eat them, but they are a nice surprise to share with friends and family. The cucumbers and doing well and loaded with blooms and lots of baby cukes, which I also have planted in another whiskey barrel. Tomatoes aredoing nicely in a raised bed, indeterminate ones are my favorite! This is the first year I have planted watermelon and cantaloupe and they are really taking off with tons of blooms and fruit. I have an old cast iron bathtub which my husband spray painted, that shares a home with a crook neck squash and another zucchini plant, that are huge and bearing veggies! We had a late frost this year which killed the blooms on one peach tree but a later peach tree’s blooms survived partially and so we have peaches on top! Planted these trees from peach seeds a few years back and needless to say, look forward to these the most! Having a wonderful time gardening and love to read your site!
Mickie Christiansen says
I woke up this morning, peered out the window, and noticed straight away that my tomatoe plants were bitten off. Its either a huge slug or a little deer. I want to share a poem with you that was inspired by a recent encounter……it goes like this…….titled CAMOFLAUGE……
Whilst picking strawberries,
big, and luscious, and oh so red; darn!!
and full of holes. Aha!
I spot the culprit,
He’s not hiding, and yet remains hidden
The army slug-large
and slimy
Feasting in leisure……
I join him-regardless!!!
Ps. Love your kitchen garden!
Karen says
Kevin, love your website. well this year the seeds are still in their packets. got the seeds back in February with every intention on getting them in their pots. well life got in the way. soooo I will save the seeds for next year and do it the right way. lol you give me inspiration to see such beautiful pictures. I did get a fence around my patio so that the deer, rabbits and ground hogs stay on the other side so that I can enjoy my flowers. looking to the 2014 growing season.
Sandy Douglass Abalos says
Love your gorgeous garden! Here in deep east Texas (zone 8b) we have harvested 100+ ears of sweet corn that have been blanched, vacuum sealed & stowed away in the freezer. Various summer squashes have met the same fate, assorted varieties of tomatoes are next to walk the plank! Jalapenos are doing well, my purple & red bell peppers are slow to grow. Got a few cucumbers so far, picked our first cantaloupe & seedless watermelon today. The heat is taking it’s toll on everything & while we had ample spring rains, need some more desperately!
Pam says
Thank you very much for your walk! I look forward to every Sunday when I get your email! I am treated to fantastic gardens, home, cooking….everything! Love this garden tour too, and the room tour. I wish here on the Gulf we could have something as lush. I miss my Northern state in that respect. Thanks Kevin!
Carol Emmert says
It’s growing slowly… We had a cold, wet spring here in Indiana. We have had lots of lettuce, and two tomatoes so far. I picked the first handful of green beans on Friday 🙂
Dorothy says
Recipe for a Lemon Drop “martini.”, please sent it to me. Thank you in advance for this Recipe. Dorothy
Kattrinka says
Oooo lemon drop…..
Trudy says
Hello Kevin,
I thoroughly enjoy your website! I am a copy cat and your good ideas give me inspiration!
Definitely will copy the Joan Crawford trellis for the tomatoes!
Our climate here is opposite yours, I live in the Whitsundays (Northern Queensland, Australia).
My veggie garden is a bit neglected, because I just moved into my new house (I established the veggie garden 3 years ago) and haven’t had time to spend a lot of time in it for the past year.
Nature hasn’t let me down though, because I still have celery growing, kang kong, ceylon spinach and lots of pumpkins!
The Thai basil has reseeded itself everywhere and so has the cilantro!
The pineapple ‘baby plants’ are growing like weeds!
Lemons and oranges, grapefruit and limes are ripe and so are bananas! I even have a second harvest from my ‘adriatic white’ fig tree! it is barely 3 feet high!
Nature is amazing!
I must confess, I live in garden heaven!
Thank you for your cheery posts, love the hidden sanctuary under the Kiwi vines!
Trudy
Diane Niedzialkowski says
So, how about sharing the lemon drop martini?!
Susan L. Espersen says
I’m the lady with the clay soil and a determination not to sacrifice this year’s growing possibilities! Where the rows have failed, I replanted with the smallest amount of compost with which I could get by and the plants have come up, peeked around to see if it was safe, and then burst forth gleefully! Ahhhh, a full row of green beans, lettuce, and spinach! The cucumbers were also replanted, but arrived just in time to be decimated by the nasty squash beetles which I had successfully deterred from making lace out of the yellow squash leaves. They looked quite smug as they pounced upon the unsuspecting tender new leaves of the cucumber sprouts. Did you know that you can BUY cucumbers for 3/$1.00? “Cucumbers in 2014 or bust” is my new slogan! Keep these delightful posts coming and I, too, will persevere!
Susan
Michelle Kimbrell says
We’ve had so many cool days and so much rain in the southern NC piedmont that most plants here are acting as though it’s autumn already! I planted my first raised beds this spring, and so far have harvested simpson and romaine lettuce, roma and fireball tomatoes – that are still putting out new blooms, and one cucumber. My basil has done well, but the parsley and cilantro quit early. Only one pepper plant is blooming, and I just noticed this morning that one strawberry plant is blooming again. I have already lost most of my summer flowers, but my mums, asters and second bloom of encore azaleas are coming on already! Wondering how this will all work out as the year progresses, especially if this pattern turns and we end up with a hot, dry August.
Behold says
Hi Kevin,
Here in Seacoast NH, we’ve enjoyed some peas – a pleasant surprise since they were “freebies”. They were large pods in the snap peas I bought that started to sprout in the frig. I plopped them in the garden and they grew into a nice little crop. Striped cucumber beetles have arrived so hopefully I’ll get an abundance of cukes before the plants die – there are many little cukes and I’ve picked a couple already. I’ve picked 1 zucchini and there are more babies. So far my summer squash babies haven’t grown but have rotted instead – not sure if this is due to striped cucumber beetles or all the rain or something else but I’m still hoping for some. Carrots and beets are growing well. Wax beans are flowering and starting to grow beans – I’ll be harvesting some soon. Pole beans are growing tall on my trellises. I’ve picked some broccoli with more to come. I have peppers growing slowly on my chili pepper and bell peppers are finally starting to flower. Septoria has hit my tomatoes thanks to all the rain but the plants are still looking good and hopefully the fungicide will help. I’ll be picking an early girl tom this week. I am trying the Florida weave with 1 of my tomato rows and really like the ease of the method (my others are staked). And finally the corn is almost chest high.
Donna says
I’d love to try the Lemon drop Martini. Can you share the recipe, please?
Lisa Kaufman says
Kevin,
It is such a joy to learn from you and your readers. Thank you also for your sense of humor. Living in south central CO at 8,000 ft., our seasons are short, nights cool and winds wicked, with drought conditions for years. But that doesn’t discourage local dedicated folks, a growing number of whom are perma-culture gardeners. Yet I continue amending soil as if I’m still in NE Indiana growing tomato and pepper plants in rich soil, and a hot, humid climate. Here our growing season is a good two weeks behind.
Your posts and pictures are inspirational, as are your recipes. Love to receive them all!
Anne E says
Very wet for us this early summer, harvested my soft neck garlic and they were quite wet. They are now drying, but I’m worried. for some reason they matured ahead of the hard necked. Pick a peck of cukes this weekend – going to have to make pickles this year.. Only a few Roma tomatoes, so far, not looking very hopeful on the tomato front, either. Still have kale and round 2 of lettuces are ready:)
Baltimore, MD
Joe says
Hi Kevin, great site. Please send me your Lemon Drop Martini recipe. Found your site when I was searching for an all natural weed killer. The vinegar works great. Thank you.
Beverly, zone 6 eastern PA says
Italian heirloom pole beans, ‘Garden of Eden’, are just starting to bear. ‘Dragon Tongue’ wax beans started about a week ago. Cucumbers are ballooning in length with the heat. Basil is outrageously beautiful. Peas are done, both shelling and snap varieties, and cardinals are cleaning up the dried pods for me. Carrots are 3″ high. Seven kinds of heirloom tomatoes are huge and loaded with green fruit. I am afraid of blight hitting us due to continuous humidity and thunderstorms. Garlic is harvested and red onions look healthy. If it weren’t so hot I’d be out there stroking and admiring all of the successful crops. Weather this year is very challenging.
Linda says
Here in the Yakima, WA ( zone 5) area the lettuces are full and wonderful, soft neck garlic just harvested, huge bounty of tomatoes just beginning to ripen ( a couple of hybrids and 7 heirlooms), zucchini just beginning to harvest, pumpkins and watermelons just starting to set fruit. The cabbages are starting to head up very nicely, romano beans have started to produce their delicious beans, yellow beans in dull production. We have harvested several pickings of kale with more coming on. Cilantro is now setting seed, and the second sowing is just up (we will continually sow until just before frost). Walla Walla onions were first tried this year and are growing strong (couldn’t wait to try a couple already). People stop to take pictures of the masses of sunflowers that shelter the strawberry patch that is full of everbearing and alpine strawberries. The neighborhood kids know that they are welcome to a few and don’t abuse the right to pick. Peas are done, but will put in a second, fall crop. We are able to contribute to 5 lower income families, share with the food bank and have plenty for our use, too. The joy of the garden keeps this 73 year old going.