Give It A Rest! (Your Garden, That Is)

That's right, it's not even Summer yet (June 21st marks the official start date), and it's already time to let our Summer gardens do a bit of resting. This has been one heck of a hot and dry Spring, and those who were lucky to get plants in early and maybe have really big rain barrels are the lucky ones. I've seen plenty of nice tomatoes and peppers on our clients' plants, some really excellent chards and some massive beets. But the plants that were put in at the end of the season are still struggling to cope with the heat. Yellow leaves, stunted growth, dropped fruit: all signs of plant stress due to hot weather.

We were spoiled last year with plenty of rain and a longer, cooler Spring. My garden was slammin' last year , producing tons of cucumbers, tomatoes and other goodies. We might have missed out on a great early season, but there's still hope for the Fall. Take this time to chill out a bit, despite the heat and get ready for your next planting season. Here are some ideas for things to do with your garden now and
soon:

Harvest! With any luck your veggie plants should be putting on tasty fruit, and most will produce more and produce tastier if you harvest often. Cucumbers taste best when still small - don't let lemon cukes actually turn yellow or they'll be dry, and can get bitter if left to overripen in hot sun. Bells peppers can be picked early or late, green or yellow/red/purple/whatever color they mature to. Hot peppers can also be harvested green or ripe: red jalapenos have a sweeter flavor and are slightly milder. Keep 'cut and come again' harvesting your chard and summer greens. Pick off any blooms on basil and other herbs to keep the flavor sweet. Green beans will respond with tons more beans if you harvest often. Tomatoes can be picked as soon as a hint of 'blush' can be seen. Keep them safe from bugs and birds: let them ripen in your kitchen. Onions should be about ready: when their tops start to wither and fall over you know it's time to pull 'em.

Water. Keeping the garden watered in this drought is a difficult task. Water for an hour every other day to get those roots digging deep for moisture and water early in the day before the heat will seek out and evaporate.

Troubleshoot and Weed. It's hot outside, so plan a little time in the morning for some garden bonding. Catching the first signs of pests or disease early can mean life or death for your crop. Weeding is also lighter work if done little bits at a time instead of waiting for their roots to grab deep and flowers to go to seed. Bugs are drowsy in the morning and can be caught and squished more easily.

Save Seeds. If you let some lettuce bolt and flower, you probably have harvestable lettuce seeds. There are tons of books on how to save seeds, and i've read zero of them. Keep your harvested seeds in a breathable container, like an envelope to keep any moisture from rotting the other seeds, but try to be sure and only pick off the driest seeds that are ready for storage. Glass jars also work well for saving seeds, or even the original seed packet. Green beans and peas are really easy to save: let them dry on the vine and pick them off to dry a bit more in the house. Break the hard seeds out of the dry seed pod for storage. Marigolds and wildflowers also have easily saved seeds, and will readily reseed themselves next year if you don't dead head.

Plant. You can get away with putting in some more cantaloupe and watermelon this time of year, as well as okra and sunflowers. For the most part though, save planting for July.

Plan. Pumpkins go in July 4th to be ready for Halloween. Peppers and tomatoes do well in the Fall when put in around July 13th. Eggplants, sweet potatoes and chard will also do well in the Fall. Start planning where you want to put your Fall gardens, and what plants are doing well enough now to keep their location, and which should be pulled. Plan ahead for September/October as well: garlic and onions like the cooler months as do cool season greens.

Although Summer is a time of rest in the garden, it's also a time of bounty. Whip up a delicious batch of gazpacho and sit in the shade sketching out your next garden. Leave the heavy digging for the cooler months, or even consider leaving it to your local edible garden installer: Yard Farm Austin, whom this post was originally written for. I vouche for their excellent work and commitment to organic veggie gardening. Their badge will remain on this blog until i'm re-settled in Oregon, so feel free to check them out for all of your gardening needs!

This post is part of the Homestead Revival Barn Hop!

Deep Summer Frustrations

This time of year is a time of hiding in the AC, paddling in a lake or river, and throwing copious amounts of water on the vegetables i try to eek through the summer. Sadly, sometimes water just doesn't do the trick! Earlier in the year i was watering about once a week. As the temps increased i bumped it to twice. This week? it's been about 100 degrees every day with lows only in the high 70s: i've been watering every other day!  Granted - i have really crappy, old, not-very-well-functioning soaker hoses in my gardens. One day i'll have a more permanent setup that works more efficiently.

Wilty habanero. Perks back in the mornings usually, but hates the afternoon.

I seem to be having a problem with peppers this year. A pepper problem. My cayenne curse continues - the 'not cayenne' plant that was supposed to be a cayenne plant just bit the dust. Rot? Wilt? General malaise? In one day it went from productive perky pepper to sad wilted dead pepper. I plucked off the remaining fruits and pulled it up - sure enough the roots were not extensive, and the stem at the soil line showed a bit of black with a hollow/chalky/rotty looking center. I'm not positive what ailed it - but i am praying whatever IT was IT doesn't spread to my other happy peppers. My habanero is closest in the bed, and hasn't even close come to fulfilling my habanero hankering - so it better not bite the dust!

In my other circular bed, more malaise. My big thai pepper which has yet to bear a single fruit is perpetually wilty. Just today the delicious Mucho Nacho Jalapeno started to show signs of wilt as well. It may be 103 outside, but those peppers should perk back in the morning regardless of water. I probed the soil and came up with 'wet' so no more watering from me - too much water is just as bad or worse as too little. Nasty diseases like the moist environment and spread more quickly, and rot is eager to grab its hold. Not 2 days after that initial crash, the jalapeno is a goner. Again - picked the fruits off the dying plant and pulled it up. Wah!

Sad Mucho Nacho Jalapeno, or is it a Concho - need to check my labels

I took a bit of a laison fair attitude (no idea how to spell that, by the way) to my garden this year. I guess it's getting back at me. I'm not one to folior feed often with seaweed or anything else. I fertilize at planting. I fertilize at flower. I fertilizer every month or so - but i don't overly coddle my plants: perhaps i should.  I read about certain treatments you can baby your veggies with in the hot summer. I guess i'd better employ a few of those, starting with compost tea. Compost: the cure all! I may make my own or purchase a gallon from the Natural Gardener, i still have my gallon bucket from my employee-discount days  somewhere.

So, say a little prayer for my pepper friends. I'm not about to give up on them yet! At least the 3 new little transplants i put in the other garden seem to be chugging along.
For now.

What do you do for your garden in the Summer heat?

(ps, i'm so jealous of all of you in prime tomato season! I just can't stand this August 'too hot to even go out and turn the compost much less flower and set fruit' weather!)

Sundried Tomatos: How To

So easy!  Last year i dried my tomatoes in a slow oven (200 for 4+ hours). This year i'm harnessing the Texas heat, and the hatchback of my car.

Simply pick tomatoes, wash tomatoes, dry tomatoes.

Cut tomatoes in half or in quarters (or smaller if using larger tomatoes - i'm using Porter Improved) and scrape out the wet and seeds.

Lay tomatoes out on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet. Option to sprinkle with salt, pepper, cayenne, basil - i just did salt and cayenne. Put out in the sun! Easy as that. I put mine out at about noon and took them out at about 4 the next day.

Crispy, but not singed, with a few a little soft still. Just how i like it! I store mine in a jar in the fridge - but if you get them completely dry you could keep in the cupboard, or you can store in oil.

Delicious! Toss on salads, sandwiches, pasta, or right in your mouth.