Another Garden Post / WHAT JEN DOES

Another Garden Post

7.26.2016

At this point, the question that really remains is how many garden updates can I write before the tomatoes ripen? I honestly would have thought the day would have happened already... but alas, no ripe tomatoes... HOWEVER, we are close!

I'm reluctant to call us halfway through Summer because that would be depressing to me. It is however probably a touch accurate in regards to the Summer gardening season. I'm beginning to think a bit about some plantings for a Fall garden. I've never tried this before and oddly enough nobody at Lowes / Home Depot / Burpee / Gardeners Supply seems to be pushing this agenda either. Maybe they know that all we really want is tomatoes and sun on our faces... and it's too hot to lay out more drip irrigation in the garden.

Fall gardening seems to be more in the "root" and green categories. Think carrots, beets, leeks, onions, lettuces, chards. Not the peppers or tomatoes. After some incidents with the snap peas and beans, I might have some space in the garden to give a few of these a shot.

The main thing that has happened recently is the flipping wind ruining my snap peas. They tried to hold on tight but ended up all bent over like a tipped over letter L. Next year, I'll put them closer to the wind barrier but this year they might be gone. A friend suggested I just cut them in half and see what happens... he hypothesized that they would live on but I'm concerned that the roots are already too pulled up.

My plan is to give it 2 days and see what happens. More brown leaves? Ripping them out and putting something else in. The sunflowers are already so much happier without snap peas getting all up in their space. It's probably my imagination but I felt like all of a sudden I saw more bumble bees and even a butterfly. I also got dirt all of myself and didn't realize before I went to Target. Win some, lose some. Don't care.

Here are a few other updates:

SNAP PEAS // see above for sad details
SUNFLOWERS // killing it. they look so great and clearly the marigolds are protecting the rest of the garden from the bad bugs that sunflowers attract.
PEPPERS // Just saw my first flower from one of sweet yummy plants.
TOMATOES // I think we are a day away from a ripe "Garden Peach", 3 days from a ripe "Cherokee Purple" and cherry tomatoes... and no end in sight for the rest. Dear God.
CUCUMBERS // The blonde babes are thriving. I have so many and can't eat them all. They might become food for my sister's pig if I can't pick up the pace.
GREENS // anyone need some romaine or kale? I'm swimming in it. Now I know how my friend Rachael felt a month or so ago.