In this issue:

  1. June in the Garden – Welcoming Summer
  2. Video: Favorite Winter Squash Varieties to Grow This Season
  3. Gardenerd Tip of the Month: Tomato Blight
  4. Gardenerd Product of the Month: Bolting to Seed – a New Novel

1. June in the Garden – Welcoming Summer

June is here and summer solstice is around the corner, but now is the time to enjoy these longer days while the extra daylight lasts. Plan that dinner party, beach picnic, or road trip to make the most of this time of year. Or if gas prices have you down, just enjoy puttering in the garden for extended periods of time. Worth it!

Here at Gardenerd HQ, our winter squashes and cucumbers are growing, and we’re watching artichokes blossom after a great season (ours is early). We’re harvesting lettuces, herbs, blackberries, strawberries, and the last of the cabbages right now. The yard-long beans are sending up true leaves, and sweet corn is showing silks. It’s a magical time, but blight and powdery mildew usually show up to destroy the magic, so we’ve got help for you below.

In this newsletter, we share our favorite winter squashes to grow this season. And some tips on handling blight and powdery mildew. Also, my new novel, Bolting to Seed is officially available anywhere books are sold. Check out the options below. We’re hearing from readers that they love it!

Happy gardening,

Christy

Sweet corn protected
Sweet corn is protected from corn and army worms with clothespins.

2. Video: Favorite Winter Squash Varieties to Try

Winter squash is named for how long it stores, not when to grow it.

Grab some seeds for these favorites and turn your garden into an abundant harvest for winter.

Favorite Winter Squash Varieties to Grow this Summer

3. Gardenerd Tip of the Month – Tomato Blight and More

Tomato blight starts at the bottom and works its way up

Tomato Blight and Powdery Mildew

This is the time of year when tomato blight and powdery mildew take down coastal tomato plants. Here are some posts that help you solve the issue:

Preparing for Blight

Out, Damn Spot! – an article from our Ocean View Farms resident expert on blight

And this article we recently published about the best organic protections currently available for powdery mildew

4. Gardenerd Product of the Month – Bolting to Seed Available!

Bolting to Seed is now available everywhere books are sold. Order your autographed copy now!

Looking for a summer read? Christy’s new novel, Bolting to Seed is available as of June 1, 2026. You can order autographed copies from Gardenerd directly (makes a great gift!), or from your favorite independent bookseller. Ebooks are also available wherever you get your digital books. Continue the story of Lizzie, Jared, and the rest of the crew at Vista Mar Community Garden. Our first review came in:

This is a very entertaining cozy read with believable, imperfect characters! I loved the setting in a community garden and the gardening information sprinkled throughout. Suspenseful but fun!

~~Christina D., Netgalley

And don’t forget…

Get your copy of High Yield Small Space Organic Gardening at your favorite bookseller, or order an autographed copy for the gardenerd in your life (even if that’s you!). We’re here to help you grow your best garden this season!

Stay tuned for more tips and tidbits from Gardenerd.com. We’re welcoming summer early to help you enjoy it to the fullest.

Search our archives here.