In this issue:
- June in the Garden
- Blight – the Summer Bad Boy
- Gardenerd Tip of the Month: Pick Your Own Lavender
- Gardenerd Product of the Month: Gardenerd Tank Top
1. June in the Garden
Summer officially begins this Friday, June 21st, and dads and grads are celebrated this month. I see kids gathering for summer camp and my mind is filled with memories of that time when freedom from obligation (school) meant true happiness. I recall reading for six hours a day on the backyard porch swing while looking up into the blue sky. I have crystal clear memories of running over to the park with my brother to fly kites all day long. What I wouldn’t give for a summer like that again.
The garden knows that summer is here. Even though June Gloom is having its way with us, we’re still enjoying the wondrous progress of a summer garden. We’ve been eating our sweet corn almost daily. We’re adding cucumbers to our dinner salads and it is pure joy to watch our Acorn, Delicata, and Lakota squash swell into being. Our first tomatoes have set fruit and we’re harvesting dry beans already. As we say goodbye to our lettuces for the summer, we cross our fingers that some late planted radishes will be ready soon.
We’re still plugging away spreading the word about Gardening for Geeks. If you have enjoyed using the book this spring, please post a review on the site where you bought it. We hope you find the book useful as you grow this summer.
Happy Gardening,
Christy
-
-
-
Tomato blight starts at the bottom and works its way up
-
-
2. Blight – the Summer Bad Boy
When you get just the right combination of moisture and heat, blight can find its way into your garden. Here in coastal California, we’ve got it in spades. Even though we’ve rotated crops, meticulously cleaned our cages and equipment, and use drip irrigation instead of overhead watering, it’s still showing up in our test garden. What to do? Here are some suggestions:
How to Prevent late Blight on Tomatoes
We’ll also be applying compost tea to help boost plant vitality as we remove affected leaves. Do you have blight in your garden this year? Share your experiences below.
3. Gardenerd Tip of the Month – Pick Your Own Lavender
Whether you have it growing in your own yard or happen to be traveling this summer to a beautiful spot where lavender grows, now is the time to pick it. June is typically the time when U-Pick lavender farms open their gates to welcome customers to pick a bunch or bushel, armed only with a pair of scissors.
Find a U-Pick farm near you simply by searching the web, but if you need some help, here’s a starting point:
U-Pick Lavender – our own adventures in Ojai
Find a place in Washington State
Travel to France and take it all in – our trip to Valensole
Pick your own on the East Coast
And for information on how to propagate your own lavender from cuttings, check out this week’s Tip of the Week – Propagating Lavender.
4. Gardenerd Product of the Month – Gardenerd Tank Top
It’s summer, which means it’s time for light-weight clothes in the garden. The Gardenerd spaghetti strap tank top is just the ticket. Say goodbye to farmer’s tan and hello to sun-kissed shoulders. Gardening is easy-breezy in this tank top. Choose from four colors.
Stay tuned for more tips and tidbits from Gardenerd.com. Happy summer gardening!
