In this issue:
- July in the Garden – Benefits of Down Time
- Video: Tomato Hack – Rescue Tomatoes From Critters
- Gardenerd Tip of the Month: Hand Pollinating Squash
- Gardenerd Product of the Month: The Ultimate Garden Bag
1. July in the Garden – Benefits of Down Time
July means we get to enjoy the benefits of down time, whether we’re taking a break from school, work, or even gardening. For some folks the garden is on autopilot, cranking out greens, tomatoes, and squash without much help from us. For others, it’s a real struggle to keep the garden going in the hot summer sun. So maybe it’s time for a break. You get to decide.
I came back from vacation to a lot of garden work waiting for me. Overgrown blackberry canes that need pruning, out of control tomato vines, and cucumbers that needed to be wrangled to the trellis. Day by day we’re tackling the chaos, bringing order back into focus as best we can. Once that’s done, I plan to enjoy a little down time. And harvest! We’re testing corn for the milk stage this week (start testing 18-21 days after the silks emerge), and fertilizing tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and squash. These heavy feeders need a boost mid-season if you have sandy thin soil like ours.
In this newsletter, we share a tomato hack that will help you keep your tomatoes for yourself. And we offer tips for a bigger squash harvest. Enjoy your garden, either while you’re in it, or admiring it from afar. You deserve to enjoy the benefits of down time. Oh, and check out this article in Homes & Gardens magazine on how to speed up composting.
Happy gardening,
Christy
2. Video: Tomato Hack – Rescue Tomatoes from Critters
Did you miss this great YouTube video that helps you keep all your tomatoes for yourself? Watch and learn how to ripen them in a safe way so that you get to enjoy them before the rats do.
Tomato Hack – Rescue Tomatoes Before Critters Get Them
3. Gardenerd Tip of the Month – Hand Pollinating Squash
Are your squash blossoms dropping off with no fruit forming? We’ve got a solution. Guaranteed: more squash (both summer and winter varieties) this summer if you do this one thing.
Hand Pollinating Squash Plants
4. Gardenerd Product of the Month – The Ultimate Garden Bag
Our Ultimate Garden Bag is made from hemp fabric and low-impact-dyed cotton. They’re hand made here in Los Angeles and they are perfect for carrying your garden tools and supplies around when you garden. No need to search for your pruning shears, your ball of twine, or your hand trowel. They all fit in the Ultimate Garden Bag. On sale now in the Gardenerd Store.
Stay tuned for more tips and tidbits from Gardenerd.com. Enjoy the benefits of down time in your garden this summer.
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