07-25-13 Growing Through Summer

In this issue:

July in the Garden
Recipes for Summer Harvest
Gardenerd Tip of the Month: Re-purposed Container Garden
Gardenerd Product of the Month: Gardenerd Infant Creeper

1. July in the Garden

Right about now, many of us look up from whatever we’re doing and realize it is July. Not April, not even May, but suddenly July…half the year is officially over. Where did the time go? I don’t know about you, but every year it triggers something in me: I’ve been wasting precious time. It doesn’t really matter whether that’s true or not, but it is a wake up call to live life more fully: more barefoot walks on the beach, more intimate conversations with friends, more freshly prepared meals from the garden shared with loved ones.

As the garden passes through the season, it doesn’t waste any time. Our tomatoes are ripening finally (my impatience, not the garden’s). We’re enjoying green beans and peppers in abundance. We’ve harvested our first edamame of the summer, and we’re snacking on cucumbers and strawberries still. Pumpkins are growing larger and subtly changing colors, foretelling the coming of fall. Even our late planted watermelons are taking off in a hurry.

It’s not too early to start thinking about fall (seed starting for cool crops, etc.), but let’s stick with summer just a little longer, shall we? It’s too good to pass up.

Happy Gardening,

Christy

2. Recipes for Summer Harvests

The fridge is full of goodies from the garden, and while it may be hot outside, the urge to cook up summer’s harvest is strong. Check out these recipes to get some inspiration:

GF Strawberry Cobbler

Poached Eggs with Homegrown Asparagus

15 Year old Strawberry Pie (pictured above)

Eggplant Parmigiana

Bi-color Tomato Soup

Chile Rellenos

Zucchini Nut Bread Sandwich Cookies

Find more (and recent) recipes at Gardenerd.com. Just search “recipe” or your favorite veggie.

3. Gardenerd Tip of the Month – Re-purposed Container Garden

Repurpose any container as a planter

Just about anything can become a planter. We spent some time exploring the concept at the Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore last weekend. Get ideas for your garden here:

ReStore / Repurpose a Garden Planter

4. Gardenerd Product of the Month – Gardenerd Infant Creeper

There seem to be a lot of babies being born this time of year. In honor of our new members of planet Earth, we suggest this uniform for new-lifers:

Gardenerd Infant Creeper