It's hot, and the Dog Days of summer (July 3-Aug 11) promise to continue through the end of the month. Here's to keeping cool, and harvesting often. As I write this, one of our new hens is in the egg box for the first time. We await our first chocolate brown egg from our Cuckoo Maran. I'll post a picture if it happens today.
The most timely question came in to Ask Gardenerd from Corinne today. She asks, "Do I need to roast my chili and jalapeno peppers before freezing them or can I freeze them whole and roast them as I use them?" Great question, Corinne. The answer depends on how you plan to use them later on. Freezing Peppers To Roast... If you plan to roast the peppers before using them, you should roast them before freezing. Then peel the skins off,…
If we're lucky as gardeners, we arrive at mid-summer with a burden of "too many" tomatoes. There is no such thing, really, but there is an urgency about what to do with them before they spoil in the summer heat. Here are some of our favorite recipes to enjoy, can, and use up your tomato harvest. A bounty of tomatoes including Michael Pollen (green pear), Roman Candle (yellow roma), Sunrise Bumble Bee (striped cherry), and Green Cherokee (green beefsteak). Tomato…
Whether you are sick of zucchini yet or not, we've discovered a recipe that will make you fall in love with this ubiquitous vegetable all over again. Any recipe with 2 ingredients is our kind of recipe. If it's any indication of how good these are, I have zero photos to show for my efforts. They were gone in minutes, before I could snap a shot. So, turn on the oven, get out your mandoline or a sharp knife and…
The garden is seeing a lot of action this summer. Winter squashes are setting fruit, corn is tasseling, and cucumbers are climbing trellises. The summer garden is ON, including the heat. Here's some inspiration to keep you going this summer. Water your plants early in the morning or after the heat of the sun has past in the afternoon. Soak roots deeply and use mulch everywhere. Your plants will reward you in return. Enjoy your summer garden and stay cool!
Temperatures hit 116° F in some Southern California gardens this week, causing heat damage to many crops. This question from Mary is timely: "My tomatoes are getting heat stroke! I'm wondering if it's too late to save all of them. I've installed a 50% sunblock shade, and I've thrown out any that have bleached. I wish I had picked them before this insane weekend, but now I'm worried that any of them with dime-sized white spots are goners. This is…
Summer Solstice is almost here, but since school is out and days are longer, it feels like summer already. It's time to watch plants grow, and to enjoy harvests from the garden. It's also time to tackle problems like pests, insufficient nutrients in soils, and diseases that set in right about now. Take action early to avoid compounding the problem and enjoy June Delights. Here's what's growin' on in the Gardenerd Test Garden. Enjoy the ups and downs of the…
Summer winds down and our thoughts turn to fall gardening, or for some, the end of the season. Sometimes it's hard to move forward when all we want to do is take a nap or escape to some far-off place. But the cycle continues; there is no rest for the gardener. Along the way, we can pause to enjoy the beauty of the summer garden. In honor of those affected by Hurricane Harvey, here's a little inspiration to keep going.…
We garden as an act of freedom. Our founding fathers gardened for sustenance. Whether we grow our own food for survival or to enjoy beauty around us, we are free to do it in our backyards, front yards, parkways (thanks to folks like Ron Finley) and community gardens. Let's celebrate our food independence with pictures of the abundance. Enjoy your summer garden and the freedom it brings. Share some of your favorite "independence" veggies and fruits below.
Summer Solstice is almost here. The garden still needs attention, and evidence of the rewards close at hand are everywhere. Time to feed, weed and guide your plants along into summer. Summer Gardening The garden doesn't go on vacation even if we do. Give your garden a little love this summer and it will keep going while you're gone.