Hey Everyone – it ’s eventually summertime ! The kids are out of school ( this was their last hebdomad here in central MA due to all of the nose candy days this past winter ) , and all the signs are that summer look like it is here to continue , at least here in the North East . The almanac help – today we know the longest day of the year – the Summer Solstice arrived just after midnight last nighttime , and now I can find just a bit less guilty about taking a bit time off during the 24-hour interval , as the early morning and late evening is the best time to work in my garden .
So , you ’d think with all the complimentary time that I now have that I would be posting every day~ ! But I am not . I am so busy with projects , that it seems that these generalized posts are all I can get out – at least while the interfering springiness planting season is move along briskly . I hope that you do n’t bear in mind mail that cluster all sorts of topics and garden events together – you recognise , I dislike write those post like ’ 10 awesome ways to … . and ‘ 5 epic plants you must … . ’ Folks keep tell me that that ’s what I postulate to do to get well higher-ranking and better SEO – ( but I ’m not doing bad as it is ! ) , so , the Hell with it .
For example – here is what someone sent me as a guide to aid me improve my blog writing skill :
Horrifying , ripe ?
Look – I ’m just not that type of web log . Here , I think I ’ll just wedge with real subject matter , sometimes it will be a how - to , sometimes a ranting , but mostly , just a ‘ Hey – here ’s what ’s happening in my garden right now – I trust that it help . If you wake up and of a sudden discover that you need some ‘ Secrets to draw in pollinators ’ . or that you need to ‘ boost your Tomato Harvest ‘ , believe me – there are tons of garden bloggers out there using these framework . The last thing you require is me telling you my pet ‘ Hack ’ !
So , along with this joyous passing of the 2017 Summer Solstice comes a number of gardening milestones . Some things just can hold off no longer . Those long , overgrown annuals and tomato plant still in their cell battalion on the pack of cards waiting for some free blank space ? Gone . The compost pile is calling because it is time to move on . Time to wash out all the seed trying ( or hose down out , for now – who am I fooling ! ) .
If it ’s not institute yet , then I take it as a sign that maybe I did n’t want that superfluous plane of red Brussels sprouts . If the kale has n’t been transplanted yet , it ’s already too previous – I will be sowing seed for fall crops soon .
The affectionate stain and pleasant evening temperature intend that it ’s completely good to constitute the last of the summer veggie – the hot - have it away chili pepper , brinjal , okra , peppers , summer squash , cucumbers and melons . To potatoes in potato bags ( which have been planted in bag only one-half full ) have now been topped off with Promix and an surplus smattering of Phosphorus . Root genus Tuber , you know . grim nitrogen .
The first of the string beans are up growing swiftly – all have their first pair of farewell , and although a few straggler crops have yet to be sown ( like the yard - long beans , sponge gourd , dry beans and cow pea ) I know that if they do n’t get sown by the Fourth of July , I ’ve lost the dates and it will be too late . The truth is that I am running out of time – and space .
It does n’t matter how you look at it , sugared pea are always a lot of body of work – if you want to have farseeing stem turn and lots of flowers . With this method , I can acquire more plants per row , but I expect to get more peak as there will be less waste – even a third or fourth leading stem might be allow to take off . No method comes with a fool cogent evidence warranty , and one problem I am finding with this method acting is that the tendril , which I usually cut off when growing plant to a single cane , can sometiemes get tough – often grab onto netting , and then a nearby flower bud or growing tip , which is why one should always cut them off before they unfurl , another ho-hum job . With netting , I think you require some tendril to facilitate keep the plants stuck to the netting , but I am finding that I am still abridge lots of tendril and I am still tieing up and reinforce most every stem .
A few Sweet Peas are being raised on tee pees , which is a way I have not exercise much with over the years . The same tendril issue exist , but it may get unsound as the pea vine turn over the top of the football tee pee . The Sweet Peas I am raising this year have all make out from England , and they include many new and antique sort which I have never originate before . Many flake ( streaky physique ) ransack and bicolored forms . I ca n’t await to see how they will all look when cut or in the garden , but I wo n’t be able to divvy up many photos here with you since the nicest one are for a magazine clause that wo n’t run until next summertime . More on that as that deadline approaches .
Fragrance in the June Garden
I ca n’t help it – it really does n’t count what a flower calculate like if a flower is fragrant , and as it often is , the most fragrant of flush are often inconspicuous or at the very least , while . Take Zaluzianskia for illustration . A mouthful of a name , I bang , but it is presently scenting the even air near the greenhouse . It has a scent which reminds me of vanilla extract or child pulverization , and it is hard in the evening . It ’s a scummy grower , so I probably should have planted this fast grow yearly in windowpane boxes , but it dislikes drying out so why take a hazard .
Another fragrant industrial plant which you make love is one that I have been writing about for year now as I tried to grow it is the French Mignonette – Reseda odorants which was so popular in the Victorian era both as a potted nursery works and as a garden bloom . As such thing go , the seed I received from a source in the UK grow a unlike species ( ugh ! ) . Reseda alba , I believe , which is every so slightly fragrant ( really , I ca n’t smell it at all~ ! ) . So , time to try again , this metre source for the tangible Reseda odorata – I ’m getting close , I just know it ! At least I was able to grow a nice looking reseda plant this fourth dimension !
English Peas – maturing in the veggie garden
I know , I know – I sometimes only focus on cut flower sweet peas , but this class I am nurture 4 varieties of shell pea plant , and 3 change of eatable pod or snow peas . I ’ve avert raising any of the snap peas this class as the source is being refreshed ( see Johnny ’s Seeds ) as most sellers are pass around an inferior variety – the original reproduction want to be revisit , and Johnny ’s is lead this effort . Until then – I am satisfied with shell peas – I mean , nothing beats freshly shell peas . but the problem is one must bring up many to get a respectable harvest – I have 60 foot rows , and even with 2 of these dustup , I doubt that I will have any leave over to freeze – we ’ll see .
Much of the veg that I have been develop this year are for a book concept which I have yet to finalise with a publisher – so , if anyone out there eff of a good newspaper publisher concerned in exploring a very comprehensive vegetable gardening Word unlike any other presently out there , please countenance me know . It ’s not stopping me for document every step with as many vegetable crops that I can manage this yr . Some secure will come out of it !
Shell peas are rather easy to acquire , they mostly care for themselves as long as they are hilled , have something to climb on ( I ’ve used Gallus gallus wire ) and go on weeded . I ’m not fussy about weeding , just using a sharp hoe to keep the rows relatively kempt does the put-on . The chicken and duck manure that was turned in this past March helps with nutrients , so so additional feeding is necessary aside from one side - dressing with 10 - 10 - 10 just after planting .
A robin as made a nest just feet from the sign of the zodiac , in one of the turgid 12 infantry Bay Laurels that we brought of the greenhouse in May . They make a nest in them every year , but this year , we move then onto the deck , placed on either side of the stair , and I thought that the doll might skip a year , as this was so close to the frankfurter threshold and our back door and outside dining area . But no – not only did a robin redbreast make a nest in one of the bay honor , a Cardinal made a nest in the other one , only feet from the robin redbreast nesting spot .
This is odd , not because the redbird is so near to the natural action of our sign and deck , as they do n’t seem to mind being close to the great unwashed , but because the robin are notoriously territorial . For whatever reason , they are buzz off along , but I venerate they are let loose patience with me and the detent , as we are just too busy , and it seems whatever I choose to do on the deck – my spot where I transplant and pot - up tomatoes , containers or even lay in the sun , it all disturbs the Turdus migratorius who will ride and chirp loudly with a grub in it ’s mouth until I get up and move into the sign .
The young robin redbreast are growing quickly though , so in a week or so , they should pull up stakes the nest and if they do n’t get terrier - ized by the terrier , should be on their way and we ’ll have our pack of cards and dining area back .
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