scorching summer

Last Monday I returned from a week's vacation in coastal Maine, where the highs never crossed 80 and the evenings required the wool sweaters and socks I'd long ago put away in Memphis.  Before we left, my sugar snap peas were in full swing- I had to harvest from my galvanized tub garden every day to keep up with them.  When we got back, the blistering temperatures had fried the poor plants and they were brown and crispy. The chickens, at least, got to enjoy the last of spring's peas.

I had prepared for the second round of crops in my tubs by pinching some of the tiny yellow currant tomatoes that grow in the church garden that hosts my acupuncture clinic and rooting the cuttings.  I've watched these plants for a few years- they are vigorous (and vigorously reseed), disease resistant, and more importantly, delicious!

 I keep this old brown snuff jar on my window sill, filled with herbs and other cuttings.  I have a few of them and have successfully water-rooted lavender, rosemary, basil, and angel-wing begonias.  During the summer, I keep my CSA's basil in these jars and they usually root within a few days, too!  Tomatoes root so easily that I knew they'd do well, and these tomatoes were ready to be planted in about two weeks (with them were some lavender that dried out while we were gone, and some thai basil that I put out in my front garden.

Early one morning last week I added a top layer of compost to my newly-cleared tubs, pulled out my eggshell bowl to add to the bottom of the planting holes, and popped those baby tomatoes into their new tub.  It was very very hot last week, so I made sure to give my plants some afternoon shade with old sheets draped over the bamboo teepees, and watered them twice daily.  This week they seem more settled in and only need every-other-day watering.  I hope that these tomatoes will produce into November!

If you live in a climate like mine, hot now, with a long growing season, you might consider rooting some tomatoes now and planting in late July and August to get a fall crop!

A Little Tour Around the Garden and Patio

 It's been a celebratory weekend  as we have enjoyed hosting a few outdoor parties with friends and family.

As you can see we have the beginnings of a new back porch! Chris has been working hard but it's not quite finished. I'll be sure to share more on our new space soon but for now thought I would give you a little tour around the garden and patio.

 Chris made a beautiful table for the patio, perfect for snacks, a cold glass of something and card games. It's made from a slab of Kentucky Coffee Tree which he milled himself.

 The Yarrow is in full bloom and the kale growing along the chicken run is so healthy and happy!

 The last of the Kohlrabi growing in pots. It's too pretty to harvest!

 It has been a beautiful year for hydrangeas.

 The 'Sun Gold' cherry tomatoes growing along the sidewalk are beginning to ripen.

 A mixture of Santolina, Black Eyed Susan, Sensitive Fern, Shasta Daisy and Cherry Tomatoes growing in harmony.

 The Trumpet Vine on top of the chicken coop is in full bloom.

 The pear tree has been pinched back and soon will need to be propped!

 I bought a little string of lanterns this weekend to brighten up the patio in the evenings.

 A little cluster of potted plants of all different heights by my back door. I'll be posting about plinths and pedestals in the garden next week.

 A view from our (in progress) back porch.

A succulent garden atop my rain barrel.

Borage pesto

Our borage is doing so well, our friends Kelly and Austin gave us a couple plants and they came back spreading a lot of mini ones around... We keep only a couple plants. I love the true blue flowers and the plant (leaves and flowers) is edible. 

You can eat the leaves in a salad or dried in herbal teas. 

The feel of the leaves is a little prickly so I don't use it in salads but here is a great way to use it, in pesto !

Borage pesto

You will need :

-2 cups fresh borage leaves, mixed with kale leaves.

-1/2 cup freshly grated grana padano or Parmesan-Reggiano cheese (about 2 ounces)

-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

-1/3 cup chopped almonds (can sub chopped walnuts)

-3 garlic cloves, minced.

-Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Mix the ingredients in a food processor ( except the cheese ) together until creamy. 

( add more olive oil if needed )  

Add the cheese when the pesto is well mixed. 

Enjoy !

My Vegetable Garden

We are fortunate enough to have some space dedicated just for a kitchen garden.  It's about 20 feet by 20 feet, but I'd like to expand it over the next several years.  Over the years we've lived here, I've grown many, many different vegetables in this little spot.  But with two young boys to keep me busy, the last couple years I've wittled down what I grow here to a couple handfuls of our favorite vegetables.

The view of the vegetable patch as you enter the back yard.  That's our garage on the north side of the garden.

 We have a few different varieties of pumpkins, always a favorite for me and my boys!

This started as a few small strawberry starts last year.  With a little compost, they are going bananas right now!

 We all love kale, spinach, lettuce and swiss chard.  We have a few varieties growing here.

Mixed in with the leafy greens, we have broccoli and cauliflower, my boys LOVE both!  I always let a few things go to seed and use the seeds for the next year's garden. I also love seeing where the wind carries the seeds when volunteer plants start showing up around the garden in early Spring.

This is my second year growing potatoes vertically.  It's been a great space saver using this technique.

My whole family loves carrots!  It's fun for all of us to walk outside and pull out a carrot for a snack.  I grow them year round, they overwinter really well in my yard.  I got a bit of a late start planting them this year, but they are coming in just fine.

 Our three year old is only one who doesn't like tomatoes.  My favorite variety are the sungolds, they taste like candy!

This ugly shed came with the house.  As ugly as it is, it sure comes in handy for storage.  I'd LOVE to replace it at some point with a cute little wood shed/ studio/ chicken coop.  This little guy here though, he won't let me have chickens yet :-(.

I planted this sage bush as a tiny little thing many years ago.  It has completely outgrown and taken over this space.  I may need to transplant it this fall.  The blooms are at their peak, I may make some strawberry sage blossom jam this week.

I try to rotate crops every couple years and keep incompatible varieties away from each other.  But for the adjustments I need to make and haven't yet, a healthy amount of compost at least once a year keeps everything happy.

If you live in the Seattle area, you should try to stop by Sorticulture this weekend.  It's my favorite garden festival!  Happy Monday, Friends!

Promising summer fruits, blackberries, peaches and for now strawberries !

Our garden enjoyed the last heavy rain we had here in Philadelphia. The kale is so happy.

The last few weeks we have been struggling with a sick chicken, an eye infection. I had to give all of them some antibiotics. It seems that she is doing good now, but her eye is still closed. I will apply some antibiotic ointment on her eye. Having chickens can seem tempting and fun. It is, but it's also a lot of work. If anyone has suggestion to help my chicken. Thanks !

This week I wanted to share what's happening in our backyard. 

Clematis is in bloom

Some promising blackberries

The first strawberries ! I love strawberries.

I started to add some links in our resources. Check it out !

The strawberry roll looks delicious and amazing...

The peach tree is so happy ! So many peaches ... 

Check the resources I shared a peach salad recipe that I will with no doubt try.

yarrow, cosmos ...

The lilies bloom a little bit like fireworks, first it's all the yellow ones, then I forgot how they come but each color bloom at a different time.

Lettuce and pansies.

What is new in your gardens ? 

Dandelions: Part 2

 

 

 

 

One of my favorite ways to use dandelions is by making a bitters or tincture.  A bitter made with dandelion root is beneficial to the entire digestive system.

I make my concoction with simple ingredients, just dried roots and pure grain alcohol.

First, harvest your roots.  (Dandelion roots harvested between fall and spring will have the highest medicinal properties.).  Thoroughly wash the roots, then chop into uniform pieces, I chop mine into the size of a small pea.  Lay out on a mesh surface to dry for about 2 weeks.  Fill a bottle half way with the dried roots.  Pour the alcohol to cover.  Place the bottle in a windowsill to infuse for several weeks.  Strain the roots out and save the liquid.  Use several drops of the liquid a few times a day to help aid in digestion and to help curb sugar cravings.

Pansies, peanuts, pears and pots. Oh and eggs!

 I love this time of year when I no longer have to depend on store bought flowers. Making little bouquets from the garden to scatter about around the house brings me joy.

I will now always grow kohlrabi in my planters each spring. I love it's beautiful, purple ribbed, upright leaf amongst pansies and trailing vines. And what a fun surprise to look down to find it's hidden, bright purple bulb.

I have always wanted to grow peanuts and am trying them this year in a container. They prefer a light well drained soil so I thought they may do well in a pot. These guys won't be ready until September. 

I have been unhappy with my window box plantings over the last few years. I have tried many different varieties of plants (many of which prefer sun) with disappointing results. This year I decided to keep it simple and plant a few tried and true shade lovers, begonias, licorice vine and Tradescantia.  Everything seems very happy in it's shady spot.

 Our dwarf Bartlet pear tree is one happy camper this year. Last season it did not produce a single fruit. This year there are over 50 pears!

 

I like to incorporate at least one perennial into each of my pots. Since they come back every year, it saves a bit of money on annuals and if they outgrow the pot into the garden they go!  This pot got a purple leaf Heuchera (Coral Bells). I love how it looks paired with the licorice vine, purple sweet potato vine, begonia and pansies. It gives a little height to the arrangement.

After a very long winter of no eggs our girls are laying daily. Since I eat an omelette almost every morning and my sage is in full bloom,  I can't wait to try Annabelle's recipe.