Everything we harvest this month is in abundance. A good example is blueberries. The bushes are loaded, so purchasing from outside vendors is unnecessary for a few weeks. We should have blueberries for a couple more weeks unless the temperatures soar to 100 degrees again.
Summer Basil
Basil loves summer. As usual, we have enough for the City of Newberg. We harvest several times per week so that you always have a fresh supply. In addition to the tiny-leaved basil pictured, we also have purple, lemon, Genovese, and giant-leaved basil.
Zucchini
Use zucchini in everything.
Cucumbers & Peppers
Break out the crocks for pickles upon pickles. We have a solid supply of cucumbers as well as Gypsy peppers.
Soil Prep
It was time to prepare the soil for our fall/winter crops. We mowed the summer cover crop, rototilled the ground, spread fertilizer, and shaped the growing beds. This coming week, we start planting. It is mind-boggling that in the midst of abundance, we have to think about the next season.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes now have their own speed rack because we are harvesting so many. Enjoy this time of summer when we have such abundance.
Gophers in the garden
A gopher has been playing tag with the gardeners since spring. It finally did the unthinkable: It found the sweet potatoes. Now, it will receive all of our attention and all of our traps until we have won the game of tag. For some reason, the cats think that gophers are beneath their notice. They prefer to catch mice and voles, for which we are grateful, but we do wish they would deal with the menace beneath their feet.
See you in the Garden!
-Anna
