A clever weekly state of the garden memo is current on what is scheduled to be grown, what’s been planted and its progress, what is close to prime time and eventually…what will be in short supply.
October is the saffron month! Every couple of days, we remove the little red “threads” from the center of each bloom, leaving the rest of the flower intact. Saffron is so expensive to purchase because it is time-consuming to harvest.
The different vegetables pictured this week are a reflection of the changing season. We are harvesting these gourds and winter squashes as their outer shells harden and the plants die back.
The flowers enjoy cooler temperatures, a more gentle sun, and rain. The dahlias are particularly glad for fall weather. It is an excellent time to use nasturtium flowers and leaves as they grow very well without heat stress.
I smiled when I found an entire tank of carrots in a stock tank under a shade cloth! If it is covered, it becomes invisible to me. We can start harvesting them at any time.
The fennel is in full bloom right now. The bees are super happy about that, and they will share flowers with us when the JORY kitchen decides they want some.
August is the month in which all the summer crops peak. The gardeners are spending almost all of our days harvesting and watering.
This tiny-leaved basil is a show-stopper. Most people have never seen this variety of basil before. The seed the gardeners purchase is “finissimo verde.”
The summer flower of the week is the sunflower. The Allison has several flowers blooming in the pollinator meadow and garden. It is interesting to see how many different bees visit these flowers rich in pollen and nectar. Later, lots of birds will visit the flowers for the seeds.
The goldenrod is particularly stunning this year. The gardeners planted it several years ago in their quest to provide more food for pollinators.
