Mid-June Gardening

June 14.

Here's what we do on a typical June day in our veggie garden.

I'm so glad I have young men to work in my garden!  Sometimes I let them do the chores, and I take pictures.  But even with a camera in my hand, I end up pulling a weed, or directing the garden hose, or snipping a piece of basil, or picking a _____ (in mid-June, it would be a strawberry, or possibly a sweet pepper or jalapeño)!

With these raised beds, I've discovered that water gets absorbed pretty quickly.  Because of this, I tend to make sure the garden gets watered every four days or so, especially in the beginning.

Also, the beds are about 12 inches deep, so when we water, I make sure we're spending about ten minutes per bed, thoroughly watering everything deeply.  I've created little "moats" for catching the water around each plant, especially the tomatoes.

A bed of basil--way too much, probably!

Garlic scapes.

The mid-June tomatoes look great.  I make sure they're watered well, and we've also been fertilizing them every two weeks, according to our organic fertilizer suggestion.  Check the brand you buy, if you do this, and follow the fertilizing directions.  Tomatoes and squash are heavy feeders, and one of my gardening friends recommends fertilizing every week.  Again, read your fertilizer instructions, and "listen" to your plants.  Are they discolored, weak-looking?  What was planted there last year?  That sort of thing.  Pay attention, because they may need an extra dose of nutrients to help them get established.

Tomatoes - Cherokee Purple.

These were growing in the mulch, wet from several rains we had had.

I already harvested enough rhubarb to make preserves, and now I let the plants rest.

Acorn squash.

Above, I've "freed" the acorn squash from its cheesecloth covering, put on to ward off vine borer insects.

Today, you get two garden overview images!

Back to life,
Christine

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