It’s been so hot here, and so dry, the kind of weather we usually don’t see until August. Unbroken 90F or better for more than a week now, and no rain at all. It’s hard on the gardens, and on the gardeners. I water every day, carrying buckets of water from the rain barrels to the beds, because it’s the most efficient way of getting water where it’s needed — I have no desire to waste my water on the grass, or on the drought-tolerant plants. Especially since the hydrangeas are barely hanging in there (you see the heat-related leaf droop in the photo above, and it was only 9 am!) and need the water more than, say, the day lilies.
That said, I’ve been managing to keep things looking pretty green, and growing relatively well. I went out this morning first thing to cut grass and do weeding before it got too hot to work. Before I went in again, an hour and forty five minutes later, I decided it might be time for pictures.
The magic beanstalks have begun producing beans. So far just a few, which I have happily eaten right there in the yard. They’re extraordinary when picked small and eaten raw, with a vibrant, incredibly lush sweet flavor. It’s a treat you only get if you grow them, and one of the best arguments I know for keeping a garden.
Shiny happy brassicas holding hands. Brussels sprouts and broccoli and gai lan and yu choy. You can also see some tomato on the far left and chard on the far right. Some of the gai lan and yu choy are being allowed to bolt and self-sow for a fall crop.
The pumpkins have an extremely vigorous will to live. They are basically taking over a quarter of the back yard, which I am carefully not watering so the grass won’t grow much… since there’s no way to mow around and between all those vines.
Pumpkins At Work!
Cucumbers, purslane, long beans, and the Forest of Herbs. Now that the dill’s going to seed it’s thinner-looking over there. Purslane is often considered a weed, but it’s actually a wonderful vegetable. I grow it on purpose and eat it often. It grows back very quickly, it’s actually hard to keep up with it. It’s extremely nutritious, and tasty.
Cucumber blossoms.
The volunteer long bean plants (I grew them in this spot last year intentionally, and some came back to visit again) are blooming. I love their delicate lavender blossoms. Some varieties have pale blue blooms, others white.
The tomatoes have begun to set some fruit, particularly the paste tomatoes. The peppers are starting to bloom. The eggplants are doing their thing, and beginning to set fruit as well. Soon there will be lots of fruit in the garden. And the kitchen.
