Garden -- June

First, if you're tired of fresh green peas and snow peas, remember my post on freezing.

Second, if you planted beans, make sure you are watering at the proper time.  If you refuse to water in the morning, all the beer in the world won't keep the slugs from eating the tender sprouts.  Water deeply a couple or three times a week, before 8 a.m.

Third, you should be harvesting beets, turnips, parsnips.  The turnip leaves are probably rough and scratchy now, but the beet greens should be dark green with red veins.  Blanch and freeze leaves as well as roots.  Pickled turnips are popular at shwarma stands; try it -- you'll need a beet to make the turnips pink. 

Fourth, read Mike McGrath on pruning in June.  You have to do this NOW.  Doing it next month will destroy next year's flowers.  If you wait until August, you are at risk of stings like this poor woman.  But DON'T PRUNE anything that isn't on Mike's list. 

Finally DO plan next year's seed purchases because you will want to spend your money next month.  By September, the good stuff may be gone and you won't be able to buy in spring.  Not if you want a sustainable garden that will breed more plants like themselves in future.  The only thing you will be able to buy in spring are commercial hybrids and pre-grown sets.  Open-pollinated heirloom plants are cheaper and more hardy and have the old-fashioned flavor.  Planted in compost and watered correctly, they'll give you much more bang for your buck than industrial plants and seeds.

© Patricia Jo Heil, 2013-2018 All Rights  Reserved