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Hot hot hot

August 14, 2016 Weekly Updates

We’re in the midst of a true summer heat wave, the kind where stepping outside feels like getting hit in the face with a wall of humidity. And the fact that it’s remaining quite warm and humid even at night means there’s really no relief. In the garden, this kind of weather has a few effects. First of all, the summer crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, etc.) are ripening at lightning speed. Even the only remaining cucumber plant is managing to put out a nice cuke every other day! As a result, the kitchen has stayed busy, with pickled beets, canned tomato sauce, frozen cilantro, and several batches of oven-dried cherry tomatoes all...

Bacterial wilt

August 8, 2016 Diseases, Pests, Tips & Tools

Earlier this year, I talked a bit about cucumber beetles. You’ll find these little black-and-yellow striped or spotted bugs on plants in the cucurbit family like cucumbers and squash. While damage from the beetles to the leaves and fruit of these plants is in itself not that problematic, as the summer progresses these insects’ bites can transmit a season-ending disease for some cucurbits. If you’re a gardener, bacterial wilt is likely something you have seen before or may even be experiencing in your garden right now. This disease is transmitted from plant to plant when cucumber beetles bite and the bacteria can even overwinter in the beetles’ guts. Besides cucumber plants, bacterial wilt also...

Crazy days of summer

August 6, 2016 Canning, In the Kitchen, Weekly Updates

As every gardener knows, summer gets crazy! From mid-July through late August, it seems that everything is happening at once. The weeds are growing like mad and seem to reach the same size and intensity just days after the beds were cleared of them. At the same time that the summer harvest has ramped up to anxiety-provoking levels, the fall rounds of root crops and leafy greens need to be planted. And, to add to the craziness, all of that summer harvest has to be put to good use, either for immediate eating or through preserving for winter. It’s enough to make me wonder how women on homestead farms in...

A week away

July 31, 2016 In the Kitchen, Other recipes, Tips & Tools, Weekly Updates

Caleb and I took a short break this week, heading down to D.C. to visit my parents. Mike stayed home, so was able to take care of the garden, although with a week of successive heavy rain and thunderstorms, keeping things watered wasn’t much of an issue! At this point in the season, gardens become somewhat like pets, unable to be left alone for long without someone to take care of them. Most summer crops require harvesting multiple times a week to enable the plant to continue producing successfully, as opposed to concentrating its energy on going to seed. In terms of how often to harvest, here are the general guidelines I follow for...

Flea beetles

July 28, 2016 Pests, Tips & Tools

Flea beetles are one of those challenging pests that can quickly wreak havoc on crops and are also very difficult to eradicate once present. These tiny insects with their shiny black exoskeleton will jump away as soon as you get nearby, hence the name flea beetle. They go after many crops, but seem to particularly love arugula, the leaves of young eggplant, and the greens on turnips. The tiny holes they create in crops’ leaves are unsightly and can also diminish the plant’s ability to undergo photosynthesis, thereby decreasing growth and overall health. Once flea beetles have arrived, it can be quite challenging to get rid of them. When I was growing...

Cabbage worms

July 18, 2016 Pests, Tips & Tools

Cabbage worms are one of the most common garden pests in this region and, in a bad year, can easily decimate crops in a short time if not kept under control. Cabbage worms target crops in the brassica family, also known as cole crops. These include kale, cabbage, broccoli, collards, arugula, and mustard greens, among others. You’ve probably noticed the white butterfly adult form of these pests flying around from spring through fall. The eggs these butterflies  lay on brassica plants will hatch into the small green, velvety-looking worms which can grow to a plump 2+ inches as they munch on the leaves of the plant. A sure sign that you...

Pickling Zucchini

July 15, 2016 Canning, In the Kitchen, Weekly Updates

Unexpectedly, Wednesday turned into a solid day of rain- perfect for the garden and also a perfect opportunity for me to get some preserving done! In the morning, before the rain set in, I was able do several hours of work in the garden itself- prepping a bed for the next planting of fall carrots, further trellising the tomatoes and peppers, and harvesting lots of beans and zucchini. Because I’m caring for my one-year-old son as well as for the garden, my days are largely structured around his nap schedule. While my son is exceptionally good at occupying himself, there are certain things that are just easier or much safer to do when he’s...

Freezing basil

July 12, 2016 Freezing, In the Kitchen

When it comes to preserving food for later use, you can go complex (think canning) or easy. Although last week we did both, I’m just as excited about this simple-as-can-be technique for freezing basil. One of the most disappointing things about cooking in the winter is the drop in flavor as you move from fresh to dried spices. Follow this method to help preserve the basil’s flavor as close to fresh as you can get! Frozen Basil Cubes Ingredients: – Basil – Olive Oil Method: 1. Pick basil leaves off of stems. Rinse and spin leaves in a salad spinner. 2. Figure out how many cups of basil leaves you have. You’ll need about...

Summer for real

July 9, 2016 Weekly Updates

And just like that, real summer sets in. We got to coast through most of June with relatively manageable temperatures, especially as nighttime lows continued to fall at least into the 60s. But with the start of July came reality! It’s been in the 90s for the last several days and, boy, is it hot. I’ve been doing my best to stay out of the garden in the hottest parts of the day. However, with plenty of crops that prefer cooler temperatures still in the ground, it’s important to provide some overhead watering during the heat of the day to help keep them cool and prevent them from going to seed and...

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