Simplifying the Summer Garden

It's hot enough now that we've refined our garden goals to simply: keeping it all alive until fall.  I have ripped out most of the spring vegetables, cut back all the herbs.  It's all pretty ugly right now.  My plans for this week are to weed and mulch that which has yet to be weeded and mulched.  I thought I would share with you my favorite tool for weeding.

Occasionally, random garden tools will just show up at my door in the evening and this is one of my favorites.  You just stick the fork part near the root crown and pop it right up.  It's a great design. I spent this morning amongst the mosquitos and ants weeding my aster bed.  It only took a few minutes.  It takes very little hand strength so even a child can manage (unless that child is apt to smack himself in the face with the thing and perhaps gouge out his eyeballs in which case, I recommend goggles and bubble wrap 24/7).

My Endless Summer Lacecap Hydrangea is one of the few plants really thriving right now.  We transplanted it into a hidden spot in the ground and it is so happy there.  I love when we find just the right spot!  

Other notes for the sake of record keeping: The cucumbers are still producing enough for salads in the evening.  About half the blueberries have ripened.  We picked the very last blackberry last night.  The sunflowers and zinnias which we planted from seed are thriving.  It was, in the end, a horrible tomato year - our worst ever.  We have a few basketfuls, but nothing like years past.  I think the dry spring contributed, but in the end, it was as much my fault for not watering deeply enough to make up for the lack of rain.  Both peaches bore fruit, but the fruit on the Ranger mysteriously disappeared the day before I was to pick them - a hungry bird or a hungry neighbor - who knows?  I hope they were enjoyed, in either case.

Comments

[Elisa]

That tool looks great! I just use my fingers, a little hand-rake-thingy and my little shovel. Beautiful hydrangea.

[adie]

I am not a gardener but I love your gardening notes, there is something so peaceful and beautiful about them.