A Garden Year ~July~

 If you ever get heartsick and feel low after looking at other folks' gardens - real and unreal, Pinterest and drive by garden envy, mine is going to make you feel great. You are going to feel so good about your garden that you might even feel sorry and come over to help me clean up mine.

SAD sad sad

That's OK, life happens, and of course since I resolved to record my garden year this would have to be the most trying one! We had a family meeting and made a heart rendering decision to let a few things go. The garden was one of them. I felt betrayed by my family and made sure I pouted about it for a while too. But, other things have taken priority; more important things, I guess, judging by the vote.
At this point I am not going to have a winter garden. This will be a good time to plan to build up the soil, maybe plant a cover crop and rethink the hoophouse/winter garden design. Those are very important as I do have poor soil in a few places.

In spite of the serious and premeditated neglect it is actually going to produce a few wonderful things that only hard work and sweat can!

Cabbage butterfly worm free kale - Amazing!

Just the beginning of tomato loveliness!

My midsummer notes ~

Dont:

• plant the beets and chard in the front without building the soil. Or just stick with flowers - looks great anyhow.
• plant anything on the south edge until soil is built up.

• plant so many peas unless we plan to sell them.

• bother with bush beans anymore! Pole beans are easier to pick, cleaner - no mud, taste better (Kentucky Wonders are hands down my favorite!), and manage well with overgrown weeds, etc.
• bother planting anything in the SE corner- way too shady
• expect squash to grow under 3' of weeds

• plant the tomatoes so close together - they need to breath and it harbors disease etc.

Softneck for braiding as well as some good size hardneck

Do: 

• Keep the growing of garlic!

(I will keep adding to this list as I think of things)

This was just not the year for squash. Even my replantings did not want to bother coming up. So, there is a downside to a lovely cool summer! Unhappy squash, peppers, and I probably wont expect alot from my sweet potatoes.

Scarlett Runner Lima Beans and picked Provider bush beans

Easy picking pole beans and kids