June is a month of growth. My boys turn another year older, with a year’s growth dutifully marked on the wall. On the other side of the wall, the garden is humming along.
Teenage boys have hearty appetites, while gardens continuously quench a powerful thirst. They appear to grow overnight. It’s thrilling and unnerving at the same time. Suddenly everyone’s growth accelerates.
On the garden front, the sunflowers have dwarfed the Salvia, though they are by no means behind the curve.
Sunflowers, Salvia and Pumpkins
By season’s end the sage should double in size. Planting sunflowers in the same bed is a one-time affair. By next season it will be too crowded. I’ve planted sunflowers in five different locations over the years, and as long as they receive sun and outsmart the squirrels for a few weeks, they do well.
Sunflowers ready to bloom
Another Sunflower Variety
The seedlings at the front of the beds are doing well. They stayed under the screen savers long enough that they were able to take a foothold. The taller plants in the back row didn’t have the same protection, and most of them succumbed to snails. One or two hung in there evading detection, and within a few days most of them will bloom. I can hardly wait.
The EarthBox pumpkins are sending out flowers daily. The bees are working their magic.
Flowering Pumpkins
Look…I grew a pretzel
I call this one ‘threading the needle’
Just like the old-fashioned telephone cord
Today I harvested the first of the delicious, sweet tomatoes and remembered to pinch the flowers from the tips of our basil. Once the basil starts to flower, the leaves aren’t as sweet. I’ve learned to nip them in the bud early. This keeps production going.
If you bend your ear to the earth you should be able to hear it too: hummmmmmm.
Harvested tomatoes with a cherry on top
Gardening Nirvana 
Lovely progress!
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Thank you, Cindy!
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I love your eye – you notice the beauty of the working aspects of the plant – not just the pickable bit! I adore tendrils – they are so delicate looking, so easily crushed or broken, yet can help hold up the weight of a fruiting or flowering plant. Magic! How wonderful that you are harvesting so much already. You are inspiring me! 🙂
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Awww…you are sweet to say that.
I too adore tendrils. They are amazingly strong. I like the way they spring back when you handle them. They’re really quite amazing.
🙂
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Your garden is so lush and beautiful, it has survived any dry spells and it is certainly in the home stretch.
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Thank you, Seattle Trekker. We’re really keeping an eye on our water consumption. These EarthBoxes are great.
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One ringy-dingy, two ringy-dingy……I have a call from Boomtown, she says she’s been asleep under the pumpkin leaves since 7pm…LOL
What cute old-timey telephone cords you’re growing. Hummmming along indeed, a well old machine you have there friend. Are those Roma’s? I love how you twined together your glorious garden and your growing family, how sweet. This delightful read could only be made better if I could come over and munch down those tomatoes with moza and balsamic right now. Why do you wake up hungry when you absolutely know it’s the worst time to snack? xoK
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Oh didn’t you just love Lilly Tomlin in that character? I adore her in everything she does.
My goodness you were tired. I’m glad you got in a good long nap.
Those tomatoes are an heirloom variety, self-sown from last year and amazingly prolific. My friend Doug (Laura’s husband) gave me packets of seeds from Baker Heirloom. These ones are called Black Mauri or Black Moor). They’re a chocolate brown grape tomato, originally from Russia. I sure wish I could send you some. http://www.rareseeds.com/black-mauri-black-moor-tomato/
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l read all the comments at the link, wow it really seems like a popular one. I should look for it and grow in a pot next year. I’d be eating Russian tomato’s with a Island sounding name, Italian style alla Caprese 😀
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PS…at least snacking on tomatoes is healthy. ;_)
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Not between toast and mayo (with salt). Stick with me, I have all kinds of bad habits..teehee xoxo
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The garden looks great. Can’t wait to see those sunflowers!
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Thank you, Ogee!
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Dear Alys: I would like a pretzel bush for my backyard too. My family likes pretzels a lot.
Thank you.
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LOL, Mary Elizabeth. Thanks for the smile. xox
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Yum! Love the pretzel! 😉 I can hear the hum from here! 😀
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Hummmmmmmm
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Alys, a friend brought me some sunflowers to transplant. Have you ever tried / had success with doing that?
Love the pretzel!
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Hi, LB. I’ve grown and transplanted from seed and also from starter plants. Sunflowers are pretty hardy. Make sure you new spot gets lots of sun, transplant when the sun is low in the sky to protect the roots from burn, and give them a nice blanket of mulch. Yeah!!!
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