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