For many of you, gardening season has just begun but for me, it’s a constant turnover. Our cool weather plants have long gone, replaced by summertime sweeties like okra and peppers, peanuts and pumpkins. Yep, if you want a pumpkin for your doorstep come Halloween, you’d better start planting it now. These babies take a while–especially if you like them big!
And we do. The bigger the better. These beauties were from a few seasons back, but it’s always a good idea to remind yourself of the goal. Helps to keep you motivated through the long hot summer. Peppers enjoy the heat as well and are thriving in varying stages. Green…
Hot chili…
And our tomatoes are in full-blown production mode.
This crop is the result of my fall planting season. I saved the seeds from my bountiful albeit scraggly-looking harvest and here you have it — sustainability in action! Sure, they look a bit skinny and bedraggled, but the heat has been pretty brutal of late. The good news is: looks aren’t everything. The tomatoes I’m plucking from these plants are perfect, except for the ones the worms get to before me. To avoid this little snafu, pick your tomatoes at the first hints of red and allow to ripen indoors, safely out of reach from the worms.
Peanuts and sweet potatoes are about to go in the ground while my lima and black beans are plumping their pods.
Not too bad, huh? Just goes to show this gardening thing can be accomplished, if only you’ll give it a try! Haven’t started, yet? No problem. There’s plenty of time left, even if you live in a hot weather zone like Florida. Okra, southern peas, peanuts, sweets and pumpkins love this time of year.
By the way, don’t ask me about my corn. I’m still grieving over the loss. Dollar weeds are killer, especially when combined with the dry humor of Mother Nature. Very dry. 🙁
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