On the fruits (and vegetables) of the late summer garden
Here we are. Almost the first of August. Time when we should be starting to harvest and enjoy the fruits (or vegetables) of our labors. For me? This year is the first time in many years that my crop is going to be quite meager.
As they say, timing is everything, and mine has been nothing but bad. Late seed starting, late doing soil prep, late sowing outside, late weeding. I’m sure I could think of something else if I tried, but who wants to count their shortcomings?!
The positive side of abandoning your garden in the middle of the summer? With the rains, I’ve had prodigious growth of kochia weeds with a handful of other species, and the beneficial insects have just loved it. While I was out searching for my onions, I saw ladybugs, preying mantis, and lacewings, not to mention a number of bees from every species. It has also given the wildflowers that I had been trying to start in a “meadow” next to my garden a chance to thrive. So, it's not all bad.
I have got a good crop of cut flowers in the flower box right by my house. It struggles a bit in the mornings because it is right up against a stucco wall and gets full blazing sun in the mornings. By afternoon though it gets shade, and everything perks up.
This is the first year I have grown dahlias. No wonder people like them so much! I got a couple of “Orion” dahlia bulbs at Walmart just because they had an eye-catching picture of a white flower with fuchsia edges on all the petals. (I’m a real sucker for pink, white and purple) I’ve tried buying bulbs and tubers, which is what a dahlia really is, from Walmart before, but the have never been successful. I think usually they are way too old and dried out before we get a chance at them.
I have had a steady stream of colorful blooms for a month or so now. They aren’t huge, but 4” to 5” or so. I’m not sure if that is because of the variety, the quality of the original tubers, or the ineptitude of the grower. They work beautifully in the vase and last three to four days though, so I’m happy.
I’ve also successfully grown gladiolus, yarrow, chamomile and stocks; all of which look good in the vase and compliment one another.
My favorite flower of all though is lisianthus. This year I got to buy some plugs (starts) from a grower and have a number of them that have started blooming. I have different combinations of purple, white and pink. The blooms have such a delicate appearance, part of what made me initially think they needed to be babied. Turns out, they are native of northern Mexico and the Great Plains here in the U.S. They like full sun, not too much water, not too rich a soil mix. Now that I have that figured out, I am having more success. They are great flowers for cutting as they will keep in the vase up to 10 days. Buds that are on the cut stems will grow and open, extending their life even longer. They are popular in bridal arrangements because they are just so lovely.
This past week I thought I was something special because I had enough of my own flowers (that were all ready at the same time), to build a more formal arrangement. I figured I’d practice for the county fair. It turned out pretty, but after I was done, I could see my mistakes. I hope I have at least a few of my own flowers to use next week at the fair exhibit, but from what I can see now, I’d better plan on buying some. (This is completely acceptable in the design classes, but not in the horticultural categories.)
I heard a long time ago that farmers are the most optimistic people there are because they are always counting on next year. Well, I think we gardeners can include ourselves in that group too. My vegetable garden might have tanked this year, (thank goodness for Schwebach’s Farm Market) but the flowers have done well, and there is always next year.
And, I’ve heard of people planting something called a fall garden. I wonder…
Happy gardening :-}