We are now entering the period of time when the garden is lusciously green and seems to be growing right before our eyes. These glorious rainy days we've experienced mixed in with some warm sun is the perfect combination for the garden to thrive!
Last week marked our final seeding of those long season crops. What I am referring to when I talk about long season crops? Well they're all those veggies that require most of the growing season to mature! This includes tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, zucchini, winter squash, carrots, garlic, onions, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, potatoes etc.. It's a pretty long list and for most of these vegetables, farmers only have one shot at getting it right!
If you were to walk through the garden today, you'd find yourself walking through a jungle of greenery. There might be some colour hidden here and there, like a bright red beet, a yellow zucchini or a little orange carrot, but those colours are few and far between.
The summer solstice was merely a couple of weeks ago and our plants are just starting to figure out that it's that time of year when they should start to produce those irresistible fruits! Those bright delicious colours are coming oh so soon! For now, the brussels sprouts stalks are focusing on growing long and tall, the butternut squash developing large broad leaves and sweet potatoes creating intricate vines. I love the multitudes of greens and blues produced, it's as if the garden was mirroring the surrounding ocean. The garden teaches us to enjoy each season to its fullest, without impatiently rushing through to the next. The bright rainbow is coming soon, but for right now, the garden is sharing with us a delicious gift of luscious growth!