Greetings, Rural Sprout readers,Ā Here in my neck of the woods, weāre in that weird, liminal space of the growing season. Most of the spring produce has petered out or is bolting, but the summer producers havenāt kicked in yet. Iām trying to prepare because I know itās only a matter of
weeks before every last square inch of counter space will be hidden beneath vegetables.Ā Our gloriously mild summer weather is drawing to a close.Ā The humidity has arrived before the heat. Yesterday was rainy and gray. Every wood surface in the house felt tacky. So, I closed everything up and switched the air conditioners to ādryā mode to pull the moisture out of the
air.Ā Iām already perspiring just looking at the 10-day forecast.Ā While I may turn into a human puddle, I know my garden is going to explode. With all the rain and the impending heat, everything is going to grow, grow, grow. And I canāt wait. Bring it on! Iām ready for fresh cucumbers, tomatoes galore, beans, peppers
and zucchini.Ā Cue the opening notes of āEye of the Tigerā and a montage of me in the kitchen.Ā Iām doing goblet squats with the pressure canner, and Roman deadlifts with trays of canning jars. I am getting ready for canning and freezing all of that delicious veg thatās about to hit my counters. (The montage will not include me triumphantly
running up the steps of the Ben Franklin museum, as itās just too sweaty and gross out for that nonsense.) Ā Tell me, dear readers, whatās that one thing you make or preserve every year that makes you sad when you realize youāre down to one jar left and you know it will be a while before the growing season starts again?Ā For me, itās always strawberry jam.Despite strawberry being my favorite flavor of jam, I never seem to make enough.Ā Ā
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When the mercury sores, tomatoes can shut down. Here's my tomato heat wave survival kit to keep them growing.
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Learn how to grow the stunning butterfly pea flower and all the wonderful culinary creations you can make with its dried flowers.
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Have you seen the GreenStalk vertical gardening system? Let's put mine together and discuss first impressions.
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There are so many guides out there detailing companion planting, but what about the plants that don't play well together in the garden?
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How deep should I plant my bean seeds? How far apart do peas need to be? Our plant spacing guide has the info you need to plan your garden.
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If you love DIY projects but detest the costs associated with buying brand new lumber, then it's time you consider another building material-shipping pallets. Wood pallets are used throughout the transportation industry to keep retail
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Grab the kids and get dirty! Mix up a batch of wildflower seed bombs using three simple ingredients and join the guerilla gardening movement.
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Stop pouring your pickle juice down the drain when you've eaten the last pickle. I've got 24 ways you can use that tasty brine!
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Does your favorite houseplant have a spider mite infestation? Get rid of those pesky pests with these easy and effective solutions.
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Grow loofah gourds and turn them into sponges. It's so easy and you'll be able to grow more natural sponges than you'll ever need.
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With all the wives tales and lore and myth surrounding gardening, it's hard to weed out the good advice from the bad.
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If you can't travel to the tropics, why not make your backyard feel like an oasis instead? It's possible to capture a sense of swinging palm trees and lush jungle foliage in your own space,
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While visiting a friend a few summers ago, she gave me a tour of her vegetable garden. As we walked, we came upon this weedy looking plant that was covered in what appeared to be
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If you're wondering what to do with all of those delicious ground cherries, I've got 9 ways to put them to good use, including the best way to enjoy them.
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Did you miss a newsletter or want to read a few for inspiration? Find past newsletters here.Ā Don't forget to check out our Facebook page for daily updates.Ā That's all for this week, Rural Sprout Readers. |
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