The Polished Pebble Garden Gazette: June Issue

Here are a few new gardening snapshots, new products and just good homegrown ideas for the month of June

I'm trying out a new seed company called Johnny's

This company sells to Farmers Market growers and your average potager putter-er like me

Most of their seeds are certified organic, with germination dates, so you can be sure your seeds are fresh and you will get the best yield 

They have so many interesting seeds...it's almost as fun as Pinterest...well not quite that fun, but close

I have had some real "duds" this spring, with a few seed companies who will remain anonymous , so fingers crossed with Johnny's

Many of their seeds are "pelleted" for easier planting which I like as well

Right now I'm really into lettuce planting and start a new section 

about every two weeks so I always have lettuce.

If you have never grown your own lettuce  

you really should give it a try.  

It's easy and the greens have a completely different flavor from what you get from a head of

  supermarket lettuce.

My raised beds are pretty easy to get ready for planting 

and I aways add as much compost 

as I can mix in.  

I've started using 100% organic compost which contains mycorrhizal fungus. 

I know this sounds really gross but it is an important addition to compost. 

I have noticed that I am using less water with the added compost 

and the plants just seem healthier

The Swiss Chard has been great 

and it's an easy, fast grower
(a great Chard recipe included today) 

these are leeks and the blossoms are about to pop....so I will add those into my salad greens 

Bulls Blood beets...love these roasted and then served with an arugula salad and some goat cheese 

&

toss with  Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
don't forget you can sauté and eat the beat greens too

Now let me just say....I am so excited about these beautiful red onions

I know right!  

A true garden geek... a pocket protector wearing garden geek

 but these are so damn,  gorgeous, yummy, stinking beautiful

deep breath...going a little crazy over those onions

I harvested them when they got about 3 inches across and then let them air dry in the sun until the green tops are completely dried and yellow

I put them on burgers the other night...sweet and spicy and very onion-ey

Summer squash called Bennings Green

It's super sweet and has a nice texture, not mushy at all
If you can find it try it.  The plants don't overwhelm the garden beds either

lots of green bunching onions

this is purple ruffed basil, not a big yield of leaves,

but it is really pretty and tasty

and finally after 3 years we have grapes

not just a few grapes...gobs of grapes

We are picking our apples just a soon as they seem ripe
and store them in the fridge...super crunchy and sweet

Last year it was a squirrel feast in this orchard...

the lavender is ready to be cut and dried 

so I need to get to that this weekend too...whew lots to do

And we have 3 pomegranate trees too and there is quite a lot of fruit 

these trees are a nice landscape tree 

with pretty little red blossoms and 

you get the benefit of the beautiful fruit too

do I need a juicer?!

so there you have it...June in the garden

Cook up some just picked love for your family this weekend:

here is a recipe for a savory Chard tart

Recipe courtesy Laura Calder

French Food at Home