The Polished Pebble Garden Gazette: June Issue

13 comments:

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

post signature
13 comments:
  1. How refreshing, great post. You have been hard at work. Enjoy your rewards. Kathy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Kathy...its a good kind of hard work!

      xo kelley

      Delete
  2. Speechless I am!
    I can't imagine having my own Farmers Market in my backyard.
    How do you eat it all!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Therese, we just eat as much of it as we can and this year I'm going to try my luck at canning a few things too
      Kelley : O ))

      Delete
  3. Kelley,
    Okay...I have to say it again....Ojai looks so beautiful, if only from the perspective of your beautiful garden. Very very lovely indeed!
    xo
    annie

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love the new look of your blog, Kelley. Very pretty. Also, I was wondering what kind of lavender you are growing. I know there are some that are preferred for the scent. I'm assuming that's your plan for the dried lavender. I'm still curious if you have a lot of problems with animals. Sounds like squirrels have been a problem. Any gopher or bunny, or deer issues?

    Karen

    ReplyDelete
  5. Everything is so beautiful. Thank you for all the advise. I hope you do a post on how to cut and dry the lavender because i am now growing lavender.and need some advise.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Beautiful! Wish I could grow lettuce this time of year, but it would just curl up and die in the heat. Your onions are gorgeous! They would make me drool geekily too!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Beautiful! Wish I could grow lettuce this time of year, but it would just curl up and die in the heat. Your onions are gorgeous! They would make me drool geekily too!

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a bevy and bounty of delectable eats!!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Everything is just beautiful! What a load of fresh veggies you have! Your growing season must be very early. Your onions look amazing...those are always my favorite, I love those all year long on my meats!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Your raised beds - is that a soaker hose around just the perimeter? I am just getting started on changing landscape into production gardens and the irrigation planning has me stumped.

    Though our house came with some wonderful fruit trees I will be adding some pomegranate in the front yard where I have begun removing 30 year old juniper hillside. Yay projects! :-)

    ReplyDelete

~*~love to hear from you~*~

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.