How Does Your Garden Grow? {July 10...oops 11, 2012}

My garden is being so tolerant this summer. The morning's fog hides the sun so the plant's thirst won't get the best of them. Lately I have been seeing my garden like this:

The view from my computer

And it hurts to see that the weeds are winning in some places. While on business calls, I pull and throw, pull and throw the tall thistles and toss them into the bucket and I feel like I am gaining some ground, only to come out the next morning and find some that have grown knee high. How DOES that happen?

We are now enjoying our garlic and we are still snacking on peas and strawberries. I really need to plant some more lettuce. Perhaps when I pull the peas.

I need to use our chard and kale. We do have a chard "tree" now (top right). The red stem is a nice addition.

Yesterday I roasted broccoli and garlic from the garden with sesame oil, olive oil and soy. It is so simple, yet so tasty. The kids asked for seconds. I really should grow more broccoli because we are a broccoli house. 

I did fail to report that our corn WAS knee high on the 4th of July....actually waist high, but that is only because the beds are 2 feet tall. Ha. 

It is interesting, this year we have a very TALL garden. Sunflowers. Corn. Green Beans. Even our zucchini is shooting straight up toward the sky....and the nasturtiums....oh the nasturtiums. They are BOOMING. The variegated variety that we planted is absolutely gorgeous. I know they will just become deer food at this point, but it might keep the deer away from our tomatoes. MAYBE.

Our onions are almost ready. I remember doing a rapid harvest on our way out the door to a camping trip last year. 

Last year's first onion

My sweet little onion harvester

We have little baby zucchini as of yesterday and I know to keep an eye on them or they will turn into baseball bats if I blink for too long. Get ready for the long long long list of zucchini recipes!

For now, here are some of my favorite summer posts for preserving this wonderful summer harvest.

• No Fail Pesto
• Blackberry and Nectarine Jam
• Making Freezer Jam
• Processing Zucchini / Summer Squash - Part I: Blanching & Freezing
• Processing Zucchini / Summer Squash - Part II: Grating & Freezing
• Recipe Roundup - Zucchini

AND....do you see that fancy button on the top right? That is our site. Bonbon Break. Monday is our big....no HUGE day. What an experience this has been. Please join us next week for our first issue AND How Does Your Garden Grow will be featured in the Backyard! Pictures and everything....I promise. 

So....HOW is YOUR Garden Growing?