An amateur gardener's interlude (includes herbal indecision).
Week 6: Garden interlude
Welcome to 🍅 GARDEN NOTES 🥬
A gardener lite logbook of weekly learnings & findings as I tend to my garden this season. Receiving guidance primarily from my elders; my neighbor, mother-in-law, grandparents, and greenhouse friend. Secondary resources are the Old Farmer’s Almanac and Google.
Logbook:
Week 6: Interlude (you’re here.)
WEEK 6 | JUNE 26 – JULY 2, 2023
There was a bit of a lull in the garden this week after my first harvest of greens. I made more salads and steamed the last of the spinach to have with breakfast. I shared spinach with my neighbor in return for the asparagus they shared with us this Spring.
Seeds are living things. They are our ancestors. They have been here before many of us were here. And they have also been here with our grandparents.
— Abena Offeh-Gyim, in conversation with @for.the.wild
The air quality was poor from the fires in Canada, my first experience with poor air quality. I gained a deep understanding of plants breathing, us breathing, in toxic air. How we are alike that way. I was concerned about my plants and how vulnerable they are to our selfish choices. Every cause has an effect. The IQ Air App is now in my toolbox.
It was another week with the garden where I got a little help from my friends. My neighbor watered everything while I was in Northport for an artist retreat weekend. I thought of my plants often, wondering if I missed the boat with my marjoram herb this season and what to do with my Tommy-toe tomato plant in a cage on the back deck.
The cage was supposed to be a quick solution but now Tommy is unruly & I don’t know where to go with it or how to guide it. I may try the ideas from
’s article, Are Tomato Cages Necessary? — The Best DIY Tomato Cages Alternative for the Tommy-toe (trellis), and the row of potted tomato plants near the side fence (weave method).
I chose marjoram for my herb box on a whim and now it’s bolted just like my cilantro and spinach. Another cold-weather plant I grew in high heat. It’s supposed to taste similar to oregano with a bit more sweetness. I have yet to try it in any dish.
My herb selection this year was overzealous. I have 10 herbs & haven't used many because I don't know how or what to make with them. How much, when, or where to pull on each plant? And then they grow fuller through my indecision.
The first of my cherry tomatoes and sweet peppers arrived this week! I have simple dishes I’m anticipating as I watch them grow. I plan to replant my bolting spinach from seed in late August so the harvests line up. This is such a tricky business, one that is giving me meaning, gratitude, and curiosity.
My personal essays on motherhood, art, and healing — right this way!