Well, the good news is, everything in the garden is growing like mad. The birds are chirping, the bees are buzzing and Miss Lucy is rolling around in the freshly cut grass like a total crazy. Life is good here in Maine. Even if we’re gearing up for another heatwave.
Or maybe it’s not really a heatwave, maybe this is just how things are here in the summertime here in Southern Maine. A few hours up the coast though, it’s totally a different story because in Mid-Coast Maine, the summertime temps up there seem to hover around the 70’s while down here it’s pretty much a consistent 80+. Not that I’ve been checking my weather app constantly or anything. 😉
Here’s an aerial photo of our garden plot the HH took with his drone. I suspect that in another two weeks you won’t be able to see a speck of dirt from the garden boxes as all the herbs and vegetables are really beginning to fill out.
The first of the flowers on the bush beans… EXCITING! I think I’ll plant round 3 this weekend. 🙂
And the cabbage and pumpkin patch is beginning to fill out nicely. I don’t know why, but tracking pumpkin vines from beginning to end is sort of exciting. I wonder how many we’ll end up with the year. Hopefully enough to decorate the front porch with and enough butternuts to last through the winter season.
The broccoli babies are coming in. I was worried they wouldn’t grow in the higher temps but so far so good.
I harvested cilantro for the first time the other night to make me and Mrs HB’s favorite quinoa salad with feta, avocado and kale. There’s a lot to pick though so I think I’ll make some black beans this weekend and plant another row to make sure I’ll have plenty towards the end of August to can salsa when we’re swimming in tomatoes.
Speaking of tomatoes…
Big salads are on the menu for tonight… This will be the fifth harvest this season!
The cucumbers haven’t started climbing up the poles yet but they should any day now. That or start to flop over the sides {which is fine too}.
What do you think… another week or two until I’ll be able to harvest blueberries? This summer I plan to stock up on Maine wild blueberries from a local grower so I’ll have enough to keep me in blueberry pies and jam all winter. Have you ever tasted teeny tiny wild Maine blueberries before? Holy canolies, there’s such a taste difference.
Flowers on the eggplants… Looks like we’re going to get some this year. Wahooo!
And last but not least… I need these flowers in my life! Does anyone know what they are? I spotted them on a walk the other day and well, I am in love and want to plant some in my garden. Please let me know in the comment section if you know what they’re called. 🙂
Have a SPECTACULAR day everyone,
Keep Calm and Garden On.
~Mavis
Robin in WI says
The purple flowers might be a variety of campanula/bellflower.
Lisa R says
Hi Mavis the garden looks so nice. Those flower look like Campanula Sarastro. Here is a link for you http://www.perennials.com/plants/campanula-sarastro.html
Kimberly says
They look like a variety of Campanula.
Sue says
My Picture This app says it’s Creeping Bellflower, beautiful color.
MEM says
Creeping bellflower is an invasive wildflower/weed. Ask me how I know! 😀
That is not what Mavis saw. I believe as others have said, that it is a Campanula.
Elle says
How do you save the cilantro for salsa? I get frustrated every year because mine is spent before tomatoes are ready for salsa 🙁
Mavis Butterfield says
Hi Elle, I am planting another row this weekend, just for salsa. I always like to plant herbs like basil, cilantro and parsley a couple of times throughout the summer. I hope that helps.
Elle says
OK. I thought you had a way to preserve it.
Heidi P says
Your garden looks wonderful. I love those beautiful purple flowers. They don’t even look real to me.
My cilantro always bolts. I love cilantro and cant seem to grow it. Any suggestions?
Pj says
Cilantro bolts in high heat. Make a shade with screen attached to stakes and put it over the cilantro. It lowers the temp on the plant and helps it not to bolt.
Heidi P says
Thanks for the tip Pj. I’ll give that a try for sure…..right now!:)
Tracy says
Cilantro has a very brief life cycle in heat. The easiest way to manage it it to simply seed a new row, clump, or pot every two or three weeks. Then you always have some ready to harvest, some coming along, and some ready to be pulled out. I do this with dill also, although slightly less frequently.
Annette says
What is the plant on your radiator?
Mavis Butterfield says
It’s a basket of basil leaves I picked for our neighbors. 🙂 We have tons of it.
Shelly says
Have you tried the app PlantNet or iNaturalist. I started using them about a week ago to identify plants. I am so new to gardening I can’t tell what’s a weed or a vegetable which is why I love your garden photos.
Laura reinhart says
People are predisposed to either love or hate cilantro. I have the “I hate cilantro” gene. Can’t understand how people like it.
KATHY HORT says
Same! Tastes like soap! LOL!
Glenna says
I am also in the hate category. Even the smell makes me nauseous.
Pat says
That Basil is magnificent!! What variety is it, please? Your garden is a joy to look at!!
Mavis Butterfield says
We always grow Italian Genovese Basil. My neighbors are growing Thai basil this year so I’m excited to try theirs.
Roz says
Has anyone found a place to buy the seed for that gorgeous purple flower? Asking for a friend 😉