It has been a busy week in the garden. Even though the temps have been hovering around 90 this past week, my enthusiasm for growing vegetables both in the front AND the backyard has not wavered.
For some strange reason our romaine lettuce is still alive and kicking. We’ve had side salads practically every night and it’s been wonderful.
The cilantro plants are getting ready to go to seed. Have you collected cilantro seeds before? I think I might give it a go this year.
My best guestimate has us about 2 weeks away from homegrown tomatoes!!! BRING.IT.ON.
Pole beans reaching for the last bit of sunlight.
I don’t know what to say about our garden boxes anymore. I mean really, they were only planted 5-6 weeks ago and just look at them. Good soil makes all the difference I tell you. All the difference. 
I am happy to announce the edging in the lower garden is finished! I have another 5 yards of Tagro on order for the end of this week and I’m looking forward to getting the beds built up. {I’m also looking forward to having the kids shovel and HAUL the Tagro up the hill}. đ
I think we might be harvesting cocozelle squash by the end of the week. đ 
Sadly, about half of our cabbage plants will have to be pulled up this week. As you probably already know, cabbage is a cold weather vegetable and does not thrive in the heat.
About 12 heads are going to seed. Which is a total bummer of course because I was planning on making a HUGE batch of sauerkraut this summer. Luckily, I still have plenty of cabbage seeds left though and will be starting a new batch for fall planting this week or next.
How is YOUR garden doing these days?
~Mavis
This years garden is being sponsored by the awesome folks at Botanical Interests Seed Company. You can check out their website HERE, order their new 2015 Garden Seed Catalog, or see the seeds I’ll be growing in my garden this year HERE.
Up for a tour? Read about our behind the scenes tour of Botanical Interests Seed Company.
Raymond Dean White says
I tried a Black Beauty bush zucchini in one section of one of my 4×16 raised beds and it’s doing great. I’m learning to grill it, make baked zucchini fries and cheesy zucchini casserole. I also made blueberry zucchini bread in my Sun Oven today and it is the tastiest thing I’ve ever made in the Sun Oven.
My Golden Bantam corn is putting out tassels. Golden Improved wax beans are setting new beans–I’m letting almost half the plants go to seed. The first crop of Yukon Gold potatoes are coming in. DeCiccio broccoli reseeded itself and looks like it will be forming heads in less than a week.
I’ve harvested most all of my garlic and onions.
Iceberg lettuce, Red Russian Kale and New Zealand spinach are still producing in spite of the heat–the kale and lettuce are well shaded.
Scarlett Nantes carrots are still producing and I seriously wish I’d planted more.
Black Mountain watermelon has a few babies on it. Charantais cantaloupe is finally flowering and growing.
Black Cherry, Sweet 100 cherry and Rutgers tomatoes are about to bury me in fresh deliciousness.
Sweet Banana peppers are being highly productive and so are my California Wonder bell peppers.
Tanja cuke has finally set a few small ones. Burpless cuke is trying to take over the world.
Gold Mine Pole beans are beginning to produce.
Patty pan squash has been feeding us steadily for two weeks. So, Arizona heat considered, I’m quite pleased with my garden’s progress so far.
Randi says
Good soil does indeed make the difference. I am really seeing that this year. In the spots of the garden where I put in new soil the plants are two to three times bigger! I have tried to get by with adding compost, fertilizers and ample water. But I was just thinking this morning that I should probably empty my beds in the spring and refill with new soil. It is an expense for sure.
My beds have had the same amended dirt for many years (15+), what do you think is a reasonable timeline to replace the soil?
Sue V says
When cilantro goes to seed you have coriander!
Nicole says
Will you please share your techniques and tools for edging your lawn? Ours is uneven and creeping into the flower beds. I would really like to see a clean line but don’t know the best way to go about it. The cost of a concrete or brick border seems a bit overwhelming.
Mavis Butterfield says
Hi Nicole,
I will try and get a post up soon about how I edged our lawn {with pictures}. Thank you for the suggestion.
Sarah says
That romaine looks beautiful! Have you tried sautéing your bolting cabbage in a bit of olive oil and garlic? Sprinkle with a bit of kosher salt and you should be able to salvage it and make a tasty side dish.
Paige says
I collected cilantro seeds last year. I waited until they were dry and brown like a spice jar full of coriander, then I rubbed them off into a paper bag, kept them in a closet all year, and they came right up in March.
katy says
I did too. SUPER easy and totally worth it! We LOVE cilantro year round!
Donna says
So sad about the cabbage. They were getting so big, so close to being ready and to be so cruelly zapped by the heat. I think I’d prefer losing them early than so close to harvesting. Beautiful garden once again.
Josephine Howe says
I save my cilantro seeds all the time and they grow like a champ, even a few years later. I live about 35 minutes from you in Mason Cty. So yours ought to do fine.
Angie Smith says
I love how you have the lettuce in your flower beds! I grow cabbage here in Utah, and it does fine even when it’s 100°F outside. I wonder if it just goes to seed when it gets too big, as I have only had it go to seed when I left it in the garden much longer than usual.
Angie Smith says
I <3 making sauerkraut, by the way. Also delicious is shredded cabbage sautéed in bacon grease and sprinkled with garlic salt. Ooooohhh, YUMMY!
Mavis says
You had me at bacon grease! Sounds divine!