Garden Preparation - July

Source: Cornell U.

The rains continue and both weeds and vegetables strive and thrive; BUT,  for conscientious backyard gardeners, who  started early, July marks the serious harvesting season. Some time this during month, these gardeners, who probably already well know what to do during,  will be putting the likes of the following and much more into their baskets:

• Pick peas, beans, radishes, onions, herbs of all kinds, and the lettuces before they bolt.  (Maybe you should think about canceling that vacation or tell your friends and neighbors to help themselves, but don't count on them to pull any weeds.)

 

When you're not harvesting, weeding and watering,

• Keep pruning and staking those heirloom tomatoes.  If you are growing your beauties in containers on the patio, do not be lulled by all the rain. Containers dry out fast in summer's heat, and you need to remember to water them at least twice a day to maintain a constant moisture level.  They will benefit from a little  fertilizer  some time during this month too.

• Sow follow on plantings of beans, beets, cucumbers, kale, broccoli; 

• Now is also the time to mulch with straw, lawn clippings or compost to moderate  soil temperature, suppress weeds and minimize evaporation; finally, 

• Hurry and put up that bird  netting  or shade cloth  over the blueberries  because the catbirds are greedily eyeing  the bounty getting ready to ripen on those bushes.

Programs at Demonstration Garden Programs

Two lecture and demonstration programs are scheduled during July by the Rensselaer County Cooperative Extension's Horticultural Program.  Both programs run from 7:00 PM to  8:00 PM rain or shine at the garden located at the Robert C. Parker School located at 4254 Route 43 in Wynantskill (approx. 2.1 miles from the intersection of NY Rtes. 4 and 43).

Gazebo at Rensselaer County CCE Demonstration Garden

July 9  (Tuesday) -   "Using Herbs Throughout The Seasons" will be presented by the Master Gardeners, Kathy Hartley and Janet Poole.  They will explore the basics of growing herbs, drying, storing and using these versatile plants.

July 30 (Tuesday) - "Cooking in the Garden," back by popular demand, Master Gardeners, Nancy Scott and Barbara Nuffer, will talk about making  a variety of fresh and healthy dishes using  favorite garden veggies to share with the audience.

Veggie History:  Blueberries

Source: Cornell U.

Did you know that blueberries are native American plants?  They are members of the acid loving genus Vaccinium.  New England's variety,  V. angustifolium,  was collected extensively by Native Americans and quickly were added to the tables of the early colonists to whom blueberries appeared to be like their familiar Old World "bilberries," a related species. In the wild, blueberry varieties can vary from just a few inches (low bush) to almost 12 feet (high bush) in height.  The latter types are the ones commonly available as commercial cultivars. 

Thinking about growing your own bushes?  Maintaining acidic soil is very important, but patience may be even more important.  High bush berries can take up to  12 years to reach full production!    I'll vouch for that.  I have 4 bushes that are 25 years old, and it seemed like an eternity before they  yielded  enough berries that we had any  to preserve. Of course, we did not restrain from eating the ones we picked after the first couple of  years...

If you buy plants from a nursery in those 1 gallon plastic pots, they are typically two years old and will probably need another 3 - 4 years to produce enough fruit to sprinkle on your granola.  For information about growing blueberries consult this Cornell website.

And remember...

"We must give more in order to get more. It is the generous giving of ourselves that  produces 

the generous harvest." - Orison S. Marden