Good Bugs

Last night we found a garden friend looking in through the window. This Lacewing is a welcome site. Attracted to light, adults are often found on windows during the summer evenings. Their wings are delicate and beautiful. It's so nice to have a pollinator in the garden that won't sting or buzz around my head. Adult lacewings are attracted to a multitude of flowers, and feast upon nectar and pollen alike.

Lacewing larvae are known as aphid lions, eating up to 100 aphids in a day. Fingers are crossed in the hopes that this lacewing had time to lay some eggs in the tomato and pepper plants before she flew away!

Have you found any lacewings in your garden this year? Which good bugs are keeping your plants happy?

Harvesting: Herbs

My herbs are going strong and ready for some big cuts. Up until now, I've only harvested for immediate need. Now I'm thinking about freezing pesto, herb drying, and, in a few months, it will be time to harvest basil and oregano for canning marinara sauce! I've fielded a lot of "how to" questions from friends and family lately. Most questions are about harvesting basil. Basil can be tricky. It loves heat, sun and water, but if you prune it too low you'll kill it. If you don't prune it enough, it goes to seed. So what are you supposed to do?!

1. Don't prune lower than the bottom two leaf sets. Start at the base of the plant and count up two sets. You are free to prune from there. But what if you don't want or need that much basil?

2. Start at the top and cut at the base of the leaf set. You are cutting the stalk right where the next set sits below, you are not cutting individual leaves. See images below.

3. If you notice little white flowers, but you don't have time to harvest, pick off the flowers and harvest as soon as possible. Basil will keep for a few days in the fridge. I store mine wrapped in a damp paper towel, inside of a plastic bag or container.

Herb growing is a great way to bring variety into your kitchen, and is the perfect starter for novice gardeners. It's also much cheaper to grow it than buy it!

Here are some harvesting pictures, thank you to my hand model! Please feel free to contact me with recipe suggestions and/or questions!

Genovese Basil:

Thai Basil:

Chives:

Rosemary:

Oregano:

Tarragon:

Chervil:

Flowers in the Garden

Vegetables and herbs aren't my only garden all-stars. Over the last few years, I've worked tirelessly to find and plant drought-tolerant flowers and plants that will remain happy, even when the weather is muggy and hot. Violas and pansies still have a small spot in the spring and fall garden, but more and more I'm planting native plants that enjoy the swamp-like summers. Black Eyed Susans are Maryland's state flower, and they thrive in the heat.

Queen Sophia Marigolds are easy to grow from seed, and serve as a natural pest deterrent!

Black Violas didn't make it through July, but they are a new staple in the garden.

Lavender in the front garden.

Daisies encourage pollinators to visit.

Some of the vegetables and herbs are producing dynamite flowers too. These have been a hit with my local pollinators!

Eggplant Blossom

Rosemary Blossoms

Cucumber Blossoms

Thursday Harvest

This afternoon I came home to monstrous okra, golden cherry tomatoes, ripe cayenne peppers, and thai basil that's begging to be used. Here's what we harvested this evening: Little Fingers Eggplant

Okra

Golden Chard

Everyday my garden seems to double in size and things are starting to ripen. One of this year's favorites is pineapple mint. It makes an amazing mojito!

Pineapple Mojito (serves 2) 4 springs of pineapple mint 1 tbsp Vanilla Sugar Juice of 1 lime 4 oz good rum 1 can of ginger ale

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the mint and sugar. Squeeze in the lime, and add the rum. Add a few ice cubes and shake shake.

Fill two glasses with crushed ice, pour over the rum mixture and top with the ginger ale. Enjoy!

What's a CSA?

This year I joined my first CSA. CSA is Community Supported Agriculture. Depending on the farm, you buy either a half or whole share during the winter, and that money goes to buying seeds, soil amendments and general farm needs. Most CSAs begin in late spring, mine started in June this year and it runs through the fall. Each Friday, I drive out to Gorman Farm and pick up my share of the fresh vegetables. Gorman Farm's CSA is a little different, instead of pre-portioning your share, they post what you can choose on their chalk board. Often times you can mix and choose a variety of items. This year Gorman Farm is also offering fruit, honey and baked goods from local purveyors. For those past the CSA deadlines, check with your local CSA to find one that also operates a farm stand, or sells at farmers markets, so you can meet the farmers and see if it's a good fit for you. That's how I found Gorman Farm last year. My family is able to eat locally, affordably, and there is nothing better than watching a 3-year-old absorb the magnitude of a farm tractor!

So far I've had 5 CSA pick-ups. We've feasted on kale, lettuce, snow peas, cabbage, kohlrabi, broccoli, scallions, various squash, garlic, green beans, cucumbers, onions yellow watermelon & chard. Recipes are coming soon!

Here's a look at what I picked up this week:

To find out more, visit Gorman Farm's website.

To find out more about CSAs in your neck of the woods check out LocalHarvest.org.

Ladybug Picnic

In early June, we released the first round of ladybugs into the garden.  Their presence brings an instant smile to my son's face and we love to see their little red bodies maneuvering through the plants. As the garden grows we have faint hope that the ladybugs will feast on the stinkbug eggs and larvae as well as the normal garden pests!

Tips for releasing ladybugs into the garden:

• upon arrival, place lady bugs in the fridge
• mist all plants at dusk
• just as the sun sets, open the ladybug container outside and release bugs on to plants. They are easy to handle, just gently place them onto a leaf with water. The ladybug will drink the water and find a nice place to sleep/eat and will also find a mate!
• ample water will help keep the ladybugs in your garden. I mist the plants morning and night, so far so good!

Keep an eye out for little yellow eggs under your leaves. When the ladybugs hatch they look like something you want to squish/flick/remove - but don't! The ladybug larvae are just as hungry for garden pests!

How to buy ladybugs: Call your local garden center to see if they have them in stock. I purchased mine through Amazon. If you plan on releasing the lady bugs in succession make sure to purchase between June & September. Ladybugs purchased before June will only survive a few days after arrival, while those purchased after early June will keep a few months in the fridge. Expect some dead-loss, no matter when or where you buy them.

Check out the busy ladybugs in my garden:

If you're interested in learning more about ladybugs and other garden critters check out:

• "Good Bug Bad Bug"
• "The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Pest and Disease Control"