According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the “dog days” are traditionally considered to be the 40 days beginning July 3rd and ending August 11th. Per the “RainDrop App” (who knew such a thing existed?), rainfall in Wallingford in the month of June was 0.20 inches, and there have been 0.00 inches so far in July.
No wonder I have been spending so much time watering my garden!
Hopefully, this beautiful summer weather is helping your heat-loving tomato, cucumber, and pepper plants thrive with the promise of plentiful harvests in the very near future. Water deeply in the morning a few times a week to support ongoing growth. If some of the plants are struggling and wilting in the heat, consider using a thin layer of mulch (straw or dried leaves) to help maintain moisture in the soil.
If you are growing garlic, potatoes, or other onion family crops this year, you probably did some harvesting in the past week or two. If there are bare spots in the yard, it is not too late to get the fall garden in the ground for extended kitchen garden production.
Seeding some greens like arugula, lettuce, or cilantro under established plantings provides them a little shade and you a full salad bowl. It is also a great time to get some “cool season” starts into the garden. Plants like broccoli, cabbage, or Swiss chard can still be planted out now. When harvesting these crops in October or November, you will be glad you did it!
Enjoy the sunshine and the summer harvest while planning ahead for the fall!
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