Keeping Your Summer Vegetable Garden Thriving ~ (Even When Life Gets Busy)
Summer has a way of pulling us in a dozen directions at once. Between family visits, vacations, and the general business of warm weather living, our vegetable gardens can start to feel like one more thing on the list instead of the peaceful spot we built them to be. I want to share a few simple habits that keep my own beds productive through the heat of the season, whether I am out there every morning or pulled away for a few days at a time.
Let companion plants do some of the work for you
One of the easiest ways I have found to keep a vegetable garden healthier with less effort is to tuck in companion plants wherever there is a gap. In my own beds I love working in basil near my tomatoes, marigolds along the borders, and a little lemongrass where the soil stays warm. These plants are not just pretty additions. They draw in beneficial insects, discourage the pests that love to bother our squash and tomatoes, and many of them end up in my kitchen too. A garden that smells like basil and marigold on a summer evening is a gift in itself, sweet one.
Prepare before you step away
Most of us cannot be in the garden every single day of summer, and that is alright. A little preparation goes a long way toward protecting what you have grown. Before I leave for even a short trip I give everything a deep, slow watering rather than a quick pass with the hose. Deep watering encourages roots to grow downward and helps plants hold up through a few warm days on their own. A thick layer of mulch around the base of each plant also helps the soil hold moisture and keeps weeds from taking over while you are gone. If you have a neighbor, a friend, or a family member nearby, a quick check in halfway through your trip can catch any trouble early, especially with thirsty plants like squash and cucumbers.
A simple trick for growing potatoes in small spaces
If you are short on garden space, a milk crate or a deep sturdy container can give you a surprising harvest of potatoes. Line the bottom and sides with straw, fill it partway with soil, and nestle in four or five seed potatoes. Add a little fertilizer suited for potatoes, then cover everything with more soil and straw. As the plant grows, keep mounding soil and straw around the stems. Once the leaves begin to die back later in the season, you will know it is time to dig in and see what you have grown. It is one of my favorite small surprises in the garden, almost like a little harvest day gift to myself.
Make room for joy, not just maintenance
It is easy to let a vegetable garden become another chore on a long summer list. I try to remember that this space is meant to bring peace as much as it brings food to the table. A few extra minutes spent walking the rows in the early morning, coffee in hand, does as much good for me as it does for the plants. Whatever your garden looks like this summer, whether it is a few containers on a patio or rows of tomatoes and peppers stretching across the yard, I hope it gives you a little stillness along with the harvest.
Check out my latest garden tour here==>
From my backyard to yours.
AuntC♥