Going Herbal

My friend Rosemary gave me some sage advice and told me to try growing herbs, but I replied, "I don't have the thyme". O.K., enough with the attempts at botanical humor. This is my first year trying to grow herbs and so far so good. The sweet basil plant pictured above is doing quite well in a discarded Xtreme Gulp mug that has been re-purposed as a planter. The aroma of the plant is outstanding. I hope the flavor it adds to food will be too. But if I don't like this particular variety of basil, there are over 60 more to choose from. So I could be exploring the joys of basil for quite a few summers.

¡Que Sabor!

The first jalapeños of the season are almost ready. They've had plenty of rain and ample sunshine so far this summer, so their taste should be outstanding.

The Lazy Gardener's Vegetable

I really enjoy growing onions from seed. It never ceases to amaze me how something that looks like a small, black grain of sand, can become something that is so savory. Usually, less than half the onion seeds I plant actually sprout, but once they get started, they're one of the easiest vegetables to cultivate. Attacks from insects are rare and even squirrels leave them alone. Give them water and a nutrient filled environment using compost or fertilizer rich in phosphorous(10-20-10) and they'll be just fine in the ground or in containers. And as far as the flavor of fresh onions is concerned, well, try growing your own and see what your tastebuds think.

It's True, It's True, They're Really Blue!

For all of you out there who imagined that the color named robin's egg blue was dreamed up by some chichi designer who was drunk out of their minds and had nothing better to do, perish the thought!

Duck, Duck, Duck, Gooseneck!

I've grown crookneck/gooseneck summer squash for the past eight years because they taste great and, as you can see from the photo above, they have a really interesting appearance that sets them apart from other squash varieties. By the way, the last squash on the right is of the papaya-pear variety.

They're Called What?

These are papaya-pear squash. I grew them for the first time this year. Just two plants; but each flourished in their individual 18 gallon plastic containers. The yield was good. They tasted great sautéed with green onions(also pictured here), sweet peppers and diced jalapeños. They're also good in soups, casseroles and stir fry dishes, like most other summer squash. And they make great pickles too. I can't wait to grow more of them next season!

Definitely NOT Coming To A Supermarket Near You-Part II

The pineapple tomato is an heirloom variety that takes more than 100 days to mature. Each fruit can grow to be several pounds in weight and often has large, odd shaped lobes. In addition, they have skins so fragile that transporting them over long distances isn't an option. So why bother growing them? The flavor is sublime, slightly sweet and really does hint at pineapple. If you're the type of person who doesn't like tomatoes because of their acidic taste, you should try these. A local farmer's market is your best bet. Or better yet, make plans now for growing some in your own garden next season.