Midsummer garden update

A different kind of busy in the garden now. Visits include harvesting a few tomatoes, onions, beans, squash, and carrots for a soup or stew, watering newly germinated seeds, and weeding. This was the first year growing onions and so far they seem okay. Last year they formed bulbs then rotted. Bulbs are being harvested and allowed to dry before further processing. Onions were planted as seeds directly into the soil in April, and as transplants started from seed in January and grown outside. The second planting from seed of spinach, peas, carrots, and squash has germinated, but the dry conditions mean the tender seedlings need to be watered until we get rain. Fewer seeds of each were planted since they will only be used fresh. The main summer crops that are frozen for winter use (beans, peas, squash, corn) are frozen except for tomatoes. Tomatoes have been odd this year. Everyone is commenting on how late they are ripening, vines with lots of green tomatoes, few red. This year saw a big difference in the varieties planted. Cherokee purple had tomatoes first, about six big ones, then rested. Glamour is now producing medium sized ripe fruit and there are lots still on the vine. Brandywine has yet to show a ripe tomato although it also has green tomatoes on the vines, it's August! They were all put in the garden the same time late April and have had the same conditions. A good reason to plant different varieties. A fourth variety, called elongate stripey since that's what it is, has taken over a back corner. I usually allow one volunteer tomato to grow (not planted, of unknown parentage) and it starts late but then produces tomatoes until late in the season. Gardening is such fun. The pear tree is now surrounded by barriers since the small pears are starting to ripen and are not intended for deer. The deer are eating the apples that are dropping from the tree, the alternating drought, heat, and downpours may have been too much for them. Naked ladies/resurrection lilies are blooming now, all of a sudden there they are, sticking up all over the place. They make a nice cut flower and make use of larger vases since they have such long stems. Also blooming are dahlias, phlox, hydrangeas and black eyed susans. Hostas are blooming and some have very fragrant flowers. Walk your neighborhood, see what your neighbors have planted and what color schemes appeal to you. Weeds have flourished without rain. Ground ivy is taking over the lawn, succulent purslane with yellow flowers are everywhere I have planted, white flowered bindweed – a vining morning glory, is invading lawns and planting beds, weeds everywhere! Crabgrass has never looked so lush. I sort of keep my vegetable beds weeded, but there are parts of my garden that are a weedy disaster. This happened last year when the butternut squash took over a corner of the garden and that area was not weeded. This year the paths were reclaimed by covering sections with cardboard then covering the cardboard with mulch. Not sure how to reclaim the asparagus or gladiolus beds, but they will wait until cooler weather. Take pleasure in the fruits of your labor. Susan Carty is professor emerita at Heidelberg University.