• Check watering systems to assure proper function during the summer's heat. • Apply mulch around plants to retain moisture and reduce weeds. • Sucker tomatoes and hill your potatoes. • Fertilize throughout the summer: initially with a nitrogen based fertilizer ~ at flowering and fruiting with a fertilizer high in phosphorus and potassium. • Stake and trellis plants early so they do not become unruly. • Harvest regularly so you don't become overwhelmed ~ can your surplus veggies.

	Tomatoes need to be supported off the ground to keep them free of disease and to conserve space.
Tying Tomatoes One simple way to trellis a row of tomatoes is as follows: After thinning seedlings to two main branches, place a stake in the ground every four plants, with one at each end of the row. Vining tomatoes need long stakes and bush varieties take a short stake.
The plants are sandwiched between two strings that are strung from stake to stake crossing in the middle (every two plants). Starting about 6 inches off the ground, tie a new pair of strings every 6 inches as the plants grow upward.
Tree Painting This summer we painted the trunks of our fruit trees with a biodynamic tree paint solution composed of equal parts clay and fresh cow manure (which acts as a binder) mixed with enough water to reach paint consistency. The paint protects the trunk from summer sunburn and blocks possible entry points for insects and disease. The paint also acts as an organic “mud pack” for the trunk and aids in healing lesions and renewing the bark underneath.

Flowers not only provide a splash of color and charm, they encourage beneficial insects to your garden habitat. In our gardens, you'll see any combinations of sunflowers, borage, sweet peas, nasturitium, cosmos, Echinacea, sweet peas, Yarrow, coreopsis, Alyssum, to name a few ...

			We wait with anticipation for our fall planted bulbs to emerge - tulips, daffodils, muscari

These big, cheerful blossoms "volunteer" from seeds and past harvests to bring sunshine into our garden. They provide pollen for beneficial insects as well.

"Gigante d'Italia" Parsley This old Northern Italian variety boasts big, deep-green, shiny leaves with sweet, mellow flavors. Vigorous and robust, the "Gigante" can be harvested liberally throughout the season.

"Bronze" Fennel This variety is prized for its beautiful coppery-bronze fronds and its sweet, yet soft, anise flavors. Try toasting the seeds and sprinkling on homemade breads or use the lacy leaves in your salads or over grilled fish. A favorite of butterflies, too!

"Russian" Sage A little bit of fresh sage really enhances tomato and eggplant dishes. More traditionally we'll put it in our holiday poultry stuffings; but "Sage Brown Butter Sauce" over tortellini really reveals this herb's true essence!

Rosemary No garden should be without a rosemary bush! This evergreen has a reputation for strengthening memory, enhancing fidelity, and can be enjoyed year-round in milder climates. Rosemary grilled chicken or lamb is a perfect pairing with our Zinfandel!

"Genova" Basil This Italian variety is a favorite for pesto due to its intense, perfumed flavor. A vigorous producer, the "Genova" can be harvested in abundance throughout a long growing season. Great added to soups and casseroles. We plant ours among the tomato vines.

"French" Thyme This Provencal variety makes a pretty shrub with cascading stems of tiny leaves. Legend has it that "French Thyme" provides a secret home for garden fairies! But we find that it adds something special to our soups, stews, and grilled foods.

Lavender "Grosso" The most widely grown lavender in Provence is named for its French breeder, M. Pierre Grosso. Bigger, more colorful, and more fragrant than most other lavenders, these cultivars have both culinary and cosmetic uses. Stash some in your drawers or sprinkle of tops of desserts.

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