Yesterday I visited The Duck Lady to see her enormous garden and check out her roadside stand where she sells surplus produce, eggs, and baked goods. It’s always inspiring to see what’s thriving there. Now it’s my turn to report on mid-July gardening in coastal Maine.
Mid July Gardening in Coastal Maine
The tomato plants at her place are enormous — waist-high and then some.
Her soil must be incredibly fertile because I brought home a cabbage the size of a small child. I weighed it at home and it topped nine pounds.
She’s only watered the garden once this year.
Yes—just once. Her soil retains moisture so well she barely needs to irrigate. She’s also using a heavy-duty weed barrier in parts of the garden to suppress weeds and help conserve soil moisture. Note to self: pick up some of that weed barrier for next year’s larger family garden plot.
I’m definitely a little jealous of her giant vegetables, but her success gives me something to aim for. With another season of soil improvement and amendments, I hope we’ll be growing cabbages that big in our plot next year.
Good gardens take time. We’re only in our second season here, so I’m trying not to get discouraged.
Meanwhile, our modest kitchen garden is humming along.
Yesterday I harvested our first round of Tall Telephone shelling peas from the picket-fence row, and they were delicious. Next year I plan to dedicate a few rows in the main garden specifically to this variety.
The rest of the kitchen garden — tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, beans, celery, rhubarb, garlic, onions, parsnips, beets, potatoes, and herbs — is doing well this season.
I expect to start harvesting Roma tomatoes in another week or two.
I’ve been sowing broccoli and cabbage seedlings to replace the tomato plants once they stop producing. As long as the weather cooperates, I want something growing in the beds until the ground freezes.
Last week I planted parsnips, carrots, and beet seeds directly in the soil. I’ll protect them with row covers to extend the season and increase the chances of a successful fall harvest.
Today I’ll transplant another round of zucchini and cucumbers. If all goes well, we’ll be picking them right up until the first frost, which usually arrives in early October here.
I also transplanted the penultimate succession of green beans last night. I love this time of year, but it always makes me a bit anxious because the growing season is slipping away and I want to make the most of every remaining day.
It’s a blessing to live in a climate where gardening this time of year is pleasant — not a hot, humid slog but an enjoyable way to spend time outdoors.
Well, I’m off to weed the garden.
Have a good one. 🙂
~ Mavis
P.S. What are you harvesting these days? Are you getting piles of tomatoes yet? I’d love to hear what’s coming out of your garden.