THROUGH THE GARDEN GATE:
Midsummer Gardening
...by CatDancing
By the time you are reading this we will be starting into the month
of July. Here in the Northern Hemisphere, although it still hardly
seems noticeable, the days are already growing shorter and soon we
will be approaching Lammas (the first of the three harvest
festivals). As the Sun God wanes, the Goddess is in full abundance.
His sacred energy enters into the Earth to give us life sustaining
gifts through Her.
July is a time of hopeful and bright Spirit, a time for casting
spells for abundance in every sense of the word, a time for grounding
and sun meditations and honoring the prosperity of the Mother which
so generously abounds.
When you are a gardener things can become a bit hectic around this
time of year. Weeds and grass seem to grow inches overnight,
springing up with great vigor in beds, borders, and containers! It is
probably best not to undertake any new, big projects; after
all, you've worked hard to get to this point and it's nice to have at
least SOME time to sit back with a tall glass of iced tea and enjoy
it! Keep your main focus on maintenance and preventing any problems,
and appreciate your garden's current beauty while looking forward to
its coming season of abundance and harvest.
As growth in the summer garden progresses, here are some things to
keep in mind and attend to:
Watering:
The heat of the sun can take its toll quickly at this time
of year, especially if you're in an area of insufficient rainfall.
Both vegetable and flower gardens benefit more from deep watering
rather than just frequent light watering so that the roots of plants
can develop properly and produce many good blossoms, vegetables or
fruits. Mulching will help to conserve the water in the soil and help
smother weeds. You may want to try installing a soaker hose covered
with mulch to help conserve water usage.
Pests and Diseases:
Unfortunately, insects and other creatures that
like to take part in our gardens as much as we do also enjoy the
warnth of mid-summer! If you're growing vegetables, be on the lookout
for cucumber beetles and squash bugs which like cool, shady places
such as the undersides of leaves on cucumber, zucchini and melon
plants. The best way to get rid of them is by handpicking since there
are no really effective sprays and it's best to keep pesticides out
of the garden if at all possible.
Verticillium and Fusarium Wilt are the two most prevalent diseases of
tomatoes, but can also affect potatoes, peppers, eggplants,
strawberries and raspberries. The first symptom is yellowing of older
leaves at the bottom of the plant and a slight wilting at the tips
during the day. You will still get some fruit, but it will be
stunted and exposure to the sun from damaged leaves will likely
result in sunscald.
Soil-borne diseases can remain in the soil for many years. It is best
to destroy diseased plants and use crop rotation in future plantings
to help control them.
Care and feeding:
Remove spent flowers from roses and other flowers that are finished
blooming. If you allow them to produce seed pods the plant will not
be able to produce more blossoms and instead will be using all it's
energy to produce seed.
Give plants such as melons, squash and pumpkins which are in flower
now a boost with a foliar spray of water soluble fertilizer. These
are thirsty plants , so keep them well watered.
DON'T cut the foliage from spring flowering bulbs! The leaves provide
the bulbs with the food they need to keep the plants healthy and
blooming beautifully the next year. Dig any spring bulbs in need of
dividing when the tops have died down; divide and store or replant.
Thin fruit such as apples, pears and peaches when the fruit is as big
around as a nickel for better remaining fruits.
Prune flowering shrubs like forsythia, azalea, rhododendron and lilac
after they have finished blooming.
Remember that hanging baskets and containers of flowers or vegetable
plantings need careful attention to watering and feeding during
extended periods of hot weather.
Stake tall-growing flowering plants such as delphinium, hollyhocks,
and lupines.
Add compost to your gardens wherever you can. It encourages
earthworms and other beneficial organisms whose activities help
plants grow strong and healthy, plus it provides nutrients and
improves the soil.
Never use Sevin or other plant dusts during bloom period or in the
presence of bees.
Pick ripe strawberries and other fruits and berries regularly to
avoid fruit-rotting diseases.
Think in terms of beneficial insects and plants. Ladybugs will devour
up to 50 aphids a day, but they also attack scale, mealy bugs, and
caterpillars. As a bonus, they also pollinate flowers. Plant
spearmint to help repel ants, whiteflies, and aphids - Thyme and
Sage repel cabbage worms.
Thinking Ahead:
Begin to harvest and dry herbs, flowers, grains and seeds for future
magickal and culinary uses. Make magickal oils as well as salves,
balms, tinctures, etc. for medicinal use from fresh herbs.
This is the time to begin celebrating the fruits of the harvest. Can,
freeze and preserve fresh fruits and vegetables as they become
available with the awareness that summer is passing. Make use of
locally ripe produce such as fresh corn and other things of the
season.
You can begin seeding quick growing summer vegetables like bush
beans, radishes, lettuce and peas now for late harvests.
At every turn we see and feel that the Spirit of the Mother is alive
and full with Her blessings. As Lammas approaches, we can honor that
Spirit of prosperity and abundance in our gardens and in each thing
we do that celebrates hearth and home. From ancient times to the
present this season has been celebrated by the baking of bread. If
you have never made bread from scratch this is the perfect time to
begin. There is nothing quite like the feel of dough being kneaded
and the aroma of fresh bread baking in the oven to make one feel in
touch with the Earth. Start with a basic recipe and try adding things
from your garden such as herbs, onion, corn or even wild gatherings
like goldenrod!
Until the next turning of the wheel I wish you many blessings of the
season and leave you with these words from a favorite Lammas chant; We shall
seek for our center and find our way.
HERB BREAD
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons butter
2 packages yeast
1 cup warm water
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons dried herbs (your choice)
Scald the milk, dissolve in it the sugar, salt and butter. Dissolve
the yeast in the warm water. Add to the milk, mix with the herbs.
Stir in flour; cover and let rise. When doubled or more (about 45
minutes), stir down, beat with a spoon and turn into a greased bread
pan or round casserole. Let rise again; bake at 350 degrees F. for
about 1 hour, covering with foil if necessary to prevent
over-browning. This bread is so fast that it can be started at
breakfast and will be ready for lunch! Try your own variations by
adding cheese, caraway seed, dill seed, or whatever you have on hand.
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