“I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.”-Anne Frank

It’s been a very strange week in the garden, very strange indeed.

 This week had been a very challenging week in the fact that I barely got to be in my own garden at all. Unfortunately, the wildfires and smoke coming from Canada kept me indoors for most of the day. The only time I had gone outside was for twenty minutes at dusk to water what needed to be water and even that wasn’t a lot. The smoke in the atmosphere actually shielded part of the Sun and with the cooler weather this week a good chunk of my garden needed little to no water at times.

Although the smoke did create some pretty stunning sunsets, that’s pretty much the only positive. I really didn’t get anything accomplished this week. I needed to get weeding done and lay down some additional soil but alas I couldn’t do any of it. The smoke was just so thick and overbearing it was too much for my allergies even on the lightest when the air quality wasn’t 389. Yes, it got so bad at one point it was actually hazardous to go outside for extended periods of time. Not even my love of gardening is worth my health and well-being. But even though I was kept from playing in my garden, it didn’t stop my plants from thriving. 

This week I got one more cluster of oyster mushrooms and my wildflower bed is finally blooming. I was stunned and yet very pleased to see the little blue flowers popping up amongst all the green. It’s a very beautiful site to see when your world is full of hazy smoke. As for the mushrooms, they were plucked and promptly eaten. They were the freshest and tasty little oyster mushrooms ever. Now, it might be because I grew them that I’m clouded with bias for my own produce but they were very tasty in my Mapo Tofu rice bowl. My only regret is not taking a picture of them cooked but they were so delicious I simply forgot. 

However, the flowers and the mushrooms weren’t the only surprises this week. More of my winter squashes are starting to emerge and it makes me think about Autumn. Even though it's only June I can’t wait to see my favorite season again. I know I’m getting ahead of myself but I can’t help but to get excited. They will be nothing better than picking my own pumpkins and squash from the garden when the weather turns crisp. But let’s get back to the present and enjoy what’s actually growing now.

The broccoli is starting to show signs that it may be developing florets which is exciting but I’m not getting too excited. Broccoli can be one of the trickiest veggies to grow in a home garden and I’m personally very inexperienced in growing this particular green veg. Even though I’m seeing signs doesn’t mean a thing and until I pick my first stalk from the garden I’m not going to consider it a complete success. But what has been a complete success is my lettuce. Yes, I have finally been able to start to enjoy my fresh Buttercrunch Lettuce and it couldn’t be yummier. Hopefully, I can keep enjoying it as long as it continues to thrive. 

Well, I believe that’s all for this week. Like I said it was a very atypical week and I wasn’t able to do as much as I wanted. But starting this week I’m going to be giving a new garden tip each week that has really helped me become a better gardener. So give the garden tip a try and see if it helps you with your growing gardens. You never know if you’ll learn something new and if anyone has their own gardening tips I would love to hear from you. Gardening is a community effort and like cooking we can all learn to be better together.

*Garden tip #1:

If you have a small area and you think you can’t have a garden think again. There’s plenty of herb and vegetable varieties that can easily be grown in pots or grow bags. Even in the size area I currently have I can’t possibly fit all my seedlings in the ground. For those few seedlings, especially chili peppers and cherry tomatoes, I rely on 7 gallon grow bags as well as planters. Just make sure there are proper drainage holes in the planters. A few plants I grow in planters or grow bags are Sweet Basil, Oregano, Chives, Thyme, Jalapeno peppers, small varieties of potatoes like Fingerlings and small varieties of cherry tomatoes. This year I’m growing Currant Cherry Tomatoes. That’s only to name a few, there are many, many more veggies, herbs and flowers that you can grow in your small spaces. 

To see what’s happening in the rest of the garden, you can check out the gallery below. Until next week, Happy Gardening!