Dear Carol, Mary Ann and all of our garden friends,
Always late to the party, but I’m still here. Monday was our fourth day in a row over 100F. So, you can imagine my thrill when, yesterday, I woke to thunder and lightning. The rain chased away those bad temperatures and washed the garden clean again.
Come outside with me, and let’s take a stroll about the vegetables and flowers on this 74F day. I’m not a fair weather gardener, but with the kids going back to school, I’ve not had much time the last couple of days. ASW is in football, and that’s a commitment for parents and players.
I wish I could describe the scents in the garden right now. Light floral with an herby freshness from basil, lemon basil, spearmint and sage, and beneath it all, the earthy scent of good garden soil.
Production in the vegetable garden is slowing down. A few tomatoes are still ripening, and the okra and peppers are doing their thing. Best pepper hands down this season was Garden Salsa, which was moderately hot, but delicious. With two plants, I have nearly enough peppers for a small ristra. Perhaps, I’ll get some jute and string them for late summer seasonal taste and decor. Also, the mild yellow bell I grew is beautiful, bountiful and ripened much faster than previous red bells. Something to consider for next year.
With the tomato bounty I had last week, I made Willi’s Digginfood slow roasted tomatoes. I ate them on a pizza yesterday with a bit of pepperoni, basil, olive oil and Vegan Gourmet Monterey Jack soy cheese (w/o casein). The pizza was splendid. I used Udi’s pizza crusts.
As for flowers, the Susans are nearly finished, but a lot is still blooming in the garden. I want to give a shout out to some plants I haven’t written about lately. Cleome hyb. Senorita Rosalita® is still a favorite for several reasons. I tested it a few years ago for Proven Winners, loved it and now look for it at various retail outlets. I’m also trying to convince more places to carry it, and it’s my hope by writing about the fair senorita again, I’ll accomplish just that. I like the way it pumps out the blooms through the hottest weather. Unlike other cleomes, it doesn’t die back at the bottom. I’ve had no problems with mold or mildew. I also enjoy its mid-size stature in the bed and border, and how it adds a certain airiness.
I planted the next two specimens, Pennisetum purpureum ‘Princess Caroline’ and ‘Princess Molly’ in a new border next to the garage. This border will be expanded from a straight line into a wider curve this fall, but last spring I needed somewhere to grow many of the trial plants sent by various growers including the David Austin roses (which I plan to write about later). Athens Select sent the princesses for trial, and as I’ve grown ‘Prince’ before, I figured I would like these varieities. ‘Princess Molly’ is the shorter of the two with ‘Princess Caroline’ bringing up the end of the bed. The only sad thing about them is they are only hardy to USDA Zone 8, and are therefore, annuals here. However, for the display they bring, I could almost replant them every year. I’ve also thought about digging them up and putting them in containers before the first freeze. That’s how much I like them.
Since the weather cooperated by cooling off, the kids asked if I would make chili. I had some organic chicken breasts in the fridge and a lot of vegetables from the garden including tomatoes, purple onions, yellow bell peppers, Italian frying peppers, red ‘Garden Salsa’ peppers, and fresh thyme. I also have canned black and kidney beans, along with some organic tomato sauce in the cabinet. So, I’m making chicken confetti chili tonight with pumpkin cornbread. Behind me on the stove, the chili is simmering and smelling a lot like fall. After I go vote, I’m coming back to finish the cornbread. Now doesn’t that sound good?
Hope your week is good too. Next Monday, I’ll talk about planting the fall vegetable garden. I hope.
I am quite taken with Rosalita myself … that Senorita positively thrives on heat and drought. I’d be willing for her to be a little less vigorous in exchange for some rain, though!
My sweet pepper seedlings went kaplooey because I left them in the cell packs too long, pout. Yours look nice. I also love cleome.
Isn’t it nice to have cooler weather to get back into the garden? Wish we had some of your rain, though; everything is bone dry here. I’ve always been partial to cleomes; Senorita Rosalita looks like a winner–and I do love her name:)
Yes, Rose, it is so nice. Even if summer tries to roar back, I can see the coolness at the end of the tunnel. The fair Senorita is a winner at my house.
Amen to the rain! It was so refreshing to sit on the porch and watch it come down after those grueling 100+ degree temps. here south of Tulsa.
I am a bit jealous (but happy for you) about your pepper plants. Ours could not take all this heat. We have had a good crop of okra and tomatoes(though very small). Now we are waiting on our zipper peas. Have you ever tasted zipper peas?
And isn’t it funny how these cooler temps make us want to make chili? I made a type of chili soup last night.
Love all your pics!
Kelly
Kelly, I’ve never tried zipper peas. I’ll need to check into them. Thanks for the heads up. I’m glad you got some cooler weather too. Sorry about the drought though.
The nights have been cooler this week and the mornings are wonderful. I have to try that cleome next year.
Phillip, I’m glad things are looking your way too. You should try the fair Senorita. She is a jewel.
Senorita Rosalita has been a great performer here at 664. This is the first year for her in my garden, but she preformed better in the pots. She is a thirsty gal. I am seeing her everywhere. We have been getting rain as well. But, temps in the high 90’s are set to return. Not looking forward to that.
Interesting about using her in pots. I’m afraid she couldn’t handle all of our 100F plus days, but maybe.
Isn’t the weather wonderful, if only it was here to stay, but I fear not yet! Your garden is a delight Dee, I hope to take a tour someday and chinwag as us Brits say!
Hey Sarah, you just say the word, and we’ll do a private tour. Congrats on becoming a U.S. citizen. We’re fortunate to have you.
I love that first cool down in the late summer. It does tend to rejuvenate not only the garden but me, too.
I also have the Senorita Rosalita cleome in a container planting and for me, it did die up the stems but it is still blooming. I’ll try it again next year to see if it does it again, or stays all nice like yours!
No pass me some of that chili, it sounds delicious.
Carol, me too. I thought it would never come though. Interesting about yours dying up the stems. Maybe it got mildewy?
I don’t see how you or your garden has survived this summer. It will be one we remember. UGH…
Lisa, lots of water I guess. Actually, I only water three times a week, maybe four if things are really drying up.
Yippee for a bit of rain and a cool down in weather. It’s been miserable in OKC! LOL, I had to leave town to find Senorita R~Not sure why nurseries don’t carrying her everywhere…She’s made it through our heat, humidity and lack of rain, too. You’ve made me hungry for chili! gail
Gail, yippee indeed! I’m glad you found the cleome even if it wasn’t at home. I can’t imagine why more nurseries don’t carry it.
I’ve had good results with the Pennisetums we’re trialing too, Dee. And like you, thinking about digging them up to winter over. ‘Senorita Rosalita’ is a real trouper, isn’t she? Just an amazing plant all the way around.
Glad you got some rain. We need it badly!
Hi Kylee, let’s both dig ours up and see if we can overwinter them. They are just too pretty.
I’m game if you are! 🙂
I’m glad the heat finally broke. 100s sounds so painful. My jalapeno pepper plant is much more productive and ripened faster than the bell peppers. I wonder if that’s just how they are, or if it’s the cultivars I’m growing.
MMD, One hundreds are painful for people, pets and plants. Jalepenos and other chili type peppers always ripen faster and seem to produce more than bell peppers. I think bells with their thick walls are much harder.