Monday, July 02, 2012

The Garden Grows...and Grows...and...Well, You Get the Idea

I hadn't planned to grow anything other than sunflowers on the north side of the house, but once the sunflowers dug in, it looked so sparse...so I planted cantaloupe. That went so well, I put in a patch of watermelon. Pleased with the quickly established watermelons, I decided I must grow a patch of red seeded citron melon. Without any planning, the north side of the house is home to a melon patch. As they grow so well, and so quickly, I seem unable to stop. We stay warm here well into October, so I can still get in a few more varieties if I feel ambitious. I feel ambitious.

Red seeded citron melon is a very old, now largely forgotten variety that is not suitable for eating fresh. Instead, the melon can be preserved (like citron) or cooked into a fruit paste, or marmalade. As I have angelica growing, it seems almost obligatory to grow citron melon.

I'm ordering a few late season crops, and varieties that can overwinter like purple sprouting broccoli. Red turnips are intriguing as well. Mr. ETB wants to grow flax next year. I told Danny we were getting rid of his bed, and putting in a spinning wheel and loom instead. He only half thinks we're kidding. I have Goldenrod growing, so I could actually use it to dye linen. I doubt very much this will happen, but I'm told you can eat flax, so it wouldn't be a complete waste to grow it.

This is the week I have set aside for pickling my grape leaves, but the thought of running the canner in this heat is causing me to reconsider my plans.

The first glads bloomed today.

2 comments:

Janice said...

Flax seed meal mixed with water makes a great substitute for eggs in recipes. I would love to see a few photos of your booming garden. I am developing a case of garden envy.

Goody said...

Funny, I bought a box of flax seed for baking and stuck it in the freezer-promptly forgot about it. I should give the egg substitute a try.

Garden envy only lasts until you imagine weeding in 99 degree heat. I'll try to get out there for some photos.