Now that we find ourselves solidly in June, the garden has begun to transition from spring to summer growth. The spinach is done, having all bolted and set seed, and the spindly pea plants look like they might soon wither in this heat. Grandma Hadley’s Lettuce – the beautiful, red-tinged heirloom variety I planted this year – seems to be pretty hardy, though, and might hang around for a few more weeks. Green onions are just thickening up, so we should also have plenty of those for a while yet, too.
In place of these spring crops, the bush beans and zucchini have sprung up and are leafing out beautifully. The tomatoes and peppers are putting down roots and looking stronger as they begin to focus more on upward growth; I’m even starting to see some flowers! The sweet potatoes look like they might take over their bed with tangled vines any day now, and it might not be too long until the garlic is ready.
Across the yard, the main herb garden, too, looks full and lush and has in fact begun to outgrow its current bounds! High on my to-do list for the coming week or two is expanding this little plot to give the current plants a bit more room and squeeze in a few more.
So what about the farmer’s market? With a 60 percent chance of rain in the forecast for tomorrow, you’ll want to keep an eye on the New Market Farmer’s Market Facebook page for updates. But if the weather holds, I will be set up with lettuce, sugar-snap peas, radishes, green onions, and handmade items. Hope to see you there!