The summer in Maine has very little margin for error for growing tomatoes. A cool summer can leave us with a lot of unripened green fruit by the end of the season. We did pick a few of our first tomatoes this week, but many of our plants are still in bloom. Click on the image for a larger view. (While tomato flowers attract the usual pollinators you except to see, we were surprised to see our hummingbirds feeding from them.)
Tag Archives: Kitchen Garden
Blackberries in July
The blackberries are fruiting. It is far too early to harvest, but it looks like this year’s crop will be bountiful, unlike last year. Click on the image for a larger view.
Virginia Spiderwort
Virginia Spiderwort, Tradescantia virginians, is found throughout the eastern US. The leaves, young shoots, and flowers are edible—raw or cooked. Native Americans ground the leaves into a poultice for insect bites. Our garden has this plant growing wild with blue, pink, and the rarer white blossoms.
Not all spiderworts are edible, there are about 75 species. Some are toxic for cats or dogs. Click on the image for a larger view.
The Garden Returns
While the weather has been cool, our garden is starting to come to life. The plum and apple trees have blossomed and they are starting to bear fruit. Our grapes are just putting out their buds. Click on the image for a larger view.
Riot of Spring
After the long steady state of winter, spring is almost violent in its excess. Our apple trees are all in bloom. This tree we call Ren-chan. She bares fruit biennially. It looks like this year she will be very productive. Click on the image for a larger view.
The Arrival of Spring
Our wild plum have just come into blossom. These flowers mark the first sign of spring. Our forest trees are just showing their new foliage and fern and other forest plants are spouting. And while the new green is wonderful, the white flowers of our plum is magical. Later in the summer, we hope to harvest some fruit from these trees. Click on the image for a larger view.
Dreaming of Summer
The snows this winter have been taking their toll. We have had over twice the average snowfall so far this year. It is hard to remember our garden being anything but white.
This is not a small pumpkin, but one of our heirloom tomatoes. We still have tomatoes in our freezer from last summer, but bringing in one of these fruit straight from the vine is very different—the rich smell and the sun-warmed flesh can only be experienced in the summer. A thick slice on a piece of freshly baked bread with a little ground pepper makes the perfect meal. Click on the image for a larger view.
Natural Birdfeeder
This apple was left on the tree we call Midori. While the current philosophy in gardening seems to be centered around getting everything for the human residents, taking a rather dim view of the others sharing the space, Naomi and I believe our garden has a communal function. Click on the image for a larger view,
Self-Heal Tea
Prunella vulgaris, commonly known as Self Heal or Heal All, is known in many cultures to have healing properties. The entire plant is edible and can be uses in soups, salads, and stews. Like with our Goldenrod, we make tea from the plant. Unlike the bitterness of Goldenrod, this tea has a mild flavor. Click on the image for a larger view
Cranberry Yellow-Dock Muffin
This muffin uses dried cranberries and the seeds from our yellow dock. The yellow-orange color comes from the seeds. The recipe is simple and does not use eggs nor baking powder, but vinegar and baking soda. Continue reading
