Plant of the Week
Love it or hate it, okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is more than just a veg. I plant okra primarily for its flowers—gorgeous butter-yellow blooms with purple centers. Part of the Hibiscus family, okra reaches 3 feet tall and loves full sun. Unfortunately, each flower only lasts for one day. If you’re like me (pro-okra) you’ll enjoy popping some fresh okra in your mouth while tending to your beds. Who doesn’t love a surprise snack? All seeds available https://www.johnnyseeds.com/
Guest
Diane Burns, head gardener at Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyards, oversees a big vegetable garden. Divided into three sections (herbs, greens and lettuces, and large vegetables), all produce grown goes straight to the Pippin Hill kitchen. Diane weighs in on the nitty-gritty of large-scale vegetable gardening: hand-watering, compost fertilization, weeding, and more. Her favorite tomatoes include the aesthetically pleasing Striped German tomato, heirlooms like Carbon and Cherokee Purple, and the high-yielding disease-resistant hybrid Mountain Fresh. Carbon is a black heirloom tomato with a good yield. She also recommends heat-tolerant lettuce like Skyphos, which she sows every 3 weeks throughout the season, and Starfighter to brave the Virginia heat. Encore is a cool season lettuce that is cut and comes right back.
I’m not much of a veg gardener myself, but Diane has me tempted!
Playlist
Irises are coming and going. Clip away shriveled buds to let the best blooms shine.
Cut your peonies and get them set up indoors. Pssst, tune in for a peony hack.
Daffodil foliage driving you crazy? Make it look neater and more intentional by finger combing it in one direction.
Keep pre-pruning your floppy chrysanthemums, tall phlox, sedums, etcetera.
Deer control! You can mix your own spray or purchase ready-made products like Deer Stopper (spray) and Deer Scram (granules).
Listen
“Vegetables” by The Beach Boys