Gardening with Child Cares: Long Hot Summers!

So much has happened since the last post. I can’t believe school starts in 3 weeks. The garden is producing nicely. The near 100 degree heat for the last month has definitely taken its toll, but the new soccer field turf was laid last week, and the new sprinkler system seems to be helping our garden!

The heat has made it necessary to need to water twice a day. This doesn’t work on the weekends. In spite of that—the plants are producing. A good hose is a necessity. Sprinkler day near the garden helps too!

We endured vandalism-twice! The worst part is that the kids were devastated. Explaining that there are people out there that do bad things—and that they shouldn’t helped a little. The vandals pulled all of our tomato and cucumber cages ,and trashed our pepper plants. The cover to the broccoli is gone.

The positive is that thanks to Aunt Jean (yeah Aunt Jean and sister Judy!), we have new established pepper plants—and they are doing well.

In search of new plants at the end of July (they are non-existent). I discovered a local plant rescue club that offers cheap/free plants. The Benson Plant Rescue people are incredibly nice—and have great plants!

We made bird feeders out of donated pine cones, peanut butter and bird seed. The secret to not making a huge mess is to add the smeared pine cones to the seed in a Ziploc bag and shake, shake, shake! They can go home in the same bag without leaving a trail of seed. Thanks Miss Tracy for that great idea!

We have eggplant coming out of our ears. To date we have sampled it in spaghetti, egg plant Parmesan, ratatouille, and in chocolate chip peanut butter cookies. Yeah—that’s right—cookies. They rock! Replace half the fat in any great tasting cookie recipe with pureed cooked egg plant. It’s terrific!

Critters! Caterpillars eating things in the garden. Bugs totaling our yellow and purple beans. Bunnies displaced from the new soccer field decimating our broccoli. The kids picked off the caterpillars and played with them. I consider this organic pest control!

We made our own caterpillars. We filled old pantyhose (thanks Nancy!) with Omahgro and grass seed. We tied them shut, and the kids twisted segments into them to simulate caterpillar parts. After sun and lots of water—they are the coolest chia pets in the world!

The kids got to taste beets from my garden and crook neck squash someone (thanks Mary Anna!). They are so open to trying these things. They may not always like them—but do seriously give them a try.

It’s been a month. We are gearing up to pull all the dead plants and replant for our fall garden. The soccer field opens in two weeks. That will be a whole new adventure! Until then……