Shop In Your Own Backyard Continues!
Garlic Scapes
Garlic scapes are the flower stems of the garlic bulb. Appearing in mid to late June, they emerge from the center of the plant and grow quickly. A small bulbil appears at the tip. Scapes grow in a spiral pattern, and it’s best to cut them when they have one or two curls. Using garden shears or scissors, cut the stems where they emerge from the foliage.
There are many recipes that use garlic scapes, but even if you don’t plan on cooking with them, be sure to cut them off so the plant’s energy can go into growing the bulb underneath.
Prevent Tomato Blight
If your tomato plants are about knee-high, now is the time to start thinking about preventing late blight. Late blight usually appears in mid to late August, but once you have it, you cannot get rid of it—you must prevent it.
Start with good growing techniques:
- Water only the soil (not the leaves), ideally in the morning.
- Remove lower foliage.
- Mulch your plants with Straw Boss or landscape fabric to prevent water from splashing onto the foliage.
- Spray your tomatoes every two weeks with a copper-based fungicide to prevent fungus spores from developing and infecting your plants.
Still Time to Sow!
If you have space in your garden, there’s still time for some crops to grow from seed. Beans, corn, cucumbers, squash, melons, lettuce, spinach, kale, and root crops like carrots, beets, and radishes can all be sown now for a late summer harvest.
Looking for late summer blooms? Sunflowers, zinnias, cosmos, and nasturtiums grow quickly and will add beautiful color to your garden later in the season.
