We are a month into the summer season and the garden is maturing. Seedlings are growing and certain crops are complete. However, some barely started.

Rain has been sporadic. So watering is essential. On two occasions, three day runs of triple digit weather caused great concern. However, a few seventy-degree days provided good relief to crops, farmer and the water bill.

The garden starts in March with the planting of lettuces and other greens, onions and potatoes. The first of the potatoes have stalled out and the harvested spuds are small in size.

Salad greens are toward the end of their spring cycle. So, several varieties are going to seed. Per usual practice, seeds will be saved in envelopes for next year. The exception, the heads of Great Lakes lettuce which are still forming.

Peas are about finished and yielded poorly. The climate of the Plains contributes to this. Not enough cloudy days to my thinking. Beans and cucumbers are climbing and flowering. Can’t wait until they are ready to taste!

Photo is one of the Great Lakes heads forming in the greens row.

The cherries and gooseberries enjoyed average yields. As discussed in the post, June 2025 Wrap-Up, both cherry jam and jelly were put up. Additionally, frozen berries and cherries are available for future enjoyment.

Peaches and apples are still ripening on the tree. Both are small crops due to blooms before the last freeze. Climate changes are impacting both. Final spring freezes are the same but are often preceded by unseasonably warm days or even weeks.

Grapes are still filling out. Green-seeded and Concord are on their usual track. Mid-summer 2025 yields the first ever crop of seedless grapes. Not sure how these will turn out.

Mid-Summer 2025 shows beets and second planting potatoes with steady growth. However, carrots spouted poorly. I may expand the netting over the carrots next year in case the robins are enjoying “seed hunting” too much. I do like the birds in the garden to help keep the grasshoppers at bay.

The early tomatoes are delicious. Most of the slicers as well as the bite-sized cherries are in the side garden near the kitchen. Very handy for picking right before a meal.

The canning tomatoes have two locations this year. As in the past, the seedling transplant was slow. I may need to start the seeds a month earlier. Or bring them out to the cold frame sooner.

Most of these tomatoes are in the flowering stage. However, a few small green tomatoes are setting. The tomato plant identifications were lost prior to transplant. So, a small mystery awaits the harvest.

Many crops are just now reaching the flowering stage. For example, the beans and cucumbers and peanuts. Other plants may run out of time, most notably the artichokes. I am hoping the fall freeze is late in 2025.

This year is shaping up to be average in yield. Not every year can yield bumper crops. And the average is far better than a wipe-out. Considering other events Econogal is facing, average is okay. Maybe even good…