July 5, 2015 weekly update

The 4th of July has passed and the dogs survived the fireworks. I guess that means the dog days of summer are here at our central florida farm.

Lemon Grass seems to be a plant that Loves the heat.
The challenge with growing here in inland Central Florida is finding crops to grow through the heat of summer. One can only deal with so much Basil.

We are managing to keep the lettuce going for the summer, reduced quantity and small because we have to harvest before it gets full but still going. The other cool weather crops are pretty much done. I’m trying to keep celery seedlings going so that we will have some celery in the fall but I don’t know how well it will work yet, celery takes so long to grow.

Even some of the warm weather crops are taking the mid summer break now, tomatoes have trouble producing here this time of year and my bean production seem to have dropped. I’m re-planting tomatoes and beans so hopefully we will have some good fall production.

The Eggplant is going gangbusters though!!!!! Eggplant lovers rejoice. We have little tiny round ones good for stir frys, we have little fairy tales, and Long Japanese eggplant and some bigger purple and white Spanish eggplant. All varieties I’m growing right now have skins that are generally tender enough to be left on.

I seem to have all the garlic chives anyone would ever need year round.

And the Sweet potato vines are eating the little greenhouse.

I really need to get them planted in some soil if I ever want to get any potatoes from them.

For those who are interested in the local produce, please check out https://yalaha.locallygrown.net/market