What’s Growing on in the Garden: June 2024

June was a beautiful and eventful month on the farm. We saw the end of the spring blooms and the beginning of the heat-loving annuals, a transition that never fails to inspire awe. It is a month of transition, and we are soaking in every moment, appreciating the beauty of nature’s cycles. Thanks to Mother Nature, we’ve had some challenges this month, but we’ve also had the privilege of growing and sharing so much beauty. Let’s look back at what was growing on in the garden this past month.

As I mentioned, Mother Nature challenged us in June. Prolonged heat waves and a lack of rain have taken their toll on the flowers and me over the past few weeks. However, our farm has shown remarkable resilience. During the heat wave, I harvested extra early in the morning to beat the heat and limited my daily farm chores. Pest pressure has also brought challenges with pests such as spongy moths, 4-lined plant bugs, and the first sighting of aphids, all of which cause damage. Being a no-spray farm that utilizes more natural methods of control meant daily inspection and hand-picking pests off of plants. There is never a dull moment when Mother Nature is your boss. However, we have gotten some much-needed rain this past week, the heat wave has dissipated, and our efforts to thwart the pests seem to be working. All of which has allowed our plants to perk up and get back on track.  

In early June, we saw the last of our peonies bloom and fade. It was bittersweet watching the end of the peony season. I love these flowers and look forward to them blooming each season, so it’s always difficult to say goodbye. However, we had plenty of beautiful blooms to look forward to once the peonies were gone.

June brought many farm favorites such as sweet peas, dianthus, nigella, alliums, veronica, snapdragons, ammi, larkspur, feverfew, butterfly weed, yarrow, astilbe, and the beginning of hydrangea season (they are spectacular this season!). We have thoroughly enjoyed sharing these blooms with our customers and donating a portion of our harvest each week to Abloom. It’s a joy to see our harvest bring smiles to so many faces.

Plenty of edibles have also been coming into season on the farm. We harvested our first peppers and blueberries last month, and the cucumbers, herbs, beans, and tomatoes are all on their way. Even though I have turned most of my attention (and growing space) to growing flowers, I still enjoy growing, harvesting, and eating these edibles. There is nothing like eating home-grown fruits and vegetables. Mornings spent in the blueberry patch have been some of my favorite moments this past month.

June also brought many events that kept us busy—graduation season called for party arrangements and bouquets for graduates and teachers alike.

The start of blueberry season brought the return of our Berries & Blooms CSA, in which members receive a half pint of our homegrown blueberries and a bouquet each week for the subscription duration. It has been rewarding to see our members enjoy their shares each week.

I also spent much of the month planning a Pollinator Party through our local Master Gardener volunteer program. This is our third year putting on the event, which coincides with Pollinator Week. It is a wonderful event that educates the community on the importance of pollinators and how to support them in your landscape. I’m passionate about pollinators and love seeing the impact of this event.

I have thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in all the beauty on the farm this past month. The flowers never cease to leave me in awe, and the fact that I play a role in their existence leaves me both grateful and humbled. I am genuinely thankful every day I work on this farm, this space we’ve created to support and serve pollinators and our community. Working with Mother Nature is certainly never easy, but my work here fulfills me and gives me a wonderful sense of purpose. I have the privilege of growing plants that spread joy and kindness to my community, all while supporting my local pollinator population. I genuinely love what I do.

That’s what’s been growing here at the farm this past month; what’s growing in your garden? Until next time, happy gardening and happy growing!