Summer in the Garden

Garden Helper! 

It has been quite a busy summer. Although I’d love to say I've been spending my time vacationing on a warm sunny beach, cool drink in hand, listening to the melodic sounds of ocean waves and gathering seashells for my collection…ah, only in my daydreams! What I have actually been doing this summer is sitting at my computer working on editorial projects. With so much time spent working, there's been little time left for anything else (and I've missed blogging!). However, one thing I'm glad I did before the summer work rush began was plant a garden in the spring so I could reap the rewards from the earth now. 

Harvesting the garden...grown organically, fresh and healthy

I planted four varieties of tomatoes this year...Early Girl, Bonnie Original, and Roma (Italian plum) tomatoes in the garden, plus sweet cherry tomatoes in a planter on the patio. Three varieties of peppers planted in the garden...sweet banana, hot banana, and New Mexico Big Jim (chili) peppers. I especially like sweet banana peppers and it's not a variety found very often in stores or farmer's markets in my area, so I always plant them in my garden. 

Tomatoes and peppers ripening in the sun with sweet basil and marigolds

The near continuous rain we had early in the season stunted the growth of the Early Girl tomatoes, so only got a few from that plant. However, the other tomato and pepper plants thrived after all the early rain and we had an abundant crop.

Cherry tomatoes and herbs on the patio

Besides planting in the garden, I have a few plants in clay pots on the patio, including cherry tomatoes and several herbs in a strawberry jar, along with flowers and more herbs in various planters. The cherry tomatoes grew especially well this year, the first year I had such a good crop from the patio tomatoes.  


In addition to tomatoes and peppers, I have a perennial herb garden that comes back every year with tarragon, sage, rosemary, oregano, chives, English thyme, lemon thyme, peppermint, and lemon balm. I love watching the perennials return every spring. Other herbs such as sweet basil and parsley are annuals, so I plant them anew each year.

A few of the herbs in the perennial garden...chives, sage, tarrgon, mint

When I go into the garden with a spade and dig a bed, I feel such an exhilaration and health that I discover I have been defrauding myself all this time in letting others do for me what I should have done with my own hands. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Busy bee pollinating the oregano

Sweet basil and marigolds planted near tomatoes 

All my gardening is organic. I plant sweet basil and garlic with the tomatoes and peppers, enclosed by a border of marigolds. Coffee grounds are especially beneficial for tomatoes, because the acid and nitrogen help the plants to grow while keeping away snails, slugs, and ants. When I surround the tomato plants with coffee grounds, the tomatoes are redder and juicier. Coffee grounds are beneficial for pepper plants as well (and roses).

No system is foolproof in the natural world, but companion gardening and a border of marigolds works very well to keep out hookworms and other insects, and many small critters. The raccoons and groundhogs, however, have no respect for organic gardening, but the scent of our dog roaming around the garden plus some strategically placed mounds of dog hair, helps to keep them away, or at least make them wary of approaching the garden. They don’t mess with the peppers but the tomatoes are more vulnerable to being snatched by hungry critters. I like to grab the low-lying fruit as soon as it starts to change color and finish the ripening inside because adventurous squirrels will run into the garden, take a quick bite and scurry off! Squirrels are ever the opportunists! 

Coco keeping an eye out for the squirrels!

Gardening can be incredibly relaxing. There certainly is some work involved with preparing the soil, weeding, mulching, etc., but I find that feeling the earth in my hands when I plant, tending to the plants as they grow, and watching the industrious honey bees pollinating the blossoms to be a wonderful stress reliever. To observe a garden as it grows is to observe the natural balance and harmony of nature. Plus, you get a tasty crop of veggies and the reward of knowing they grew from the seedlings you planted. 

Bonnie Original, Roma, and Cherry Tomatoes

Sweet and Hot Banana Peppers, and New Mexico Big Jim (chili) Peppers 

After harvesting the tomatoes and peppers, I made a summer pasta dish I’d like to share.

Summer Garden Pasta

For this recipe I used my garden Roma tomatoes because they work so well in pasta recipes, but any firm tomato will do. I added the garden peppers. Other fresh summer veggies, such as zucchini or yellow squash (think I'll plant squash next year!) are excellent in a summer pasta dish too. Fresh herbs and garlic enhance the flavors.

• Tip on using Fresh Basil in Recipes (sharing a tip I learned from cooking shows): Chiffonade the basil, set aside, and stir into the pasta dish at the very end right before serving. This keeps the fresh basil from getting soggy and it's actually more flavorful that way.  

Summer Garden Pasta Recipe

• Lightly sauté the chopped veggies, garlic (large chunks), a shallot or small onion, and fresh herbs in olive oil. The herbs I used for this dish were lemon thyme, parsley, and oregano, adding in fresh basil at the end. Salt and pepper to taste (I find that when I add lots of fresh garlic, I barely need any salt, much healthier). 
• Very juicy tomatoes and veggies will naturally add water to the pan, and often that’s all you need to make a nice little sauce with the veggies to serve over pasta. Sometimes I add a little fresh squeezed lemon and white wine to the pan while cooking. If desired, rather than white wine, you can add a small amount of clear vegetable or chicken broth (just enough to make a little sauce).
• Stir all ingredients and simmer until hot (but not boiling). Serve over cooked pasta of choice. I used whole wheat shells. For added flavor and texture, sprinkle crumbled feta cheese over the dish when serving (really tasty!). 

Made a summer salad to serve with the pasta using the tomatoes, peppers, and sweet basil leaves from the garden, along with cucumber slices and mixed salad greens.

Enjoy your summer (or whatever season wherever you are)! 

©2013 JerseyLils2Cents, all text and photos.