Claude Thompson

Source: wbbjtv.com

Kheera, or cucumber, is a versatile vegetable that is perfect for growing during the monsoon season. The produce can then be used to make smoothies, salads, raita, cold soups, a crunchy evening snack, and whatnot. Since they grow quickly, you can cultivate them after the weather starts to change and harvest them after about 50 days once they are green and firm.

Source: slurrp.com

When the summer sun starts to shine and the warmth of the season sets in, many of us spend our days tending to our vegetable gardens with enthusiasm and dedication. However, it can be a bit challenging to figure out which plants and vegetables are best to cultivate during the second half of June. If you’ve ever found yourself puzzled about what to grow during this time, you’re not alone. This article seeks to clarify this dilemma by providing you with a roundup of plants and vegetables that thrive during this seasonal window.

A late start: Cucumbers and Squashes

When you’re a bit late on your planting duties, cucumbers and squashes are your perfect companions. Both of these plants appreciate the warmth, so late June is an ideal planting time. Cucumbers can be pretty straightforward to grow, provided that you supply them with enough water and sunlight. Choose a spot in your garden that gets full sun to help them thrive.

Similar to cucumbers, squashes are sun-loving plants that adapt well to slightly warmer conditions. Not just limited to yellow squash, this group also includes zucchini and pumpkins. Providing them with good soil and ample sunlight will ensure a bumper harvest. The bonus is, both cucumbers and squashes can be grown in containers, an opportunity for urban gardeners to join the fun.

Inviting Greens: Spinach and Kale

June is also a wonderful time to plant some leafy greens in your vegetable garden, mainly spinach and kale. Considered a cool-weather crop, spinach can be planted through late spring and early fall, making it a suitable choice for the slightly cooler microclimates. Spinach gives you a fast yield, with most varieties ready to harvest in 40 to 50 days.

Kale is another resilient vegetable, tolerating a wide array of growing conditions. It is especially good for late planting as it loves the colder nights of the late summer. It keeps producing leaves throughout the fall and winter, providing a steady supply of nutrient-dense greens for your meals.

The late bloomers: Corn and Green beans

If you are looking for vegetables that do not only offer high returns but also catch the eyes, corn and green beans should be on your list. Corn enjoys the summer heat, hence late June is a perfect time to start planting. It also gives your garden an appealing height variation, which, in turn, can attract a variety of wildlife.

Similarly, green beans are an excellent addition to your late June garden. They are relatively easy to grow and yield a bountiful crop. Depending on the variety you choose, they may also add blossom colors to your garden, making it exhibition-worthy.

These are just a few of the many vegetables that you can start planting in late June. Gardening takes timing, patience, and a bit of skill. So, let’s start exploring the joy of planting now. Remember to use eco-friendly solutions and innovative gardening technologies to make your activities more efficient and reduce harmful impacts on the environment. After all, partaking in gardening is not only about personal satisfaction but also about our contribution to sustainability.

Emma Johnson is a passionate and insightful writer specializing in the house and garden niche, bringing over a decade of experience to her readers. At the youthful age of 34, Emma has already established herself as a leading voice in home improvement, landscaping, and interior design. Her journey began with a degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia, followed by years of hands-on experience working with renowned landscaping firms across the country.

Emma’s writing career took off when she started sharing her unique ideas and eco-friendly gardening tips on her personal blog. Her ability to blend practical advice with aesthetic design quickly garnered attention, leading to her current position as a featured columnist for a prominent online news site.

Dedicated to sustainable living and innovative design, Emma’s articles offer a wealth of knowledge, from DIY home projects to the latest trends in garden technology. Her work not only enlightens homeowners looking to enhance their living spaces but also inspires a deeper appreciation for the environment.

When she’s not writing or experimenting in her own garden, Emma enjoys mentoring young designers and participating in community beautification projects. Her contributions extend beyond her written work, embodying her commitment to making the world a more beautiful and sustainable place, one home at a time.

Source: thenational-somaliland.com

June is, traditionally, the month for weddings. It is also the time when old-fashioned roses bloom, along with peonies, irises and many other great garden flowers. Is that coincidence? Perhaps. But maybe the two are linked. Let’s look at some great June flowers you can grow and how to succeed with them.

Roses

My mom was an organic gardener who loved her roses. And although she is no longer with us to deny it, I think she may have cheated when it came to her roses. Back in the 1950s and ’60s, roses were much fussier than they are now. They suffered from all kinds of fungal diseases and were eaten by ferocious Japanese beetles that made mincemeat of leaves and blooms. I think she used chemicals to kill the beetles and subdue the fungi.

Now we no longer have to resort to chemicals to have nice roses. Breeders have worked hard to develop roses that stay healthy and avoid predation from hungry beetles. The beetles were easy: Roses were bred without scent to attract them. I don’t know how breeders developed roses resistant to diseases, but they have. I never see rose diseases, and I never spray.

My favorite roses are part of the “Knockout” series, though I know others who really like the “Easy Elegance” series. They do not grow blossoms on long stems but have multiple blossoms per stem. My “Knockouts” start blooming in June and bloom all summer, and up until hard frost – or even later.

Roses love full sun, yet they will grow in part shade. But the more sun they get, the better they do. Six hours of sunshine is considered full sun by most authorities. Afternoon sun is more potent than morning sun, so the west side of the house is better than the east.

Roses need good, rich soil. If you have sandy soil or a heavy clay, you will need to improve it in order to succeed. What does that mean? Mix in lots of compost when you plant, and add some organic fertilizer. Dig a hole that is at least three times as wide as the pot it was in when you purchased it. Mix the soil for the hole 50-50 with good compost – either your own or a good bagged compost. I like Moo Doo or Coast of Maine brands.

Roses need more water than most other things, but they do not want to sit in soggy soil. They should get an inch of water per week from rain, or a good dousing from your watering can applied slowly so it can soak in. A deep watering once a week is better than a little sprinkle every day.

Soil pH is important, too. The pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of your soil. You can buy an inexpensive kit to test it, or send a sample out to be tested for pH and soil quality at your state Extension Service. Roses do best in slightly acidic soil – in the range of 6.0 to 6.8. If your soil has a lower number, you should add limestone and mix it in. But don’t add too much. A test should tell you how much to add.

Many roses are grafted onto rootstock. The bud union – a scar – should be buried in the soil. The scar is obvious on bare root roses but is probably buried if you buy a rose in a pot. The colder the climate, the deeper that graft line or bud union should be. For Zone 4, it should be about 4 inches below the final soil line. (In Zone 5 it should be 3 inches, and in Zone 6, 2 inches).

Want more blossoms? Roses do better if they get some fertilizer a few times during the course of the summer. An organic, slow-release bagged fertilizer called Rose Tone is designed just for roses, but I use Pro-Gro, my go-to organic fertilizer, and sometimes I use liquid fish and seaweed fertilizers made by Neptune’s Harvest. I add half a cup of Pro-Gro to the hole when I plant.

Peonies

Other June flowers suitable for a wedding are peonies and iris. Peonies live forever if planted right – deep, rich soil amended with plenty of organic matter. I have one from my grandmother, and she died in 1953. If you planted one that never blooms, you have probably planted it too deep. The “nibs” or growing points under the soil surface for next year’s growth, should be no deeper than ¾ of an inch. You can feel them by poking around in the soil with your fingers. Pull away some soil if they are too deep, and it should bloom next year.

Irises

Siberian irises only bloom for a few days, but are magnificent. They come in a variety of blues and purples. Old patches tend to develop a dead spot in the middle because the plants have used up all the soil nutrients. Divide in the fall and replant, or add some organic fertilizer now.

There are too many gorgeous flowers to mention them all. But if you are planning a wedding, be advised that flowers do not bloom on an absolute calendar. Your favorite peony may bloom on June 15 this year and June 21 or June 3 next year. Your best bet is to have a good florist as a backup.

Henry’s column will appear once each month. You can reach him at henry.homeyer@comcast.net or PO Box 364, Cornish Flat, NH 03746.

Source: providencejournal.com

Subscribe to The Y’all — a weekly dispatch about the people, places and policies defining Texas, produced by Texas Tribune journalists living in communities across the state.

HARLINGEN — Countless chain restaurants and retail stores line Interstate Highway 69 here. Were it not for the palm trees, the stretch of highway could be indistinguishable from any other part of Texas.

The Rio Grande Valley, like many regions throughout Texas, continues to invite economic development prompted by population growth, placing pressure on privately owned farms and ranches to convert their land for other purposes.

But just a little more than a mile south of the highway, one farmer hopes to enable and encourage more residents to cultivate the land’s natural resources.

Diana Padilla is the executive director of Holistic Organic Practical Education, or HOPE, for Small Farm Sustainability, a nonprofit that provides farmer-to-farmer assistance.

Through the center, Padilla provides training and technical assistance for small, local farmers –– both professionals and beginners –– to teach them to use renewable energy in their farming and help them grow their own healthy, organic produce that might otherwise be unaffordable.

Texas’ privately owned farms, ranches and forests are increasingly driven to be broken up and subdivided, a process known as fragmentation. In other cases, the land ceases to be used for farming, which is what is known as conversion. This is typically due to rapid population growth and suburbanization, according to the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute.

As regional leaders tout the ongoing development of retail and restaurant spaces and celebrate new industrial parks, Padilla has worked toward enabling sustainable farming practices that aim to protect the environment and expand natural resources.

Earlier this year, Padilla received a $7.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to purchase land on which prospective farmers can get their start.

The funds, part of roughly $19.5 billion allocated to the USDA through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, is meant to help farmers weather extreme climate while also protecting resources like water and reducing the use of fossil fuels.

With the grant, Padilla said she will purchase up to 100 acres of property to be shared for community farming and educate farmers so they can eventually become independent.

To start out, participating farmers will be given a 20 by 20-foot space which is roughly the size of a two-car garage. If they do well there, she’ll give them a 50 by 50-foot space and they’ll eventually be able to move onto a half-acre plot.

Padilla says educational and financial support is needed for new and potential farmers as veterans of the business choose to retire from the industry.

“Old farmers, they don’t want to do it anymore, their kids don’t want to do it,” Padilla said “And the people who are coming in, they need support and help to help them get into the industry.”

Agriculture continues to be a significant sector of the Texas economy, bringing in $25 billion in 2021.

While approximately 83% of Texas is a farm or a ranch, the landscape is rapidly changing, according to Roel Lopez, director of the Natural Resources Institute, who said the state is losing nearly 1,000 acres of farmland per day.

The Rio Grande Valley is among the most rapidly changing areas in the state. Since 1997, the region has lost more than 139,000 acres, or about 7.4% of farmland, far higher than the statewide average of 1.5% during that same time period.

Lopez was born and raised in McAllen, about 39 miles west of Padilla’s farm. He recalls growing up in an area toward the south side of the city surrounded by agriculture. Now it’s the location of the city’s convention center, which hosts concerts, festivals, expos and conventions. Hotels, retail stores and restaurants have set up shop nearby.

Economic growth is a good thing, Lopez said, particularly for one of the state’s poorest regions. However, he is worried the region is losing basic land infrastructure.

“When we think of infrastructure, we think of roads and sewage and all those things,” Lopez said. “But land itself, farms and ranches, are a part of that infrastructure fabric and, in essence, that’s some of what we’re losing in the Valley.”

Additionally, the Natural Resources Institute argues that open spaces provide valuable ecosystem services that residents rely on for daily necessities, such as air and water quality, carbon sequestration and wildlife habitat.

As the government leaders throughout the region push toward drawing tech companies to the area and training their workforce for those jobs, Lopez hopes there can be a balance between that drive forward and the preservation of their existing resources.

“I certainly see the importance of the economic development aspects of the Valley, but can we do it in a way that it’s sustainable? That’s the key,” he said. “Can we do it in a way that that development is sustainable and protecting the very resources that we need for those economic drivers?”

The city of Edinburg, which abuts the city of McAllen, is one of the fastest growing cities in Hidalgo County, reporting the suburban development of more than 700 acres in 2023.

Raudel Garza, executive director of the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, echoed the need for balance, noting the region was still an agricultural-based community that depended heavily on the farming and ranching industry.

“We are definitely looking into how we can continue to sustain our farmland and at the same be able to balance that with our continued urban growth,” Garza said.

While neither the city nor the economic development corporation facilitates the sale of agricultural land for retail spaces, Garza said they do help develop industrial land by purchasing property and selling it to manufacturing companies. The corporation is currently mulling the purchase of more land for industrial use but Garza said that property would equal no more than 300 acres which he points out would be just a fraction of thousands of acres of farmland in the area.

“For us, it’s just trying to buy a little bit of land so that when the smaller industrial companies want to come in, we can compete for those jobs,” Garza said.

The region’s leaders hope to bring in higher-paying jobs for its residents, a large portion of whom continue to live below the national poverty line.

Hidalgo County has a nearly 28% poverty rate while Cameron County, where Padilla’s farm is located, has a nearly 23% poverty rate, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

While the USDA funding aims to help small farmers combat the negative effects of climate change, for Padilla, the end goal is to help people access healthy foods despite their income level.

“The people who are poor, they have to buy whatever they can afford and whatever they can afford sometimes isn’t always good,” Padilla said. “Then they end up paying more for it –– they get sick, they’re the ones to get cancer, they’re the ones that get all these issues, and then nobody wants to help.”

Padilla believes she can make the local agriculture industry as a whole more equitable through HOPE which is a Community Supported Agriculture program that Padilla has run for 10 years on Yahweh All Natural Farm and Garden which she co-owns with her husband.

On their 75 acres of land, the couple began sharing their knowledge and practices with other small farmers over a decade ago and began searching for funding to help them with marketing, training and for any other assistance they could get.

They hold classes at the HOPE center during their farming season which runs from September until the last harvest in June and have a market which is open four days a week where local farmers sell their products.

“Not a lot of people want to grow food, and we need the people who do want to grow food to be supported in every way,” Padilla said.

Reporting in the Rio Grande Valley is supported in part by the Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc.

Just in: Former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyoming; U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pennsylvania; and Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt will take the stage at The Texas Tribune Festival, Sept. 5–7 in downtown Austin. Buy tickets today!

Source: texastribune.org