Kitchen Garden Goodies

It’s day nine or ten of our heatwave with a record high today of 103 degrees (heat index of 105-110). I feel like I’m fighting a losing battle with trying to keep the garden hydrated. Despite the heat, we’ve been enjoying goodies from the Kitchen Garden.

As mentioned in a previous post, I planted green beans for the first time this year and they seem to be doing really well. They are Kentucky Blue pole green beans.

The tomatoes are starting to ripen. I didn’t plant as many varieties this year — just two. Sungold, which are grape-sized and very sweet, and Early Girl, which are a medium red tomato.

Early Girl Tomatoes.

 I planted edamame soybeans for the first time this year and they really aren’t doing much.

Soybeans

The Picklebush cucumbers are doing well. I like these raw in salads. We are hoping to try actually pickling some this year.

Picklebush cucumbers.

Sweet Basil is my absolute favorite herb and I have to plant it every year. Nothing beats the smell and taste of fresh basil.

Sweet Basil and orange Cosmos.

We have been enjoying three varieties of greens. I like to mix them in salads.

Fresh greens and mint.

I love walking out the back door with a bowl and picking whatever is available in the garden for making a salad. Here we have a mix of greens with garlic chives, Sungold tomatoes, Picklebush cucumbers, gorgonzola cheese and hard boiled egg (the last two are not from the garden, obviously).

Fresh salad using Kitchen Garden goodies.

Unfortunately, today is not a good day to be gardening due to the heat. Think I’ll stay inside in the air conditioning with a nice, cold glass of iced tea.