Dare I say what a great relief the last couple of weeks have been, with temperatures in the high 80s instead of the forecasted 100+!  Especially since our living room air conditioner blew out three weeks ago and the new one has just been installed.  And the mornings’ overcast skies have added to the pleasure and forestalled the afternoon’s warmth. 
     The garden’s plants have felt the relief as well, with the heavily-laden tomatoes not looking wiped out at the end of each day, the beans and squash continuing their fruit sets, and the figs looking absolutely thrilled with large perky leaves and many fruits filling out.
     Taking heart with this wonderfully mild version of summer, I’ve made more sowings of beans and squash seeds to continue my current harvests and fed my tomatoes for renewed energy in putting out more blossoms.   
     And, dare of dares that this pleasant weather will continue for at least a while, I’ve transplanted several native milkweed plants -- Asclepias speciosa 'Davis', Asclepias speciosa ‘Showy’, Asclepias syriaca ‘Virginia Silk’, Asclepias fascicularis ‘Narrow Leaved’, and Asclepias physocarpa ‘Family Jewels Tree’. 
     All of these milkweeds are available online at Annie's Annuals & Perennials.  Although located in Richmond, on the “warm” side of the San Francisco Bay, I’ve found it to be an excellent source of 4-inch pots of a tremendous variety of plants that thrive in Southern California.  I heartedly recommend getting onto its mailing list to receive notice when your wishlist items become available.
 
Veggie Problems?

• See my 3/14/21 blog if you’re having problems with any remaining cool-season plants, including asparagus, beets, carrots, celery, lettuce, onion family (chives, garlic, leek, onion, shallot), peas, radishes, and spinach.  If you had any of these problems in the past, these notes will also help you prepare for the upcoming planting season.
• See my 3/28/21 blog if you’re having problems with any warm-season plants, including beans, corn, cucumber family (cucumbers, pumpkins, squash), melons (honeydew, muskmelon, watermelon), peppers and eggplants, sweet potatoes, and white potatoes.

 
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More July Tips
See July.
 

     In my Pasadena area garden, we’ve been lucky enough to escape the over-100-degree heat that other Southern California areas are suffering through, with our temperatures getting only into the high 80s and low 90s – the top edge where we can still leave the windows and doors open and enjoy our iced tea without the ice melting immediately.  To add to the delight, our summer harvests have begun.
 
Tomatoes Are Ripening

• Cherry-sized harvest started back on May 29 with Sungold, and we’ve harvested 334 since then from two plants.  Since June 12, I’ve picked 22 Black Cherry.  Just yesterday, we also picked 6 Jaune Flamme, 1 Brad’s Atomic Grape, and 5 Isis Candy.
• Big-sized fruit harvest started with 3 Black Krim on June 12.  My three Celebrity plants are loaded with fruit turning red, and I’ve picked 9 so far.
• Black Krim has harvested 3 fruits.  I do love their slightly-salted and sweet flavor.
• For the perfectly-ripe tomato, wait to pick them until they gently “give” a bit when you exert slight pressure as you cup each in your hand.
• Be sure to keep your tomatoes well watered deeply.  A bit of droopy foliage at night is to be expected after a hot day, but if it’s still droopy in the morning, water immediately.

    
Crookneck Squash

• I do love my small crookneck squash.  Picked when they’re barely 5 inches long, their delicate flavor and perky yellow color, steamed till barely “squashy” and a small dollop of butter is just heaven.  I’ve enjoyed them so much this simple way that my Mom made them, that I’ve never wanted to “waste” them by preparing them any other way – and it’s been some 65 years!  I must admit though that I more enjoy the globe portion, and I freeze the solid neck portion and the cooking water for later use in soups and stews.
• This year, I’m growing 5 varieties to compare plant growth rates, fruit set, and flavor distinctions – Butter Dish, Dixie Hybrid, Early Prolific, and Pic ‘N’ Pic.

 
Green and Yellow and Purple Beans

• Over the years, I’ve tried every bush and pole bean variety I could find.  After a couple of years, I narrowed my choices to the stringless ones.  This avoids the nuisance of keeping track of which kind you’re harvesting each time so you know which to remove the string so it doesn’t get stuck in your teeth when you’re eating
• Bush varieties grow only about two feet tall, can be kept from sprawling with cages, and bear many pods over a period of two to three weeks if kept well watered and picked every other day or so.
• Pole varieties can grow more than six feet tall so definitely need tall cages, will continue bearing for a month or more but with fewer pods each time. 
• This year, I’ve grown these bush varieties:  Blue Lake, Cherokee Wax, Contender, Gold Rush, Golden Wax Improved, Provider, Rolande, Roc ‘d Or, Royalty Purple Pod, Stringless Green Pod, and Weekend.
• I’ve been very pleased with the full growth and heavy yields of the Blue Lake, Cherokee Wax, Contender, and Royalty Purple Pod varieties. 
• As a note to new cooks puzzled with how long to simmer beans, Royalty Purple Pod beans turn green when they’re sufficiently cooked, so are an excellent timing cue.
• I’m also growing these pole varieties:  Asparagus Yard Long, Chinese Red Noodle, and Orient Wonder.  Planted at the same time as the bush varieties, they’re still growing and haven’t set any beans yet. 

 
Peppers

• My plants from a year ago continue to bear fruits in several colors - why I purchase the six-pack with one plant of each color - though smaller.

Chard

• My several chard plants are finally bolting (going to seed) after harvesting them since October.  The leaves are thicker than they were during the spring, but still usable, and they haven’t gone bitter the way bolting lettuce does.  My husband likes the chard best mixed with lettuce in raw salads, whereas I like them better sauteed with leeks and added to my breakfast burritos. 
• At the end of the month, I’ll start more chard seeds in trays and in my beds, and hope to transplant them the month after that for another year-long harvest. 
• For those of you who’re in cooler climes, starting new chard seeds and the other veggies in my July Monthly Column should work fine since you won’t have the blasting heat of July and August to deal with.

 
Cucumbers

• Since the drought started several years ago, I haven't grown cucumbers because they take too much water for the number of cukes to harvest, and the ones that do result many times are bitter just because that gene gets concentrated due to insufficient water.

See July for more tasks and opportunities