Summer reaches its zenith in July with magnificent plant growth that is still going strong. All the early growth that has been building for the last few months is culminating now with power and intensity. It feels like plants will keep growing indefinitely for months to come, but that won’t be the case, so I am appreciating their growth now.
The Limelight and Firelight panicle hydrangeas, which started producing tiny buds this spring, are producing large blooms this month. These hydrangeas thrive in the heat and sun of July. The Knockout roses are still producing blooms, while the sunpatiens, begonias, and Black Eyed Susans just get bigger.
The okra is taller each day and the squash foliage is large and spreading with many squash blooms forming underneath. The greasy beans are twirling their way up the trellis, reaching and climbing higher each day. They are only now beginning to mature. The bean pods will form in about a month.
The tomatoes and peppers are ripe and delicious. It is a treat to check for them every day and bring many of them into the kitchen for lunch and dinner. The Sun Sugar cherry tomatoes live up to their name! Basil plants are producing large, tasty leaves.
I know from experience that many vegetable plants start to fade by mid-August, so I am reveling in the bounty that the heat of July brings. If you have a garden, which vegetables are you harvesting this month?