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June Gloom In The Garden and My Mardi Gras Bead Tree

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This is what June Gloom looks like in Southern California. It’s grey, wet, damp and chilly. It’s the kind of cold that hangs in the air all day and bathroom towels don’t ever really dry–not even overnight! On a good day the sun might peek out around 4. On a bad day we don’t see the sun at all. I hate it and my garden hates it too, especially the tomatoes. So I’m warning you, if you’re going to visit Southern California in June, bring a warm coat! Better yet, come in September–my favorite month–the tourists are gone and the sun is out.

The sun may not be out now, but I’ll still take you on a little tour of what’s happening in my garden during June Gloom and share my Mardi Gras Bead Tree.
I have lots and lots of blooms on the passion fruit vine.

 And here’s the beginning of the first one of the season.

 The tomatoes on the front deck just need a few days of sun and I’m sure they’d start to turn red.

 This is a new edition–the Better Belle pepper.

 You can never have enough strawberries!

These cherry tomatoes on the front deck are starting to turn red. I tried one last week, but it needs a little more time. It wasn’t quite sweet enough yet. 

I’ve been spoiled by home-grown arugula. The packages at the market, even if they’re organic, just don’t taste as good. But as you can see, it will be a few weeks before I’ll be harvesting this batch.

I put in some more Romaine–well, I guess that’s one veggie grateful for the cool weather. I also put in some more beets.

The newest edition to the garden–the hanging blue solar lights. They’re a lot of fun and look cool at night. Notice how tall the tomatoes are!

On the left, two different tomatoes and on the right two varieties of green beans. My favorites are still Blue Lake.

 It’s turning red!!!! I can’t wait. These are really big ones. 

I just planted more radish seeds. I’m going to thin them so I don’t get long and skinny radishes this time. Radishes are my new favorite to slice on the mandoline and put on sandwiches.

These are San Francisco Fog tomatoes…they might as well be called Laguna Gloom.

 I may have planted these seeds too early, but I’ll let you know.

Double duty. Corn in front and cucumbers in back. I’m hoping to train them to grow up the wall.

I used an old tomato cage to tame the two tomatillos. I’ve never had a lot of luck with these. They just never get very big, but I’m trying again.

 Here’s my dense “wall of tomatoes”. I see lots of pasta, caprese and BLT’s.

 I love it when the hydrangeas bloom.

These are also a favorite, but I have to be careful not to bring them in the house. They are very messy…and stain.

 “Eat A Peach”. Well, not yet, but they’re on their way.

 Hopefully the birds will save some for me.

Just planted the ground cover on the fruit orchard and secured a pathway.

And last…but not least…a little tribute to New Orleans. Since Jake is working there this summer I needed to bring a little New Orleans to Laguna Beach. They have a Mardi Gras bead tree at Tulane (and actually all over New Orleans) so this is my little lemon Mardi Gras tree. It’s right by the front door and will bring lots of Southern Hospitality and Mardi Gras spirit to all who visit me.


Categories: Gardening Tips, Summer

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