What to do with radishes in the heat

Radishes are a cool weather crop, as most gardeners know. I harvested them a while ago, but I left one of the biggest and healthiest to flower. The bees like the flowers, which turn into green pods. The pods (when green) can be eaten, such as in a stir fry. The photo below shows a pod, but it's past the point of eating but not at the point of collecting seeds. As the pods ripen, they get brown and dry. Inside there will be radish seeds. 

I have a problem waiting until the seeds are fully developed--they'll look dark. If you grow a hybrid or several varieties, the seeds may not develop into the exact same kind of radish. But these are some of the easiest seeds to save. The photo below shows how the seeds should look. Happy seed saving!

July Update

Welcome to July...the heat, the humidity, and the lush plant growth. I complete my garden chores and daily walk early because I don't like the heat. But the plants are doing well.

The New Ace peppers have set fruit (above). The tomatoes are flopping all over the place (my fault), but I'll tie them back (again), so the pepper can grow and ripen.

I have harvested the garlic scapes (above). Yes, you can eat them--pesto, pickled-- but I chop them, place them in a glass jar, pour boiling water over them, and let them sit for two to three days. Then I separate the water and the scapes, putting the water back in the jar and the scapes in compost. I put the jar in the fridge to use this fall as a scent deterrent so critters leave my shrubs alone. 

The beans are beginning to produce. This was my third attempt at planting. I'll plant another crop for fall after the heat wave.

Shasta daisies flank the native geraniums. I planted two Supertunias Vista Paradise on the edge, and they're struggling a bit. They were stressed clearance plants, so it may take them a while to recover.

These Easy Wave Neon Rose petunias are thriving. I wasn't sure if they'd do well because I bought them on sale. I love this color! I planted one plant per pot and lined up the three pots. 

The lavender I grew from seed is thriving in its spot. I think I may expand this next year. Below is an overview of the vegetable garden. And now I'll work on re-hydrating myself. 

Swallowtail Caterpillars

The dill in my garden self-seeded itself (with a little help from me leaving the seed heads on). Dill is a host plant for black swallowtail caterpillars. These are looking healthy, yet we have a good population of birds in the area, so I worry a little. The photo below has five small caterpillars. The photo above was taken a few days later. When I was in the garden without my phone, I watched a swallowtail lay eggs on the dill...one tiny precious dot per plant. 

Butterfly Weed Update

Happy Fourth of July! This is the third season, and the butterfly weed bloomed. I thought they were dead last year, but I watered them through last year's drought. In the background is blanket flower. The original coreopsis (tick seed) has finished blooming. I've planted some daisies and Black-eyed Susans, which I'll update as soon as they're established. I started them from seed, so it may be next year before they bloom. In the far background is the bee house, along with some fairy garden figurines, which will be featured in a future post. In other news, the pea pods are ready to eat. And delicious! I enjoy expanding flowers and shrubs in my garden, but I absolutely delight in the fresh food.