Five things to do in the garden this week:
Vegetables. This year, I let some radish plants grow instead of harvesting their roots, which is typically done three to six weeks after planting the seeds. A single radish plant may produce several hundred seeds or more so if you have an heirloom variety whose seeds will grow into predictable plants with predictable radishes, letting them go to seed will supply you with a vast supply of radishes for years to come. For the seeds to fully mature, allow the seed capsules, known as siliques, to turn brown. At this point, you can harvest and place them in small paper bags. The seeds will either fall out on their own or you can gently shake the pods for that to happen. Incidentally, when the seed pods first form, they may be eaten either raw or cooked. The flavor is spicy and will remind you of a radish, although their taste is not as sharp as that of the root. Radish flowers are white or pink and highly attractive to every type of bee as well as parasitic wasps that prey on aphids.
Fruits. Just as temperate zone trees such as apple, plum, peach, and cherry are best planted in the fall or winter so they can settle in before hot weather arrives, tropical trees are successfully planted at this time of year in order to settle in before winter cold comes. This means that August is appropriate for planting citrus, avocado, and guava. Heat-loving deciduous trees such as pomegranate and fig may also be planted now. You will, of course, want to pay special attention to the water needs of newly planted trees this time of year. Water every day for the first two weeks after planting. After that, watering frequency can be reduced. As always, a layer of mulch several inches thick will lengthen the interval between irrigations.
Herbs. Summer savory (Satureja hortensis) is an annual that grows rapidly to a height of 18 inches with a spread of 30 inches. The taste of its leaves combines the flavors of mint, marjoram, and thyme with a peppery twist. In the manner of basil, it grows well in moist soil with 6 hours of sun each day. Leaves are bronze-green, while stems are purple, and its tubular flowers are violet, thus making it an attractive garden selection in addition to its culinary value. While winter savory (Satureja montana) is perennial, the taste of its leaves is more bitter than that of its annual, summer-growing cousin.
Flowers. The perennial caper bush (Capparis spinosa) is famous for its edible flower buds, which we call capers when they are brined. Its flowers, however, are exceedingly unusual with their pyrotechnic, gold-tipped, purple stamens. They bloom at the hottest time of year on a plant that never needs to be watered. I have seen caper bushes growing out of cracks in the Western Wall at the base of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and along the side of the road that runs along the Dead Sea, where summer temperatures may reach 120 degrees, as well as on the adjacent mountaintop Masada fortress. This is a plant that does well in a waterless garden and will even self-sow as long as a little rain falls during the winter.
Greg Fitze harvested 30 ears of popcorn from a 4 x 4 foot plot. After allowing the ears to dry while still attached to the stalks, he harvested them and allowed further drying indoors. He tested the kernels of one ear and found that half of them popped; it is only by testing that you know when your crop of kernels is completely poppable. In any case, Greg wants to know: “Is there an easier way to set the kernels free (from the cobs) other than by wearing out your thumbs?” The answer is yes, and you don’t have to spend a lot to “set the kernels free.” The most popular device to achieve this result is a Decker Hand-Operated Corn Sheller, available through online vendors for as little as $15. You simply rotate a cob of corn through the toothed metal sheller as the kernels fall away.