Tales From The Plot
The flower emblem for July is the Oxeye Daisy (or Moon daisy, Moon penny or Dog daisy). July’s character is classed as Abundance and Bees.
There will be a Full Moon on the 29th July, Moon names are Hay, Raspberry, Buck, Thunder, Mead, Herb.
July is a very busy month, not only on allotments but culturally too. Old and new Festivals or events in the UK summer enjoy the warmth, sunshine and abundance of food including the ancient celebration of Lammas, bringing people together for collective work, play and feasting. As do the US for Independence. France for the Liberty of Bastille, Buddhists for first sermons of Dharma, Hindhu’s for Guru Purnima. Muslims for the month of pilgrimage. After July’s crescent moon, Av for Jews marks a sad time of remembrance. All these and many more cultures use summer food (or abstinence from), for rituals and celebrations of July as important focus for their events.
So July requires growing commitment, watering, feeding, harvesting, planning, filling open spaces as some crops end and others start.
On my plot the onions and garlic are lifted and drying. My broad beans are coming to an end. I like to eat them as a bright green dip. Cooked, shelled and blended with 1/2 avocado, basil and/or mint, lemon juice, seasoning, garnished with a drizzle of olive oil, pine nuts and chilli flakes, served with flat breads or toast.
I was lucky not to have blackfly infestations on beans this year. Pinching out the growing tip can help. I also generally plant beans with companion plants of Calendula or Nasturtiums to attract blackfly away whilst maintaining attractiveness. Their flowers are edible (if clean of blackflies) along with courgette flowers.
My runner beans, Swiss chard & parsnips are also growing with beautiful Salsify (Tragopogon porrofolius) an excellent companion and pollinator attraction flower, as it has a narrow taproot so is good for inter-cropping. It has open, deep purple flowers then a fantastic large seed head globe, like an enlarged golden dandelion. Similarly, I use blue daisy-like flowering chicory in the same way. This year it’s near my leeks, alliums and apples. See image above right.
Making friends with others is useful as well as pleasant. In Spring it’s nice to be able to share and swap young veg plants from your growing stock then in summer it’s satisfying to share a chat, cuppa and your spare produce, having avoided gluts through your earlier socialising. If we still have gluts anyway, we can widen our generosity pool from friends and family. Gluts need never be wasted. Some food banks value fresh produce.
Crops in abundance on our plots at this time can include fruits like strawberries, currants, berries and cherries. Herbs like basil, mint, dill, salads, young veg like carrots, runner and french beans, new and first early potatoes, artichokes, peas, mangetout, courgettes. As mentioned, the spaces created from harvesting can be re-planned, prepared and nourished for winter crops like brassicas to follow.
Richard is tending his care for future hopes. Though not yet ready for anything to do with plot related activity.
Kate H. Syston Allotments
