Coping with the heat in your garden

How is everyone managing in the garden now we are having day after day of searing heat.

Our whole veggie plot is looking particularly sad. No matter how much you water the plants are suffering in the intense heat. The soil is dry and lifeless.

Our French neighbour says the biggest problem is the difference in the temperatures between day and night.He also said that most French people were expecting a bad year due to the phases of the moon in 2016.
I have written about lunar planting before both on my blog and on my website... and having just been for a birthday treat to the Astrofarm  at Confolens, where I spent a day...and night...learning about Astronomy..I am more and more convinced it is correct. Of course it's not just planting...Its the whole gardening thing...planting, transplanting, cutting back and composting   It's a whole science in itself.
Following it can certainly do no harm.


JULY is a busy time in the garden ..most of your produce is going to be ready and you need to do something with it. Its not a job you can put off otherwise your produce will be OFF by the time you get round to it,  As well as enjoying it fresh from the garden...and believe me there's nothing nicer than just stepping out of the kitchen door to pick what you need....fresh and full of nutrition... how are you going to preserve what you have grown.



POTATOES...

. they can be stored in a cool dry place...perhaps in a hessian sack.  You have  to be very stringent and check each one for any signs of damage, green bits or anything else that means the potato will not store well. Not only will that potato go off but all the rest will too.

This week I have  dug up all of my potatoess as the heat has just burned off the tops and they will not grow any more.  I have individually wrapped in paper a batch and put them in  a cool place in the garage.These will get used first.
The rest I have blanched aand frozen in 2 person portion sizes....some for boiling and some for deep frying..
I am once again disappointed with the Binjte potatoes...they are certainly not the large ones expected. I will try a different variety next years. The poor crop means I only have about a 6 month supply. Any recommendations  for good big potatoes.

Also ready this week were the beetroot, garlic and onions.
The beetroot has been cooked and frozen in batches of slices and quarters and I have also made the usual beetroot chutney.

Garlic has been plaited

 and I am using the onions straight from the ground.



The taste of tomatoes fresh from the garden is unbeatable.....you will not enjoy the watery tasteless ones from the supermarket after having your own.
Lots of lovely salad dishes and recipes to use these in...also prepare them for fresh tomato sauce to use in pastas

so easy to make....chopped tomatoes, fresh basil, onions, garlic salt and pepper and a tablespoon of sugar.
Throw it all in the pan and cook till soft then whizz it up.
If you do not have a pressure canner then its best to freeze it as there is a lack of preservative in the mix to be able to to just bottle it without treatment.
Unlike chutneys and jams which have sugar to preserve them..foods like tomatoes and vegetables need particular attention. Check out a good preserving site...there is  high risk of botulism if not preserved in the correct way.

For more information on recipes and preserving check out my website which I am updating at regular intervals. ..livingwellforlessincharente.wordpress.com