i keep coming back for more

we’ve hardly stepped into june, and already the temps are consistently in the 90s. there’s no question that this summer will be as relentlessly hot as the last. the sad thing about last year’s scorcher is that it was seriously discouraging to this amateur veggie gardener. my tomato plants grew taller than me but never produced, my herbs bolted immediately, and my thirsty greens could never seem to keep enough moisture and just burned up under the blazing sun.

so this year i’ve drastically cut back on the variety of plants in my garden, and focused on a few that are big producers and RE-producers in the early months of the season. specifically, herbs and veggies that continually fill out and develop new growth in response to my heavy pruning. my two favorites lately are the chard and mint.

i just love how bright and beautiful swiss chard looks, both in the garden and in my kitchen. and chard is wonderful in fruit smoothies — a staple in my daily meals now that one of my biggest prego food aversions is most vegetables — imagine that! the green taste almost disappears in the sweetness of the fruit, so i’ve been happy to give this power plant a large spot in my little veggie patch.

swiss chard – one day’s harvest

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each year, the mint runs so rampant that i fear it will take over all my herbs, but this year i have been using more than ever making peppermint tea daily. you know i am a huge fan of tea, and so backing off the caffeinated beverage has been one of the hardest parts of pregnancy for me. i’ve turned to the short list of herbal infusions that are considered safe for an expectant momma, and mint is one of the few that there is no conflicting opinion about. so hurray for an abundant supply!

peppermint leaves ready to be dried and steeped

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while this season’s garden has been focused on plants i can continue to harvest until the heat causes them to bolt or wither, i think i’ll plan next year’s plot around early spring and late fall crops to avoid frustration the summer’s killer heat.