We’re nearing the end of July and it’s time for the midsummer garden clean-up. I finally pulled out the peas, making room for other plants still in pots or for later plantings…

The first round of raspberries is finished (mine produce twice a year), and I’ve finished picking clean two of my three blueberry bushes. I brought in my last bunch of lettuce, though the cucumbers are starting and there’s cabbage out at my mom and dad’s place (my extension garden :)), so I’m not lacking for salad and I have enough lettuce stowed in the fridge to feed a horse.

It’s hot and dry. In a place known for rain, we begin to miss it about now, especially since the rain ended six weeks earlier than usual this year.

I planted bush beans this year, as well as the fence climbing pole beans. The bush beans have a shorter days to harvest window, so even though they take up more space than the pole beans, I’m enjoying fresh beans for dinner. I have three kinds: purple, green, and green with purple stripes. 🙂 Yum.

My peppers are looking good and so are the tomatoes. The lettuce leaf basil is humongous and the thai basil so pretty.

So far, it’s been a good gardening year.

How is your late July garden looking?

Sandra Smith is the author of the awesome and award-winning middle grade/YA series, Seed Savers. Visit her Facebook and Pinterest pages. Follow her on Twitter. Sign up for the newsletter!