The heat of summer is just upon us and cool temperatures are the farthest thing from our minds, but it is the perfect time to start thinking about what your garden will be producing in the coming fall.

The peppers, tomatoes, beans, onions, eggplants, cucumbers, and squash that you planted in May and June should be ready for their initial harvest in the coming weeks through the first frost in the fall.  By starting many of the crops that have already run their course due to the hot weather again, it is possible for a second harvest of many cool season veggies.

Plant pea seeds again now for a second harvest in September.  Note however, that fall plantings are fairly susceptible to powdery mildew and generally have lower yields.  Seeds of broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower can be sown directly into the garden now for a fall harvest. Beets and turnips can also be planted now for an expected harvest in late September/early October.

Late July is the time to plant leafy greens such as lettuce and spinach again from seed.  For a continuous fall crop, sow successive rows every two weeks until early September.  Plant radishes in early august and again at the end of the month.

With enough space and some planning, it is possible to enjoy fresh produce from your garden well beyond the dreaded first frost.  Most cool season vegetables actually taste better after being nipped by a few cold nights.

The long-awaited warm, sunny days of summer have finally arrived bringing leaf-laden trees, glorious flowers, a thriving vegetable garden–and HAIL! In a matter of moments it furiously pelts, bruises, shreds and smashes everything. Now what do you do?

The first task is to survey your garden carefully and assess the damage. You then can plan a course of action based on the kinds of plants injured, the extent of injury and the amount of time left in the growing season.

Vegetable gardens are remarkably adept at bouncing back after hailstorms. Remove the damaged outer leaves of lettuce, spinach and other leafy crops. If leafy vegetables show no signs of new growth after a week, replace them. Lettuce seeds can be sown all season long. Root crops, such as radishes and beets, will survive as long as the tops aren’t too badly damaged. If these plants are damaged beyond repair, you’ll need to wait until the soil cools down in September to replant as the seeds won’t germinate in soil that is too warm. When cleaning up, trim sparingly. You should leave as much of the tops as possible.  For tomatoes and peppers, prune out the damage…if it looks like more that half of the plant is gone, it will probably be best to replace with large healthy transplants from a garden center.  Although the damaged plants would more than likely come back, by the time they catch up to where they were, it might be too late to get a worthy harvest.  Be sure to lightly fertilize after cleaning up damage to give the plants a good head start with their recovery.

Perhaps most important…don’t get discouraged.  Gardening is trail and error and we are at the mercy of mother nature.  In just a few short weeks, you’ll forget about the storms as you’re enjoying fresh produce from your garden.

Did you catch Farmer Joe on 9NEWS on Tuesday?  Watch the video below.

Organic Gardener willing to share green thumb.

Read the article.

The Parker Chronicle wrote a fantastic article about The Organic Backyard.  The print version even had a great photo of Farmer Joe posing by our own, large 2-section compost bin.

Organic gardens grow in popularity

Never had a green thumb? Well, don’t worry. One man’s mission is to help ordinary people develop the organic garden they’ve always wanted.

Parker resident Joe Frankovitch, better known as Farmer Joe, is becoming the man to call for backyard gardening help. With a degree in plant biology, a landscape design certificate and a passion built from childhood, Farmer Joe answers prayers — and gardening questions — during the spring and summer.

He created The Organic Backyard, a new company that helps regular homeowners plan, build, grow and enjoy a garden in their backyard. Whether it’s looking for a start or a weekly maintainer, Farmer Joe is trained to do it all. The business began operations this spring when Joe moved to Colorado with his wife, Lara, who handles all the “businessy stuff” of the company, he said.

“I’ve always wanted to garden, eat local, organic, healthy food,” he said. “What could be more local than your own backyard?”

Farmer Joe is tapping into a niche that is quickly growing in popularity. Dozens of organic gardening Web sites have been established since people began realizing the health benefits, and cost savings, of growing their own vegetables.

“Your vegetables are going to be way fresher than that of a store,” Farmer Joe said. “Since they are organic, they taste better, have more nutrients and save you money.”

To start the journey with an organic garden, The Organic Backyard schedules a consultation to assess space and provide suggestions for the best sunlit place to plant produce. After that, Farmer Joe puts the organic garden into action based on each family’s needs, favorite vegetables and what will grow best in the backyard.

“Tomatoes, peppers, beans and lettuce seem to be some of the favorites to grow,” he said.

After the groundwork is laid for a “new organic lifestyle,” construction gets underway. Farmer Joe starts by laying down weather-resistant, raised cedar beds, which last up to 20 years.

The garden bed provides optimum drainage, a natural barrier to pests, and gives gardens a first-rate foundation from which to flourish. A 4-by-8 foot bed typically costs around $200-$250 and increases with the size of the garden.

In using compost-rich soils and organic fertilizers, the garden will begin to develop nutrient-rich soil equal to that which has had years of work and preparation.

Once the nutrient soil is laid down, the next step is to start growing. Not the “get in the dirt” type? Farmer Joe does that, too. If desired, he visits weekly to weed, prune, plant and maintain the “backyard farm,” he said.

“Most families want to maintain their garden together but for others I will come weekly to maintain their garden,” said Farmer Joe, who also is a stay-at-home dad.

This summer, Farmer Joe will work with The Parker Montessori School to provide them with the expertise needed to grow gardens around the school.

“I will be showing the students how to connect the food with the soil,” he said.

Growing a home vegetable garden greatly reduces human impacts on the environment, making The Organic Backyard his “organic food movement.” With friendly and informative guidance, growers can “develop a zest for life and nature that will benefit your family and your community,” he said.

{read here]