Along with all the delicious veggies, flowers and berries, the herbs in Penelope’s Garden are in full bloom and ready to harvest. Tina Alexander, the garden’s work-for-sharer, provides the week’s updates and a hand-drawn map to help us navigate the space for optimal picking.
As the dry days linger, Tina has been stopping by the farm every couple of days to hand water the plants and make sure they are thriving despite the lack of rain. The regular watering is certainly paying off, as both the holy basil (Kapoor Tulsi) and the lemon balm are lush and brimming with scent and flavor. Tina asks that sharers harvest both herbs generously to ensure ongoing fresh growth for the second half of the season.
Along with the tulsi and lemon balm, the bee balm is looking great, with lots of flowers and new growth ready for picking. There are helpful cutting instructions hanging from the pole with the yellow circle and with proper harvesting, everyone can continue to enjoy the balm for the rest of the summer.
For fans of calendula blooms, the patch is in the process of getting refreshed. With good conditions, Tina expects to see new plants and blooms in the coming weeks.
And finally, Tina leaves us with two parting gifts:
A recipe for a delightful bee balm tea: https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/how-to-make-bee-balm-tea-recipe/
And a location map of Penelope’s Garden to make harvesting even easier during pickup:
