Hello Garden Friends!

First, I owe you a little apology. 💚

July has been a wonderfully busy month, and before I knew it, our newsletter date had slipped right past me! Thank you so much for your patience and for continuing to be part of this growing garden community. Whether you’re tending a backyard oasis, a tiny porch garden, or just keeping a few favorite houseplants happy, I’m so grateful you’re here.

Now let’s dig into this month’s gardening inspiration!

🌱 Three Herbs You Can Still Plant in July (Perfect for Porch Pots!)

Think it’s too late to grow herbs? Not at all! These three thrive in containers and love soaking up the summer sunshine.

🌿 Basil

Basil is one of the easiest herbs to grow in a pot.

Growing Tips

• Plant in a container with excellent drainage.
• Give it 6–8 hours of sunshine daily.
• Water when the top inch of soil feels dry.
• Pinch off flower buds to encourage more leafy growth.

Harvest: Pick leaves regularly from the top of the plant, and it’ll continue producing all summer.

🌿 Rosemary

This fragrant herb loves warm weather and makes a beautiful porch plant.

Growing Tips

• Use a well-draining potting mix.
• Water deeply but allow the soil to dry between waterings.
• Place in full sun.

Harvest: Snip a few stems whenever needed. Fresh rosemary is wonderful for cooking, homemade herbal oils, and even natural hair rinses.

---

🌿 Chives

Chives are incredibly beginner-friendly and keep producing for months.

Growing Tips

• Grow in full sun or light afternoon shade.
• Keep the soil consistently moist.
• Divide clumps every few years to keep plants vigorous.

Harvest: Cut leaves about 2 inches above the soil and they’ll quickly grow back.

---

🥒 Growing & Harvesting Cucumbers

Zones 6, 7 & 8)

There’s nothing quite like picking a crisp cucumber straight from the garden!

Planting

In Zones 6–8, July is still a great time to sow another crop of cucumbers for a late summer or early fall harvest, especially if you choose fast-maturing varieties.

• Plant in full sun.
• Mix compost into the soil before planting.
• Space plants 12–18 inches apart.
• Keep soil consistently moist.
• A trellis saves space, improves airflow, and helps produce straighter cucumbers.

Harvesting

The secret to productive cucumber plants is harvesting often!

• Pick slicing cucumbers when they’re 6–8 inches long.
• Pick pickling cucumbers at 3–5 inches.
• Don’t allow fruits to become oversized, or the plant will slow production.
• Harvest every couple of days during peak season.

Garden Tip: Water at the base of the plant instead of overhead to help reduce powdery mildew during the heat of summer.