Summer arrived this year with a bang, with high temperatures reminiscent of August. Of late, we have been graced with humidity, which is becoming more and more common here in our High Desert home, but great for the growth of a garden. Remember to keep those plants healthy with a nice, even watering schedule and a dose of fertilizer dug in around each plant. Disease, pests, and even animals will attack a weak plant before a healthy plant. Keep an eye out for the dreaded tomato worm. You will find their little black pebbles of feces or all the leaves will be gone from the stem of your tomato plants, and they will surely be nearby, though hard to see. The tomato hornworm can easily be controlled with daily picking, and they are easier to see in the evening and more active.
At Moonstruck Farms, almost all the tomato and basil transplants are in the ground. The plants we put in three weeks ago are already over 3 feet tall with flowers. A strong transplant planted in the ground at the proper time (meaning ground temperatures are plenty warm and cozy), with proper watering and fertilization, will outdistance a tomato plant planted too early that struggled during the cold every time. Not to mention, why spend the money on watering that plant when one planted in warm ground will grow just as fast, if not faster? The Gravenstein apples are growing quickly, being one of the first apples harvested here on the farm in mid- to late July. Crab apples will also be coming off the trees soon, which makes our delicious Crab Apple Jelly. Our fruit harvest will be lean this year due to the warm winter and the freezing winds we received in April, but we will be grateful for whatever our small farm provides.
At the local farmers markets, summer is in full swing, with the farms from warmer regions bringing plenty of summer produce. Governor Newsom signed funding for the Market Match grant at the Phelan Farmers Market, so it is funded through 2027, providing up to $15 in free farm fresh produce to EBT customers each Monday. Just ask the market manager (aka me, Moonstruck Farms) at the Phelan Farmers Market on Mondays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 4128 Warbler Road in Phelan for details. The Wrightwood Farmers Market is open for summer hours, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. each Friday in the Wrightwood Community Center parking lot, bringing a wide variety of hot food choices for you to enjoy on a Friday evening.
