
Zone 5b Garden Update For June
Lots growing on this month in the garden. This month I learned the importance of succession planting crops such as carrots, lettuce, and beets. It's a little late for this year as all my space is filled, but I will save space to do this next year.
I'm also proud to announce that all my plants are officially in the ground! It's time for a plant-off dance-off. Vegetables are sprouting and growing very quickly! To track the growth, I take pictures at least weekly of my plants. Taking photos ensures I can look back and see how far my plants have come since being put in the ground.
In June I put my final touches on my scarecrow head, added hay to my plants, and, experimented with growing sprouts. Keep reading to find out about everything I have growing on.
What The Hay?
June 2021 in zone 5B was very hot! We had 5 days of 90+ degree heat in a row the first week in June. Mass panic spread across the local area - particularly I was wondering was all my hard work about to be scorched.
Thankfully, a fellow gardener had some extra hay and was willing to share. I didn't even know why I was putting hay down honestly, I just saw that she did it, so I did it too.
As it turns out, hay is great for your garden - it helps with weed control, retains moisture, and will eventually compost down enriching your soil. Here's a wonderful article on the benefits of hay in the garden. I believe the hay saved some of my non-heat-tolerant plants such as lettuce.

Building A Scarecrow For The Garden
In contrast to hot temperatures, I started thinking about my fall garden - I know - it's a little early and the spring season just started. I'm a planner, and more specifically, I like to take things that I learn and apply them as soon as possible. As I talked with fellow gardeners, I learned that some plants are cold-tolerant and should be planted in the fall. In particular, plants like lettuce and Brussels sprouts have a better chance of growing in cooler temperatures.
At the same time I was thinking of my fall garden, someone mentioned a scarecrow would help keep animals out of my plot and could be useful later in summer. With this in mind, I thought to myself - I need a scarecrow so all of my hard work doesn't get eaten before I can harvest!
In the meantime, I have this hawk I can keep in the garden to scare off animals.

This month I made a lot of progress on the scarecrow - he now has a head with hair and hat! I still have more work to do, namely on the body, but the scarecrow will be complete shortly.
It's important to realize how much time and effort goes into a flourishing garden before getting a garden. That's partially the reason I started my garden updates.
Not only can you garden outside, but also inside. This month I experimented with growing sprouts - continue reading after the videos for how to grow sprouts (no dirt needed!).
How To Grow Sprouts At Home (No Dirt Needed!)
Growing sprouts is easier than I thought, and likely easier than you think! Sprouts require nothing but water and a place to grow, I purchased these lids that attach to a mason jar. These lids come with a handle that helps with draining the sprouts which is especially important. This version also comes with 6 lids so you can have a continuous supply of sprouts. My sprout mix of choice has alfalfa, radish, broccoli, and clover sprouts.
Sprouts are surprisingly easy to grow and I want to point out that they only take 5 days. Minimal effort is required daily and the payoff is well worth it. Use sprouts to complete sandwiches, top soups, or add to salads.
Growing Instructions For Growing Sprouts Using A Sprouting Lid
The amount of sprouts you want to grow is up to you - I recommend starting with 1 tablespoon and seeing how much this makes and then adjusting from there - if you find you have too many sprouts, use less mix, if you want more sprouts, use more mix
Wash sprouts by putting them in the jar, add water, and the lid then drain - I repeated 3 times. After the final rinse, add water and replace the lid. Let sit for 8-12 hours.
Drain water and rinse then drain
Every 3-6 hours you will need to rinse & drain
On day 3 - move the jar to a well-lit location (direct sunlight only if you are using a tray)
Continue rinsing and draining every 3-6 hours
Day 5 - harvest when the leaves are open and green
I placed my sprouts on a paper towel and removed as much moisture as possible before placing them in a bag in the crisper drawer
That's it - after 5 days - you'll have a large number of sprouts to enjoy over the next few days.
Fast Facts About Angie's Garden
Plot size: 10' x 16'
30 plots total in the community garden
All plots are in a gated area
Tools, wheelbarrows, gloves, etc. are all located in a shed in the garden
Water and hoses are also included on-site
65 different vegetables were planted in this plot - including my 2 Mr. Stacky's - these hold 20 plants each
Catch up on all of Angie's garden updates by clicking here. I've got to get back to the garden - the work never ends!