6.20.26 - Summer Solstice
Transcript
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Hello, friends, and welcome back to the Keep Growing Podcast, coming to you from Bob’s Market and Greenhouses right here in the heart of the Mid-Ohio Valley. I’m your host, John Morgan, and this is your weekly guide to making the most of your garden in our Zone 6-7 climate.
Whether you’re tending raised beds in Ironton, a backyard patch in Buffalo, or containers on a porch in Washington County, we’ve got timely tips to keep those plants thriving through the summer heat. Let’s dig into the week ahead – June 20th through June 26th, 2026!
We start the week with the summer solstice just around the corner – the longest day of the year! On Sunday, June 21st, we hit the First Quarter Moon. This is prime time for planting or harvesting aboveground crops. The increasing moonlight encourages leafy growth and strong stems – perfect for beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, squash, and herbs.
Make it a celebration! Take a peaceful garden walk that morning or evening. Notice how everything’s exploding with growth – the tomatoes are setting fruit, the zinnias are popping, and the sunflowers are reaching for the sky. Snap a few photos, pull a few weeds while you’re out there, and just enjoy being in the garden on the longest day. It’s one of my favorite times of the year.
Speaking of that summer heat picking up, now’s the moment to harvest peak cool-season crops like lettuce, spinach, and other greens before they bolt and turn bitter. Those long days and warmer nights are telling them it’s time to flower and seed. Pull or cut what’s ready, enjoy fresh salads, and then replant those spots with heat-loving summer favorites – think quick-maturing bush beans, more zucchini (because you can never have too much), or even a late sowing of carrots or beets if you’ve got the space. Succession planting keeps the harvest rolling all season long!
Don’t forget to stay on top of watering during these longer, warmer days. Deep, infrequent soaks are better than daily sprinkles – get that moisture down to the roots.
Mid-June is also a great window to fertilize your roses and perennials. Give them a balanced feed or a bloom-booster to support all those flowers and keep the color coming strong through July and August. Side-dress with compost or a good organic fertilizer, water it in well, and mulch to hold in that moisture. Your pollinators will thank you!
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That wraps up our look at the garden week ahead. As always, check out our website at bobsmarket.com for full show notes and more. And don’t forget our newly launched VIP Club – sign up for text notifications on sales, events, frost advisories (though we’re thankfully past that for now!), and special member perks. Scout’s honor – no spam, just helpful garden info straight to your phone.
Thanks for listening, folks. Get out there, celebrate that solstice, and keep growing!
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