Below are pictures sent in by a reader from their central North Carolina garden. I have to say I'm a little jealous seeing that rich red soil and their row crops are already coming in nicely. Folks in southern climates sure do get a head start on those of us up north, but in more humid areas with long growing seasons they have more disease and pests to deal with. I notice in the picture that the basil is starting to go to seed with those long stalks at the top. One way to keep your basil producing tasty leaves all summer is to snip off the seed heads as they are forming. Some protection from the most intense heat of the sun also helps. I recommend inter-planting basil with tomatoes.
Nice job on the garden and coop Larry. Send me your pictures and garden descriptions as part of our View From Your Garden Series.
Craig:
You should consider a visit to your once childhood home North Carolina. Eastern NC as you may remember has lots of black dirt, and sandy soil, great for growing. The middle of the state and West has that red clay you speak so fondly of. I'll take the black dirt any day compared to the clay here. We are fortunate that here in Durham we have both black dirt, and clay. Chapel Hill and West, red clay, and red mud. This clay is a bitch to turn, and can wreak havoc on one's foundation during a drought....
Enjoying your blog. Hope you and your family are doing well.
Myers
Posted by: Andrew Sugg | May 06, 2010 at 11:36 AM
Yeah - I guess that is clay isn't it. I think of it as being fertile tobacco territory. Some day I'll get back to New Bern. We've been going to Kiawah Island for the last couple of years for family vacation. It "feels" a lot like what I remember in NC.
Good to hear from you.
Posted by: craig | May 06, 2010 at 03:53 PM