We continue to work on clearing out the raised beds and putting in fall plantings. Of our summer crops, the only ones still producing are eggplant and basil. I've mostly been planting broccoli transplants in these beds, with petunias planted around the perimeter.
The okra plants have stopped producing, so I dug them out this week and collected the dried pods. If you like okra and are looking for something that will thrive in the summer heat, it's a good choice. Personally, I don't care for okra unless it is unhealthily fried. I don't like either the taste or its slimy texture. This may have something to do with one summer in grad school when I survived on a diet of okra and tomatoes raided from my mother's freezer. I think the plants, which are in the hibiscus family, are pretty, so I planted a few this year anyway. We gave away some, and I thought I might use the dried pods in a Thanksgiving arrangement, but I don't think that will work. They lose their beautiful red color when dried, and the pods split open, scattering the tiny black seeds everywhere. As I collected the pods, I couldn't help but think of the story of the prodigal son who wound up living in a pigpen and was so hungry he longed to eat the husks fed to the pigs. I wondered if those husks were okra.
I've been trying to take the garden overview picture at the top of each blog post from the same location and angle each time, in order to show how the garden changes through the year. The shadows are lengthening now, so it's hard to get a clear picture, but I think I'll stick with that plan. If you want to see some better pictures, Facebook reminded me that one year ago, the Phoenix Home and Garden article on our Arizona Backyard Eden came out, Here's a link to my Facebook album containing screen shots of the article, along with additional pictures that were only available in the digital edition.
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