The labors

of spring planting have given way to the fruits and

vegetables of summer, with an abundance of produce within

picking distance of the backdoor. Local gardeners are

harvesting beans, tomatoes, squash and cucumbers for use

in favorite recipes, or enjoying them au naturale.

Tammi and

Dave Herrmann of Peachtree City have reaped squash,

carrots, radishes, corn and tomatoes from their raised

bed garden, plus many hours of fun and learning for their

three children. The beds are accessible from all sides,

allowing Amee and Natali plenty of space to explore the

garden, water it, and pick out their favorites for

dinner. Herrmann started her planting in April, some from

seeds and plants. This year, the Herrmanns experimented

with their tomatoes by tube-feeding them and fertilizing

the roots through a mini-compost pile contained in the

circular fencing surrounding each plant. The results were

not as good as they hoped. "Our tomatoes did better

last year," admitted Herrmann, noting the process

outdid the product.

One of the

beds is home to vegetables, while another provides color

with various flowers. Tall spikes of gladiolas are just

about to bloom. Herrmann has personalized her garden with

a small wrought iron trellis, a pottery plate bird bath,

and a few tiny garden markers. Each year, the garden

expands in another direction, with plans for a stretch of

shade to be filled with impatiens and other hearty

varieties in the near future.

Across the

street from the Herrmanns, Sandy Campbell and her clan

make the most of a tiny poolside patch with a rectangular

garden filled to the brim with salad-ready veggies and

dessert melons. "I raised some from seeds and some

from plants," Campbell noted. "Early on we had

some lettuce, radishes, eggplant and squash. Now the

melons are starting to bloom," she indicated

pointing out the yellow flowers on the cantaloupe vines.

She credits

Miracle-Gro with her prize-quality tomatoes, plus a tip

she learned at a local farmer's market, mixing epsom

salts with the fertilizer or water before application.

We're had a garden every summer for about five years, and

every year we get a little better at it," Campbell

said.

Finding

ingredients for native dishes can be a struggle for many

Japanese families transplanted to Georgia. Junko Tsusuki

has found growing her own Japanese cucumbers is the

answer. Tucked behind her Peachtree City cluster home,

Tsusuki has a postage-stamp size plot of cukes ready for

picking. The long slender variety is used in her

easily-prepared cucumber salad dressed with a combination

of vinegar and sugar.

Prolific

amounts of squash, zucchini and tomatoes can pose some

interesting challenges for amateur farmers. When the

family tires of zucchini bread, squash casserole and

tomato sandwiches, extra yields can always be preserved

for the cooler months in several easy ways.

Freezing,

drying and canning are three methods of saving the best

flavors of summer. Easy to follow guides on all three

processes are available from the Cooperative Extension

Service, located at the Fayette County government complex

on Stonewall Ave.

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