- Garden Notes
- Posts
- Heat’s On, Growth’s Up — Keeping Your Garden Growth Focused
Heat’s On, Growth’s Up — Keeping Your Garden Growth Focused
Pruning tomatoes: cutting back all that lush growth to focus on the fruit
The Grounded Homestead
July 01, 2025
Weekly roundup
Summer Growth is in Full Swing — Leafy Greens Love This Heat
Tomatoes love this heat, but all that leafy growth can rob your harvest. I’ve been pruning hard to direct energy into the fruit where it matters.
Homestead Happenings
Keeping Tomato Plants in Check
I spent the better part of yesterday afternoon wrestling with the tomato beds. This time of year, it’s a jungle — vines sprawling every direction, thick with leaves.
As much as I like seeing all that life, I know if I let it keep going unchecked, I’ll pay for it later with small, weak fruit.
Tomato plant expanding unchecked, prior to pruning.
So out came the pruning shears. I cut off the suckers, opened up the plants to some airflow, and made sure the main stems could put energy where it counts: into growing strong, flavorful tomatoes.
While I was in there, I did a close inspection for hornworms and fortunately only spotted one tiny worm — a reminder to always check for trouble while you’ve got your hands in the foliage.
If you’re growing tomatoes, don’t skip this step. It’s one of the simplest ways to get more from your garden.
Lettuce need airflow on these hot humid days
How to Keep Lettuce from Rotting OutBottom rot shows up as dark, mushy spots at the base of your lettuce heads — often hidden until you go to harvest and find the lower leaves slimy or collapsed.  Bottom rot on red salad mix lettuce Mulching with clean straw helps keep soil from splashing onto leaves, and rotating where you plant lettuce each season cuts down on lingering pathogens. Keep an eye underneath your plants; catching it early makes all the difference. | It’s caused by a soil fungus that thrives in overly damp conditions, especially when airflow is poor. The best prevention is to water early in the day so leaves dry out by evening, space your plants to allow air to move freely, and avoid overhead watering if you can. Want more on spotting problems early — and the simple fixes that save your crop? Dive into the full post and keep your lettuce crisp and clean all season. |
Make the most out of small raised beds, planning it one square foot at a time
A Square Foot Garden Plan That Delivers — Over and Over
Most folks plant once and call it a season, but a well-managed square foot garden can give you three, even four harvests from the same patch.
Start with fast growers like radishes or baby greens in early spring, then follow with bush beans or lettuce as the days warm.
view of our raised bed, just finishing second crop of radishes on to lettuce and carrots
When that finishes, tuck in carrots or turnips, and close the year with a late crop of spinach or arugula as the weather cools again.
With smart spacing, compost top-dressing, and knowing exactly when to swap crops, you’ll keep that bed working hard for you month after month.
If you want a full game plan — from layout to crop rotation ideas — take a look at the complete guide. It’s built for real-life gardens and meant to feed you steady.
Beets are hitting their stride right now
Roasted Beets with Garlic and Thyme
One of my favorite ways to enjoy beets is simple and rustic: slice them into wedges, toss with olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and fresh thyme, then roast at 400°F for about 35 minutes until they’re tender and caramelized on the edges.
Don’t toss those beet greens, either. Sauté them with a little bacon fat or butter, add a splash of vinegar, and you’ve got a side dish that ties the whole plate together.
That’s it for this week.
Weekly Garden Tip: Hot weather pulls moisture fast. Mulch now — a 2-3 inch layer of straw or shredded leaves keeps roots cool and cuts watering in half. It’s one of the simplest ways to keep your soil alive.
The Grounded Homestead