With the summer sizzle in full swing, it can be a challenge to stay encouraged (and cool) on the farm. This season is hard on many of our plants, but I’m focused on growing the ones that thrive in heat and making the most of this time.

Two plants that have proven to not only be able to handle the intense summer sun, but LOVE IT are blueberry bushes and basil plants. It’s no coincidence that these two share a season either. They’re delicious together! This season, we’re growing three varieties of blueberries (Brightwell, Premier, and Powder Blue) and seven types of basil (Opal, Holy, Lime, Genovese, Cinnamon, Large Leaf Italian, and Lemon).

The unexpected late-season Spring frost took out a lot of our berries and stunted our basil growth, but we were still able to harvest enough to enjoy a morning with blueberry and cinnamon basil pancakes.

Our local blueberry farm also lost berries due to the frost, but still had PLENTY of fruit left on their five acres of berry bushes. I spent a couple mornings with them harvesting blueberries for our freezers. (Check out the video clip below.) I’m grateful for the berry haul, of course, but even more for the knowledge and encouragement the growers so freely shared.

Last year, when we bought our blueberry bushes from them, they were confident that I could clone my new bushes into a full orchard before I was even sure I could keep my new plant babies alive for a season. Well, I somehow managed to keep all four of my blueberry bushes alive and fruiting while growing in containers for a whole year. You know what that means?! Imma PRO[pagate]! I took my first softwood blueberry cuttings. We’ll see how this goes. Fingers + toes crossed that some of my cuttings grow strong roots to produce more blueberry bushes.

I’ve also begun water propagating our basil plants for succession planting to support my second round of tomatoes (coming soon), feed the bees (they LOVE basil flowers), and increase my basil preserve (we use a lot of herbs in our kitchen).

Yea, it is hot hot, but I’d say the season is shaping up pretty nicely, nonetheless.