Richard’s Almanac: Green thumbs at the Senior Center

That’s quite a little garden planter that Gerry Siller of Grady Riley Gardens gave to the Senior Center. Highway department members helped out too by hooking up the water supply and providing topsoil.

The planter is waist-high, walker accessible and wheelchairs can roll right up next to it. The height is also perfect for those whose older bones and muscles find it difficult to bend and kneel — movements necessary to weed, thin and pick with a conventional on-the-ground garden.

The Senior Center’s garden already has numerous plants started including peppers, zucchinis, tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce, all vegetables suitable for Island summer growth. Fresh vegetables are always welcome additions to summer meals. Tomatoes and corn of August just can’t be beat.

I must admit that I have never been a very successful gardener. I did not know about tilling the soil until I experienced very low output attempts. I eventually found it easier to buy bags of topsoil and put them down in what would become my garden area.

I chose a very sunny area adjacent to the deck in the back of my house. I decided to plant pumpkins, zucchini, tomatoes and corn. I was advised against the corn because I did not have enough room. But I tried anyway.

The directions on the corn seed packet said to remove seedlings to create enough space between the corn stalks. Well, I thought that if these seedlings started, I’d let them all live. I kept them in their section and watched them grow with little room between the stalks.

They did produce ears of corn. The ears were small and edible, but not good enough to satisfy a corn-on-the-cob craving. What they did provide me with was a suitable number of cornstalks for fall decorations, like when you stand them up next to a few pumpkins.

And speaking of pumpkins, I’ve never grown anything larger than about six inches in diameter. However, I have always had success with pumpkin flowers. My grandmother would buy them and drench them in an egg and flour batter before frying them in olive oil. They are delicious. However, I have never been able to determine how to pick the flower and save the pumpkin. Maybe that’s why I don’t grow many pumpkins, but those flowers are so good.

Then there are the zucchinis. They seem to grow without much care and they get very large. Just keep them adequately watered and you’ll have a constant supply suitable for salads, frying, bread or any other creative idea you might have.

I have always had a good basil crop all summer long growing in pots in the sun which creates an endless supply of fresh pesto. One summer upstate I had so much I froze it and had pesto all winter.

I have friends who are very serious about growing tomatoes and always have a surplus. So I am often given large, plump ones when they’re in season. I like them with salt and pepper and some olive oil. And I know that some individuals put sugar on their ripe tomatoes. The first time I visited my in-laws in Indiana, I was introduced to this. It never caught on with me.

My tomatoes never get very big so I rely on the grocery stores and farm stands for these August jewels. I love the way they taste with fresh basil when paired with clams on the half shell. Add the corn on the cob with melted butter and a grilled rare steak. The best.