It’s strawberry guava season–two months early. A friend nearby said her loquat tree produced a crop three months early. We had an unusual winter with very warm temperatures January through March. I’m pleased to have them show up in July because they usually arrive in mid-September which is when my son gets married. 

This year the guavas are much larger which makes them easier to harvest and process. My husband attributes this to his severe pruning after the last crop. Though I frowned at how much he removed, this may account for the larger fruit size.

The refrigerator is full of guavas. I’ll be making guava puree today to freeze for jam and stirring into yogurt. 

The lettuce has bolted so arugula, growing in a 12-inch pot is my go to green. I snip it frequently and it seems unaffected by heat or insects. Not so my experiment with Tuscan baby leaf kale in a pot next to the arugula. More about that later this week. 

Some mustard seed survives my hot composting process so seedlings occasionally show up where I’ve layered compost around perennials. 

Not to worry, I just let them be and cut frequently for salads, here with balsamic vinegar.

This Blackberry Ginger Balsamic Vinegar is amazing. I use it on salads made with fruit and recently drizzled some on steamed golden beets from the garden. We purchased it earlier this summer when visiting Ojai Olive Oil Company near Santa Barbara. If you’re tempted, they do ship. Follow the first link.

Another untimely garden appearance this week–an iris that usually blooms in the spring. Perhaps the two inches of rain a week ago.

To see more garden harvests from around the world, follow the link to  Daphne’s Dandelions.