Topping Plants, Blue Lotus & Pond Scum

Today, I harvested some strawberries, rose petals, mint leaves and arugula. I've been pretty much living off strawberries and wild arugula. Honestly, I wish I had more fresh food to eat from the garden, but it's not even summer yet. Arugula is an early producing leafy green: I have also eaten some onion tops and a few other random produce. And some herbs like Oregano and Mint.

Below are teas that I made from the Rose Petals and Mint leaves. The rose petals actually form a yellow colored tea, which is kind of weird: But, it tastes and smells amazing. The mint leaves make a light brown tea, which is very thirst quenching and refreshing. It's been very hot out, so I boiled the herbs in water and then put the mason jars into the refrigerator. Rose petals and mint leaves both are chock full of nutrients: Minerals, vitamins and antioxidants.

Today, I topped some of the healthier #cannabis plants. Topping plants basically means that the plant will now spread out. Imagine you don't top the plant and it grows on giant nug on top. Then, let's say on another plant you top once and the top splits into four branches and there are now multiple nugs that grow from a single plant. It also spreads the plant out like a bush. Having one giant nug sounds cool, but it decreases the overall yield and is more difficult to avoid bugs and mold.

Earlier in the year, I found a free metal sink that I converted into a small pond. The theory was legit: According to the internet plants love pond water. However, I don't have a pump and it was turning into a mosquito's paradise. I decided to drain the pond. At least until I can buy some small fish. The pots inside the metal sink were for growing blue lotus. I've never grown blue lotus before, which is a mild narcotic from ancient Egypt. The instructions were a bit confusing and I never got around to planting the seeds. You have to soak the seeds in wet clay mixed with sand and they take months.

I found a better pot for soaking the Blue Lotus seeds. It's getting hot here: However, this week we will have a few days of under 80F and it might even rain! I'm going to plant the Blue Lotus, as well as some pole beans. I'm also going to try and transplant some Quinoa. If the Blue Lotus doesn't grow, maybe I will replace them with something else that grows in soaked soil. Rice?
Garden Assessment: Expanded the raised beds to several new areas. Created several compost piles from weeds. Every garden needs more compost and other amenities. The corn especially. The Quinoa needs to be transplanted and hopefully it'll be cool enough in a few days. Next time, I'm not going to overseed the Quinoa even though the seeds are small. It was a tough year because my greenhouse was falling apart. Next year, I'm going to make a simple hoop-house. I tried my hand at laying down some cement on a garden bed, but it went horribly. I want to try again with mortar and do one row at a time like bricklaying. It's been my worst year and it's also been my best year. I have eight cannabis plants that are growing right now and a few other sprouts, which are looking rough.