Just a Note on Gardening During Our Hot Louisiana Summers...

...really just a note. If you find your garden being devoured by bugs....well it's just Louisiana. Don't despair..and think that your a gardening failure!  I find that June, July and August are our worst possible gardening months. The pests, the heat, the humidity...well not a very good combination for growing much. I find this year that our very mild winter left plenty bugs alive and kicking to cause havoc this summer....and they are.

...but don't be dismayed....there are some things that seem to love and if not love at least live and keep producing in oppressive rainfalls and heat...Okra, eggplant, peppers, and melons. Although all of these do like their feet dry. So try and put them in a raised bed or spot if possible and give them a little breathing room to let the moisture dissipate.

I make my girls a yummy summer snack they devour....yep and it's okra. Not slimy okra, but crunchy okra.

Crispy fried okra:

okra (what ever ya got in the garden)
1 cup corn flour
1 cup flour

Mix flours together. Cut okra into 1/4 inch rounds. Put in bowl and stir to get it's natural stickiness all over it. Place okra in flour mixture and stir. Then place okra in sieve and shake out excess flour. Deep fry until light brown and crispy. Drain well on paper towels and sprinkle lightly with sea salt.

Eggplant

You can fry eggplant too. Just peel and slice eggplant in rounds. I add a little creole seasoning. Dip in egg and milk (whipped together) then coat with the corn and wheat flour mixture. I call this the Mississippi style of frying eggplant. If you want Italian fried eggplant for eggplant Parmesan...coat with Italian breadcrumbs before frying instead of the corn and wheat flour.

...and peppers....well there are a million things you can do with peppers. I chop them up and use them when cooking all the time. I dry the extras and save them for winter. I roast some...you can stuff them and bake or fill them full of cheese coat with batter and deep fry....

....my favorite are the melons...and bugs, I am keeping a close eye on you...you can't have the melons!  The water melons are growing nicely.   Some are close to 10 lbs already!  I have moon and stars and orange glow varieties.  I also have a few large banana melons getting close to maturity...beautiful.