Stephen Albert
There’s an old rhyme that says, “A swarm of bees in June is worth a silver spoon.” And so it is, as summer arrives later this month in the northern hemsphere.
Bees still have their work cut our for them in June even though many fruit blossoms–apricots and plums, for instance–have given way to green fruit. Not so for the pineapple guava, seen above, which is now coming into full bloom. Bees are the chief pollinators of pineapple guava and if their work is successful the fruit will arrive in autumn.
If the blossom of the pineapple guava looks good enough to eat, go ahead. Each flower is made up of four to six fleshy petals that are white tinged with purple on the inside. The petals are mildly sweet and will make a tasty and colorful addtion to spring salads.
When summer fades, the fruit of the pineapple guava, also called feijoa, will be ready for the table. Even though its skin will be green, its cream-orange colored flesh will be sweet and fragrant. You can eat it fresh or cooked. Add pineapple guava to fruit salads, yogurt, or ice cream.
Besides the flowers of the pineapple guava, June is one of the best months to enjoy roses. Roses are at their freshest this time of year.
June was not always the sixth month of the year. It was once the fourth month, named for the Roman goddes of marriage, Juno. Julius Caesar rearranged the calendar, but June has remained a favorite month for brides. It is said that there are more flowers in bloom in June than any other month of the year. All the better for bouquets.
June is also a great month for visiting the farm markets.
Here is a list of vegetables and fruits ready for harvest in the northern hemisphere during June: Vegetables: beans, beets, carrot, chard (silverbeet), early corn, apple cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, turnip, zucchini. Fruits: apricots, cape gooseberries, cherries, gooseberries, grapefruit, lemons, loganberries, nectarines, oranges, passionfruit, peaches, plums, raspberries, strawberries.
Here is a planting list for June in the northern hemisphere:
Cool northern regions—Zones 3-6. Vegetables: beans, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard (silverbeet), cress, cucumber, endive, leeks, lettuce, marrow, melons, okra, spring onion, parsnip, potato tubers, pumpkin, radish, rhubarb crowns, rutabaga (Swedes), salsify, Swiss chard (silverbeet), spinach, squash, sweet corn, zucchini. Herbs: basil, boarage, chamomile, chervil, chives, coriander, hyssop, lemon balm, oregano, parsley, salad burnet, thyme.
Temperate Regions—Zones 7-9. Vegetables: beans, beets (beetroot), broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cape gooseberry, capsicum, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard (silverbeet), chicory, cress, cucumber, eggplant, endive, leeks, lettuce, marrow, melons, mustard, spring onions, parsnip, peas, pumpkin, radish, rhubarb crowns, salsify, squash, sweet corn, tomato, zucchini. Herbs: basil, borage, celeriac, chamomile, chervil, chicory, chilli, chives, fennel, hyssop, lemon balm, oregano, parsley, salad burnet, thyme.
Subtropical and Tropical Regions—Zones 10-12. Vegetables: beans, cabbage, cape gooseberry, capsicum, celery, Chinese cabbage, cress, cucumber, eggplant, fennel, lettuce, marrow, melons, mustard, okra, parsnip, peas, pumpkin, radish, rhubarb crowns, Swiss chard (silverbeet), spring onion, squash, strawberry runners, sweet corn, sweet potato, tomato, zucchini.
