We need to keep trying new things be they food or flowers. You never know when something will just make your day. For instance, the red iceberg lettuce planted in the greenhouse has been a fantastic success. Massive heads of dense, crispy, flavorful lettuce. It has nothing to do with the iceberg lettuce in the grocery store. I have more planted in the cold frame, and some in a raised bed. I will see who wins and let you know.

I have been fielding tomato questions. The main one is how to pollinate and the very simple answer is to shake the plant. That's right. Not much to it. No paint brush and going from one bloom to the next. Just shake the plant. You will have more tomatoes than you can deal with, but there are always takers for a good tomato. Brandywine is still the favorite in this household.

Tomatoes are usually grown in some kind of a container. Keep them watered. The Sungold takes more water than any other tomato I have ever had. I don't know why and "why" really doesn't matter, I give it what it needs and am rewarded with lusciousness.

I have been accused of keeping my greenhouse too wet. But I have found that the plants living in there seem to like a lot of water, and I give it to them. Plus, you can't argue with success, that greenhouse grows food. I like to keep the vents open even at night, and the door is wide open all day, and the fan kicks in when the temperature hits about 88 degrees.

Deadheading is the rule of the day. This is the process of cutting off the spent blooms so the plant will not produce a seed head. I have a sweet little pale yellow poppy that just may be my new forget-me-not if I don't monitor its need to go to seed. Plus I want that very beautiful yellow to prevail throughout the summer.

Deadheading will prolong bloom, so get after it. Pansies will bloom all summer and into winter is you attend to this rather peaceful chore.

The delphiniums are looking better this year than ever, must be a delphinium year. The preferred variety in this garden is Pacific giants and I think they are considering achieving new heights. Even their stalks are huge. But that does not preclude the need to stake. If you have not addressed this chore, get on it.

Asiatic lilies are the way to go. If you don't have any of these start shopping now. They are one of the most fantastic things in this garden. They come in lots of colors and various heights and they multiply, but not dangerously. They have different bloom times, something that you really want to achieve in your perennial beds.

Look for trees and shrubs on sale. I like to plant sooner rather than later, although the general advice to plant a containerized plant up to fall works, I have found that waiting much past the end of July is no help to the plant. Get them in the ground and growing, you will be rewarded.

Don't forget to water any trees and shrubs that are still young. We have a catchment system for water and think nothing of giving our trees five gallons of water a few times each week while they are young. This is the first year that we have not done the established trees (10 years old), but there are two ornamental crabs that get the water treatment. Of course, there is nothing like a good rain.

Rosemary Fitzpatrick has been gardening with gusto in Homer for 30 years. This year marks the 19th anniversary of her column.