End of September

Really?? September is almost over? Where did it go? I had so much to get done...did I do it? Gosh, I am not sure. Better pull out that September list...

My greenhouse raised bed is doing okay. A windstorm blew off the back door of the greenhouse and it has not been repaired yet, which means animals, including rabbits can get in there. I tell you this because I had green bean plants blooming and ready to put out little baby beans. I waited two days because it had been rainy and cloudy so assumed that I could get away with not watering as much. Well, I ended up with one little stem. No leaves, no blooms, definitely no beans. All 6 plants that were blooming were gone! Poof! They didn't bother my cucumbers. They are faring nicely, growing up the small trellis. The basil I planted in the raised bed is beautiful. I see an Italian meal in my future. I made a bit of lattice work and put different lettuces, spinach and radishes in. They are coming along nicely too.

In the outside garden, the rain watered our turnips, radishes and broccoli . I still have three 4x4 sections to fill. Some kale and cabbage would be good, I think. I will be going through my seeds over the next couple of days and get that done.

I guess it is about time to pick my one little white pumpkin. I was hoping it would grow a bit more, but alas, it has not. It is still in the mid 80s in the afternoon though, so I don't want anything rotting. Then again, maybe I will wait a bit on that.

Why is it I want to wait on things that need to be done now and do what really needs to wait? Do they make medicine for that? Not that I would take medicine, maybe an herbal tea...

Seedlings

My several trays of cooler crops are doing fairly well. Apparently mice or voles or whatever is getting fat on my seeds, really enjoy my lettuce varieties-arrrghh! I have picture evidence of where they have dug out my seeds (see below). I have to do another tray and see if I can get any worthwhile from that, as well as some spinach that they devoured. Beets, collars, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and kale are doing well. The timing should be just about right. The plants and garden beds should be ready about the same time. I do have some basil that I am hoping will have enough time to grow, even if I have to bring them in, so that I can dry some and make some pesto to have on hand. I still want broccoli and mustard greens. I think I have a few seeds left. Yes, my not-so-good furry friends feasted on those too. So far, I am pleased with how things are going.

Time to Think Fall Garden

I spent some time in the abandoned garden this evening. I saw signs of bricks amongst the tall grass, the crab grass and the centipede grass. I untangled a few of the bricks and placed them by the fence for later use. I pulled up the dried corn stalks and leaned them against the fence. I am thinking that a wide fall-colored ribbon would look nice on a bundle or two of those in a month or so. I went to the pole beans and picked the dried pods and placed them in the sack to take in, shell and save for next spring planting. I walked past the tomato cages. They will be moved soon enough. The cucumber fence was covered with dead vines from lack of water. That fence will be moved to the shade house until next spring as well. The hoses need to be wound back up. I tried the soaker hoses and I am not so sure. They are so flimsy and one just broke in half. A new irrigation system will have to be considered. I supposed the soaker hoses will do fine in the fall/winter garden.

The seedlings in the greenhouse are growing nicely and so things need to be done soon. I will be removing the grass, adding two year old compost and fresh rabbit manure before tilling. I am not sure what size beds to make for the fall. I will more than likely have long rows so that I can use covered tunnels when the colder weather comes (although that seems so hard to imagine right now). Broccoli, cabbage, kale, lettuces such as winter density and Rouge de Hiver, carrots, collards, spinach, various mustard greens, to name a few that I have already. I would still like to add chard, brussels sprouts, radishes and a few other greens to the mix. I also have garlic coming fairly soon to plant. I know just where to put it. It will be all around the rose bush at the entrance of the garden. I will also be using the greenhouse and the greenhouse beds, but I would like to see what else I can grow without heating. I need to learn to take advantage of this southern growing season-it is just so different from what I (and my mother) knew in Indiana.

I hope to have pictures of my "work in progress" and I hope to share my bounty (if there is one) with friends and neighbors; that's what it is really about, after all.

Canning Season

We did get a few tomatoes canned this season so far, but not what we had anticipated. With our being busy this summer, the lack of rain and the horrible heat, it has not been good for garden production. There is also the fact that I am still trying to learn about gardening in the South versus Midwest.

While mom was here we did have an assembly line going enough to get a few jars on our shelf.

It was wonderful to have both Jake and Sarah help in the process. Hopefully they will continue to do this with their families as well.

For now, I have mowed down the garden. As I said, with lack of attention and rain, it was an eye sore and bug haven. We are trying the late garden in the South to see how that fares. I have begun more tomato seed (along with other cooler crops) in the greehouse to see if I can get one more batch before the season is completely over. *fingers crossed*