Beds are thinning out. Things that are picked are not being replanted. The loss of the beans and squash certainly changed the profile of the garden. But there is still so much good stuff out there. Here’s how my garden is looking right now:
The other day a bluejay hung upside down to nab seeds out of the Mammoth Grey Stripe sunflowers (they really are mammoth) that have all slumped into the same posture I get after a day of carrying around my 1 year old.
Hiding behind a few sunflowers that have just completely given up are several really good-sized Kavalo Nero kale plants. That’s gonna be a lot of meals, there.
Chard’s still trucking along. I’ll be harvesting all of it at the first threat of really cold weather. I no longer consider chard to be fully, bullet-proof hardy after losing most of my bed to the freak cold snap we had last year (several days in the teens killed all but the Fordhook Giant, which is not my favorite fresh eating variety anymore).
Final transplanted sowing of lettuces and greens is putting on growth.
Rutabagas and turnips are starting to size up nicely.
Almost through the fall blend bed of broccoli…two of three more heads to enjoy before I pull the plants and cover crop the bed.
Inside the mesh house the carrots have grown well, but the parsnips are pushing against the mesh and there are several holes from wind and (I suspect) cats in the mesh itself.
Carrots seem undamaged by rust fly, though, so the mesh screening did the job.
Lots of apples in little panty hose covers. I pick several every time I go out and most get eaten before I get back in.
My crappy store-bought potato starts are producing cute little russets! I made awesome mashed potatoes the other day – always a hit with the kids. I’m going to let the plants go a big longer to get some more size on these tubers.
First year growing Superschmelz Kohlrabi and I think it’s a winner. Final verdict will have to wait until I taste it, but I love how uniformly its bulbing up big. My daughter calls it the Alien Plant.
Brussels sprouts, lettuce and more cabbage and chard…just a pretty bed. Threw some nursery-bought mums in for pretty. Pretty is ok, too.
My winter squash yield was disappointing, so I supplemented from the local pumpkin farm. These gourds, all edible, will be halloween decoration and then they will be dinner.
Oh, wow! Beautiful. Down here in the central valley my October garden is still looking kind of like an August garden, but I'm starting to transition it. Harvested pounds and pounds of chilis and sweet peppers yesterday before pulling out the plants, and ditto for eggplant. Some tomatoes, basil and beans are still hanging on. Bunching onions & lots of peas are the only winter crops I've planted so far because even with 16 beds I haven't had room; my Music and Early California garlic will go in this week. Yay for Fall!
I had transplanted lettuce out into the beds on Sunday and today notice that half of it is GONE. Snails and birds I suspect. Aaargh. I also got my garlic planted and a set of yellow onions, plus some kale transplants. Had to pull up some cucumber plants that were done and some underperforming tomato plants to make room for things.
This is how I want my garden to look like next year. We're building the beds and getting the soil ready right now for spring because I didn't get started early enough for a fall garden. Yours is soo beautiful!
okay, tell me more about why you force your apples into pantyhose? 😉
Seriously, I'm assuming some sort of pest protection and, while our apples turned out pretty okay this year with only one instance of major worm damage, I could always use more insecticide-free options.
MooMama – yes, the footie stockings are to keep flying and crawling nasties off the apples – apple maggots mostly, I believe. I'm sure Erica can share more details but as I understand it was a major pain to get them all nicely bestockinged.
Thank you for the beautiful pictures Erica. Do you ever put your garden on tours? I would love to come down from Canada and see it some day. Weather wise, I'm in the pacific northwest as well, and I'd love to see what's possible.
Your garden is beautiful. I'm inspired to figure out the fall gardening thing. My dirt's going to waste!
I'm really curious about the cross dressing apples as well. I must've missed the post that explained it. Why the sexy legwear? And how big were they when you first dressed them? I imagine they needed to be pollinated and grow a little first.