Fall garden

[Birdie]

I usually plant a fall garden but this year I feel my raised beds need a boost, so I am planting cover crop in all 4 of the beds. I am using a soil builder mix that has bell beans, vetch, oats and peas. I innoculate the seeds before planting to encourage nitrogen fixing to the roots.

I will miss being able to run out to the garden and pick green onions, beets or carrots. I usually grow kale, chard and garlic too. Fortunately I have a second garden at the Horticulture center where I volunteer, so I will still have free fresh vegetables.

Is anyone planting a fall garden or is it too cold where you live to garden in winter?

[catherine]

Our summer garden just didn't work out..

It reacted to family discord, just like kids who don't thrive as well when they hear their parents fighting all the time.

In my case, DH and I couldn't agree on the care of it--one of us should have gotten sole custody of the garden, but we just couldn't agree on how to raise it. Miracle-Gro vs. organic? Wood chips v. plastic? Peppers or no peppers? Our inability to agree just did our poor garden in.

So, I'm thinking of giving it another go with some fall plantings--maybe some spinach, kale, beets, stuff like that.

I may also go for a hoop.

Or a marriage therapist :)

[CathyA]

Sorry about your Failure to Thrive garden catherine! Add broccoli to that Fall list too. I bought a couple and am growing them in a big container. I didn't want to plant them in the garden, since the mice would probably love it.
Don't give up next year though. Start out small. Weeding is such a pain in the arse. And try a few vertical things.........it really cuts down on as much weeding, and on the back pain. :)

[CathyA]

My garden is fading into the sunset. I'm still getting a few cucumbers and tomatoes, but the beans are pretty much done. I only counted 4-5 Butternut squash out there. A couple years ago, I got 40 one summer!
DH weeded alot last week, and now I'm adding compost and hopefully, when all the veggies are done, we can till it up. I also want to move all my trellises around, so I'm ready for next spring, with things in different places.

I'm exhausted. I've spent alot of time just watering again this summer, and freezing/drying things.........so I'm actually looking forward to less work outside.
I still have alot of work to do to put all my watergardens to bed too, and transplant various flowers and trees to different places. Looking forward to cold, snowy days when there's nothing to do outside! :) (But after a few months, I'll be dreaming of my next garden......)

[Jilly]

The peppers are done and pulled, and the determinate tomato is just about done, as is the Krim. I think I may have picked the last two this evening, but I will check again in the morning.

The cherry tomatoes are trying to take over this side of town and are chock full of tomatoes and blossoms. Parsley is booming and I will be making tabbouleh and drying the rest over the weekend.

I am thinking to plant kale and some lettuces in the empty spaces. Depends on if the old budget can handle some seeds.

[Gregg]

The last really hot spell did in our cukes, but most of the rest is still going strong. As many know we, well, I have been renovating an older house this year. November 1 is the move in date and I have a LOT to do before then. Getting the beds built and the garden in the back yard was a huge step this spring and I'm glad it got done, but when I gave DW the choice of tile in the shower before we move or a fall garden... Let's just say it didn't appear to be a difficult decision for her.

[Tiam]

I swore I would plant a fall garden. Is it too late? I'm in Southern Oregon.

[Blackdog Lin]

catherine: thanks for the smile. :) Enjoyed your gardening sense of humor.

We have broccoli and romaine newly planted for fall. One row on the east end of the garden, one on the west, half each on both. (No use getting carried away. I'm tired of picking garden produce.) We'll see which one does best. Or even if anything does anything at all.

It sure is getting cool, mornings and evenings.....

[fidgiegirl]

We are still harvesting lots of tomatoes and today I am processing some tomatillos from my parents' into green sauce for the freezer. They got lots of sunflower heads for their bird feeding as well. We have winter squash up there and will harvest it in a few weeks.

I have been relying on DH to do the picking at the community garden and really need to go up there to check on some of the carrots (I'm sure there are some that could be pulled) and the kale. He does well with the tomatoes and peppers but he's never really too sure about the other produce. Of course, the zucchini keeps comin' . . . I'm zucchinied out.

Next year we're going to skip the brassicas (none did well except for our kohlrabi, we'll probably do that again) and focus more on lettuces and kales. Now my mind is on soil building and hoping that the community garden organizers are planning another leaf drop at the garden. I'd be happy to heap them on our plot, especially now that we have fencing to kind of keep them in place.

[iris lilies]

...
Or a marriage therapist :)

Oh catherine, I'm sorry that you haven't learned the first rule of gardening:

Thou Shalt Not Share Garden Plots

You get a garden space. Then, you draw a line down the middle. The part you are standing on is yours, the other part is his.

Dh and I have been married for 25 years and that's the only way we can survive. In all of our garden areas there is a distinct line. I'm not kidding here. Later I will share the second rule of gardening so that you can get a leg up on your spouse.