I don’t know which one I like better; fall garden chores, or spring garden chores. With spring, there’s always hope of what the new season will bring and the little surprises that pop up along the way when you’re trying out new seed and plant varieties.
But with fall, there’s the clean up and the packing away of garden tools and tomato cages. Pressure washing the patio {next on my to do list} and pulling up all those squash vines, which is oddly satisfying to me.
I could do without the cedar trees shedding and the pine cones dropping on my head without warning and having to compost all the little squash babies that didn’t make it in time though.
I don’t know, it’s a toss up. Both spring and fall bring their own little gifts each year. 
Fall has definitely arrived to our backyard and as the growing season begins to slow down I take comfort in the fact that next years garden is just around the corner. I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to doing it all over again.
~Mavis
P.S. What are you harvesting from your veg patch these days? Are you’re tomatoes and summer squash still hanging in there?
Carrie Council says
In NC here. I’m still getting tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers. I planted kale seeds in late August so I’ve been adding kale to smoothies. It’s been really hot and humid here lately, I thought I may be too late to start spinach but I think I’ll give it a go. The spinach and kale I planted last fall made it all winter and did so well after we got 6 inches on snow!
Candy C. says
Still have tomatoes going strong and barely signs of any disease..cut those leaves off and dispose with trash pickup. Garden still heavy with brussel sprouts, leeks, kale, spinach,zuke, cukes (which I started in late July and placed a wall of water around as soon as weather began cooling down) red cabbage and broc which was planted early Sept. Lots of eating and putting up still going on from the garden. This was our first year with a BTE garden and loving it. Last year at this time the garden was pitiful and a mess. This year, it still is producing and nice and neat.
Mavis Butterfield says
What state Candy C?
Mel says
We’re in southern Maryland, and we’re still getting tomatoes and peppers, but I need to pull the plants soon. We also have close to 50 lbs of tomatoes frozen that I need to deal with soon.
I just picked the first ever apples from our tree, and we still need to harvest ginger root, sweet potatoes, and potatoes. Garlic will take their place.
I planted tons of fall veggies, but they haven’t gotten going yet due to hot, dry weather.
KC says
It fascinates me that you’ll cut open a tube of toothpaste to get the last 5% out, but will pull up plants while they’re still alive and producing! We’re all a weird mix…
Mavis Butterfield says
Sadly, there is no way those Cinderella pumpkins will make it before the first frost. The zucchini though, it’s hanging in there.
KC says
Ah, that makes a lot more sense! I was assuming you meant all the squash plants. And indeed, at a certain point in the year, if things have to ripen, they’re just not going to make it before the plants get killed by a deep-enough frost (and I’ve never made the Ingalls’ green pumpkin “apple” pie, so I don’t know whether it really works or not), although I usually give them until that first frost, just in case it’s especially late (but I’m an optimist!). I do bring in tomatoes before the first frost is scheduled, though, since they ripen acceptably indoors (not going to be confused with an August warm-off-the-vine tomato, but still tasty), but everything else gets to stay out and try its hardest to produce one last (whatever it is) until the winter does in fact defeat it…
Mary says
We moved in August from the great northwest to a town in the Rocky Mountains. We got our first real snowfall two weeks ago and nights are in the 20s, so the garden (the previous homeowners planted) is done for the season. Ripping out plants and cleaning a garden someone else planted does not bring my the same satisfaction it did in my own space. Now to figure out how to garden with a 92 day growing window once spring finally rolls around… so very different than my lovely PNW.
Mavis Butterfield says
Sounds like you are going to need to start a lot of your plants indoors next year. A 92 day growing window sounds tough, but you can make it work. How exciting.
Mel says
We don’t have an especially short growing season, but we have some unpredictable springs and falls. We start seeds indoors, but we’ve also had great luck this year with individual plastic greenhouses on things like peppers and tomatoes. They grew much faster and were protected from wind, cold, and bugs. The greenhouses are a flat sheet that fasten at the edge, so they are easy to remove when the plants get too big, and they fold flat to store. We also overwintered an artichoke in one with great results.
Rynda Gregory says
For a few years now I have greatly enjoyed your site. And reading today’s post on your garden – ahhh – that’s how I felt. A wonderfully, calming, centering feeling of “This person shares my passion! How nice!”
My garden, in the Willamette Valley in Oregon, still has kale, lettuce, and beets growing very well. And we’ve had a few nights in the high 30’s. The tomatoes and tomatillos are just about done. And finally, the pickles, squash and melon plants are totally done – I just haven’t pulled the last vines and thrown them to the chickens yet.
Now it’s time to plant my garlic! I love my garden.
Thanks for creating a friendly place to fall every evening!
Peace –
Gloria says
Wowza. That’s a strawberry patch! I just finished planning next year’s garden and plans to finish the chicken yard and raised beds. More photos of your plants please! ☺
Julie P says
Everything in now and garden clearance taking place. There will hopefully be sprouting broccoli if they’ve survived the caterpillars and I have lots of leeks growing nicely but that’s it for me. My daughter will reap the benefit of those. Last few stragglers in the greenhouse then everything pulled up cleared ready for another year. For me I’m taking some time off from the garden next year, well thats the plan anyway. The 2018 season seed catalogues have been arriving on the mat and I want to start planning and ordering but we may not be home until May next year so it’s too late to start. I will probably buy some tomato plants in when we get home and a few beans and squashes they don’t mind a late start. Ha! Here I go again.
Linda says
I live in south eastern Ohio. Today we pulled out the zucchini. They still looked like they’d produce, but this week has been in the 60s and rainy, so all the little zukes turned to mush. Since I’ve got about 10 loaves of zucchini bread and zucchini brownies in the freezer, several bags with 2 cups each frozen for making more, and have come to despise looking at zucchini as a veggie side for the year, out they came. We are still getting peppers, tomatoes, green beans, beets, broccoli and swiss chard, though the first 3 are slowing down. The rutabagas look great but aren’t ready yet. I started garlic about 3 weeks ago for next year (thank to you!) Honestly, I’m ready for a rest from putting by all the bounty. But I’ll be ready next spring again. I planted raspberries this year, strawberries last year, and have 2 peach trees ( that usually get frost blighted to a degree) 2 newish apple trees, and a couple new-last-year cherry trees. There are only two of us, and a person can only each so much, so the grown up kids take home tomatoes, goodies and, of course, zucchini.
I read your blog, and enjoy it, and your attitude. You are the age of my kids, but I feel, as I read you daily, like you’re a friend. Thank you, sincerely.
Linda says
That should say “eat so much.” Guess I’ll never be an editor.
Mavis Butterfield says
That’s okay, neither will I. 🙂
Jennifer Meyer says
How big is your yard? That strawberry patch photo makes it look HUGE! Jealous!