Yesterday was a great day to work outside in the garden. Sunny and 71… in the middle of October in MAINE! Can you believe it? The HH worked on the patch of phlox along the side yard while I planted the garlic bulbs {German extra hardy and red Russian} I picked up Moose Crossing garden center earlier this fall.
Out came the cabbages and in went the garlic.
Once my flower bulbs arrive I’ll plant a row of miniature daffodils along the garden path intermingled with chive plants. Our chive plants were extremely prolific this year and I’m hoping we’ll have enough for both sides of the path.
If not, I’ll get a few more started this winter indoors, and then come spring when the ground thaws, I’ll just pop in a few more. But I think we should have enough.
The garden supervisor.
Still left on the garden to do list is harvesting and drying herbs, picking last of the squash, filling up one more section of the lasagna garden with “green” material, planting the spring bulbs, clearing another patch or two of brush and photographing the entire garden.
I always like to take pictures of the garden here in Maine because come winter when the ground is cover with snow and I’m trying to plan next years garden, it’s much easier to remember where everything is that way.
Did you grow any thyme this year? I think I’ll grow a few more plants next year as it seems I am always using it in soups, pot pies and on roasted vegetables when I cook.
And last but not least… the last sunflower head of the year for the chippys and squirrels. It usually only takes about 24 hours for them to pull all the seeds out and it’s so fun to watch.
And seriously, who needs cable when you basically live in the middle of a wildlife refuge?
October in Maine. I highly recommend it. 🙂
Here’s to another beautiful fall day,
~Mavis
Jamie says
Do you plant the garlic the bulbs deeper than that or is that planted? Do you worrying about the chipmunks and squirrels stealing them?
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes. They need to be planted 2″ deep. I like to loosen the soil first, line them up and then plant them. Here’s a quick tutorial: https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/planting-garlic-in-the-fall-for-a-summer-harvest/
Erin says
Something has always stolen my garlic bulbs…EVERY. SINGLE. TIME! I’ve given up!
Margo says
I planted quite a bit of garlic in my square foot garden last year and lost many of them to insect invasion. This year I’m going to try planting them in self watering, grow boxes. It’s beautiful weather here right now, but is supposed to hit around 90 on Friday and Saturday, so will probably wait till next week to plant.
Randi says
I helped my mom build a lasagna garden in her suburban Denver neighborhood last month. She had some raised beds that had been neglected for a few years. Denver has notoriously hard, clay soil and is a very dry climate so hoping this lasagna method will loosen things up. Now my weekly phone calls to her start with, “mom, have you watered the lasagna today?” We laugh and then I hear the hose turn on.
Ashley Bananas says
Do yo ever harvest and bake the sunflower seeds?
Mavis Butterfield says
No, usually just set them out for the wildlife or save the seeds for next year.
Linda says
I picked thyme, oregano, basil and parsley last night. I wash, pat dry and then “dry” in a 170 degree oven until they are completely dry. I store them in canning jars. They also make great little gifts. I planted all my herbs in pots, but next year I will designate a spot in the ground.. I think they will do much better.. I will bring in my rosemary, thyme and oregano and see if I can winter over. Eastern Kansas first frost may be coming this weekend.. sigh…
Mel says
We just ordered our garlic. We weren’t going to grow it this year, but we decided to try it in a new bed. It has done well for us every year but last year.
I also just remembered that I need to harvest our ginger before frost. The plant part did really well in our potscape herb garden, so I’m curious how well the root did.
Mavis Butterfield says
I never would have thought to try and plant ginger! Is it hard to grow?
Mel says
It’s so easy I routinely forget it’s there! I grew it once before without much luck, but I don’t think I gave it enough light or the right kind of container, so it never really got going. It’s gorgeous this year though. It likes a shallow container, humidity, heat but not blazing sun, and occasional deep soaks.
The only issue I had was that it shipped before our nighttime temps were over 50 (it’s tropical), so I had to bring it in at night at first, but I was also doing that with 100 basil seedlings and 40 tomatoes, so it probably seemed more cumbersome than it really was.
If there’s a decent harvest, I’ll take some pictures. Here’s the place where I ordered from this year (everything from them has done awesome):
https://thegrowers-exchange.com/products/her-gin01
Dianne says
Hi Mavis,
Little confused on the garlic. Do you leave in the ground over winter and harvest in the spring? If you harvest before frost or snow – I normally would have missed the opportunity to plant in zone 6A?
Mavis Butterfield says
Here’s a helpful link: https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/planting-garlic-in-the-fall-for-a-summer-harvest/
If you are in zone 6a get them in the ground now. It’s the perfect time to plant. They’ll be ready to harvest around July.
Gail says
Do you plant chives for decoration or for use in cooking? I rarely if ever see a recipe calling for chives so wonder if you use it in place of onions. Can it be used all summer, even when the chives seem to get old and tough?
Gigi says
I use chives in cooking all the time. I like the onion flavor. It really good if you mix it in with cottage cheese. Just don’t use the flower stalk. I harvest all year and dry it.
Gail says
I have a chives plant I planted in the spring but never cut any all summer. Should I cut it back now to allow new growth next spring? Or wait until spring to cut it back? I’m determined to use it next year!
Mavis Butterfield says
I use the chives in all sorts of cooking as well as try to dry some for the winter too. I love them!
Gail says
Do you use them in place of onion or garlic? Or in addition?
Mel says
I plant them for both! They are one of my favorite herbs. I use them in creamy pasta, savory scones, cheddar biscuits, soups, garlic butter, salad dressings, chicken salad, mashed potatoes, etc. They don’t replace onion, but they work sort of like onion powder. Ours never get tough because we use them enough that they are always putting out new growth. If they flower, the stems with flowers will be tough, but the other leaves are still tender.
It depends on how close to frost you are for when to cut them back a final time, but in 7B I’d still have about a month left of cutting, and then they die back completely but come back in summer.
I only grow onion chives though. Garlic chives are too invasive for us, and I find them tougher.
Heidi Ho says
Mavis your thyme is so beautiful, I had a really nice plant of it and rosemary, mint, huge basil and sage, but there is something in my garden I have not been able to get rid of and they are sucking all the life and green out of my herbs!! I have been watering with dish water in hopes that will clear them out!! HELP!!
Gigi says
I have two thyme varieties and one chive plant that thrive all year long in 5b. I just harvested more to dry just a week ago. I just make sure to not cut too close or too much.
Sue says
I love your garden supervisor.
I planted my garlic last week and it will be great here in Central Alabama. Planted a round of carrots, radishes, spinach and lettuce.
Thank, Mavis for the garden markers. Always spot on with the delivery’s. Amazing how quick they come.
Mavis Butterfield says
Thanks for your support Sue. 🙂 I totally forgot about spinach. I should try growing it indoors this winter. Thanks for the reminder.
Idaho girl says
My chives took over, kind of like mint. I now have it growing in a sunken plastic pot 🙂
Lisa says
Hi Mavis,
I still have one pepper left, just waiting for it to completely turn red. My kale is still going crazy and tried parsnips for the first time, they say to leave them in the ground until after the first Frost… so waiting for that to happen. It’s been a warm fall here in MN, maybe frost this weekend! My thyme, sage and oregano are in their second year and are huge! I still need to harvest and dry some. I had some voles living under the thyme, they had a regular salad going on under there with different goodies from my garden including tomato’s , kale, parsley and even my marigolds! It was crazy funny! They seem to have found a new home now, thank goodness!
I would like to plant garlic but we have so many squirrels that I am afraid they would dig them all up. Happy fall gardening!
Sue says
Ah, parsnips! Just a warning to be on the lookout for parsnip volunteer plants come the spring. Whoever wrote they are difficult to grow from seed, lied. I planted 6 one year, and have never needed to plant more these past 5 years. Constantly finding the little volunteers all over. Even tried clipping the flowers one year…. Happily, I’ve a friend to share the parsnip wealth with.
Lisa says
Thanks for the tip Sue! I will on the look out next spring!