With the cooler temperatures lately, things are really beginning to wind down in the garden. This past week I cleaned up the garden beds by pull up about half of our tomato plants, and I decided to stop watering the pumpkin patch as well.
Although I’m pretty confident I’ll be able to grow boatloads of kale, Swiss chard, and carrots during the late fall and early winter months, I really wish I could look into a magic ball and see how long my other vegetables are going to continue to grow. Because the lats thing I want to do is wake up one morning, and see frost on everything without having a change to harvest it.
Being a backyard gardener, and learning as you grow, isn’t always as easy as it’s cracked up to be. There is a learning curve, and I just want to make sure I can stay ahead of it, so I can reach my goal of growing 2,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables in my backyard this year.
I guess we’ll just have to see what happens, together.
This summer, Creepy Gnome Guy did a pretty good job defending the acorn squash from predators. I think we’ll end up with about 7 or 8 squash and they’ll be great for roasting this winter.
Cold weather vegetables like Bok Choy and broccoli are thriving with the cooler evening temperatures, and as Martha would say, “It’s a Good Thing,” because we LOVE stir fry dinners around here.
I think we are going to end up with 2 or 3 stalks of Brussels sprouts this year. I started out with 6 this spring, but so far 2 of them have flowered and gone to seed and another just fell over and is currently laying down on top of the soil {but still growing}. Since this is my first year growing Brussels Sprouts, I’ll be happy with anything I get. Or rather the Handsome Husband will be happy, because I don’t care for the tiny little heads of cabbage.
With the exception of the mint, the herb garden is still hanging in there. At this time we are still able to harvest oregano, rosemary, sage and chives.
The red cabbage is in various stages around the backyard garden, this is a picture of one of the larger heads.
Kale, ya, it’s still there.
And finally, here we are in the first week on October, the heirloom tomatoes are starting to ripen on the vine.
It’s a freakin’ miracle. As much as I really want some snow this year, if I could make a special request, I’d prefer the “Winter Blast of 2012” hit AFTER Christmas so I can harvest as many tomatoes as possible this year.
I can dream right?
Well, that’s what’s growing in my backyard right now, what’s happening at your place? Have you thrown in the towel for this years growing season yet, or are you still trying to coax your vegetables along?
Well, it’s time for me to get up and start my day.
Peace Out Girl Scouts, it looks like it’s going to be a busy one.
~Mavis
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Kristina says
We put tomato cages around our brussel sprouts to keep them from toppling over… seems to help. Sometimes we still get leaners but its better than sleepers 😉
Mavis says
I did that with the ones I planted out a few weeks ago. I think it’s a great tip, and will totally be doing it next year again, Every little bit helps. 🙂 Thanks Kristina.
Kathy says
I cut my herbs back to nubs because they all looked done for the season. Well, the oregano is going crazy again, boxwood basil is back and chive has gone hog wild. All these are pot grown on my window sill outside my apartment. My chive didn’t flower and I love the flowers to use are garnish and munch on…could it be because it’s pot grown? Whatever the case may be it’s getting tossed in the freezer.
Cristie says
If you figure out what’s up with your mint, please let us know. Mine is doing the same thing 🙁
Mavis says
I think it’s just done for the season. I’ll cut it back in another week or so and next spring it will pop up good as new again. 🙂
Lyn says
Mavis, where did you buy your black tomato?
Mavis says
I think from the Seattle Tilth Sale. 🙂
Mrs. Fisher says
Can you tell me what you do with your tomato plants when you pull them up? Do you chop them down for a compost pile, or do you just bag them up? It seems like a lot of work to chop them up, but I don’t want to throw the whole plant in the compost as a whole. Any suggestions?
Sarah says
I’ve either not run across the info or I’ve forgotten it- approximately where are you located? Just curious bc you seem to be having the same weather/growing season going on like we do here in western WA. Crazy for us here in WA to still have tomatoes going strong into October (limping along *maybe*)- I’ve never seen it in my lifetime!
Lucky L says
Brusells Sprouts – you need to pull off the leaves on the lower part of the plant for the sprouts to get bigger. More energy to them. I forgot the ratio though – don’t pull all of them off, maybe 1/3 to 1/2. I had marbles last year and the Master Gardener told me I should have pulled the leaves off. Apparently the year before the rabbit took care of that for me!
Mavis says
Really? Thanks for the tip. I’m going to do this! 🙂
Christa says
these cold nights have got me worried too. i still have lots of green tomatoes in the garden. when they show the slightest change in color, i pull them and bring them inside so the rest can keep growing. fingers crossed this weather holds out.
subienkow says
I know you said you don’t care for the brussels sprouts, but as a quick (& easy) recipe, I like them steamed and then left in a bowl of white viniger as a side dish.
Just something to try.
Denise says
A tip for you for your maters for next year — 1)try stripping a lot of the leaves and 2)forgoing watering.
I live in Spanaway, south of Tacoma — I just pulled up the rest of my tomato plants to let the rest ripen in the garage, but I have been harvesting tomatoes regularly since July. When my plants were really heavy with green tomatoes this summer, some friends told me to take off most of the leaves and also the suckers (not with a knife or shears, just by pinching off). I was a little late for most of the suckers, but I took off a LOT of the leaves and stained my hands a lovely green color. I also topped the plants that were getting really tall. I also almost completely stopped watering them. I might have given them 2 deep waterings in August on those super hot days, but that’s it, and only when the leaves were really looking very tired. They didn’t get another drink until it rained a couple of weeks ago. Those two things I think really helped them ripen up and sweeten up nicely.