My garden is transitioning from “end-of-summer ugly” to “fall and winter green”, but it’s taking some time.
The tomato plants finally died out; we pulled them after tasting the last tomatoes to ripen. They were bitter, full of acid and without the sweetness that the summer sun brings to them. We are going to move those beds, so for now they lie fallow. No sense in amending soil if we’re not going to plant there.
Tom experimented with seeds, growing several things in small pots and transplanting them once the seedlings were big enough. Beets, kale, cucumbers, peas, two types of lettuces, spinach – we had high hopes. Surprisingly enough, they all became bug food (I suspect a certain, very large, grasshopper) except for some peas, beets, a few cucumber plants, and the kale. That is thriving and we shall have plenty for our winter salads.
The thriving kale bed.
We ended up buying lettuces, only to see them fall to the gnashing teeth of the grasshopper. We are considering our way forward; either poisonous dust or spray, or continue the mineral oil/soap/garlic spray that the grasshopper has seemed to take a liking for. We are still unsure how to go about this.
The lettuce bed, where grasshoppers love to nibble. The peas against the fence are being left alone.
The pond got filled in a couple of years ago when the dogs were no longer around to protect the fish. Now, however, it’s time to put the pond back in, raccoons be damned. We’ve got the pond lining – now just need the time and a few free dollars to buy a new pump.
The pond-to-be.
Here’s more garden beauty…
Blossom on my Meyer lemon tree. Hopefully they’ll turn into yummy lemons.
Regenerating artichoke plants. We shall drown in artichokes next spring/early summer.
Spinach (foreground) and bush beans (background).
Okay, there you go – the garden update. I promise to keep you up to speed on how the various veggies do in the upcoming winter. If we get several hard freezes (like we did last January-February), I don’t know what that’ll do to the lettuce, but I know the spinach will thrive.
~)O(~
Thanks so much for stopping by – until the next time, be kind to each other. Hugs!
Don’t do poisons. Get row cover. It keeps the bugs out, and the plants safe. My sister, who has grown over 150 lbs. of tomatoes at 7000 feet, uses it religiously in her garden – it works very well. Since you have such nice weather, you can plant seed now – it will grow more slowly because of the sun angle, but it will grow (especially with row cover – (check out Peaceful Valley Farm Supply or Territorial Seed). I transplanted Chard into my covered bed, and it’s sitting there, thumbing its collective nose at me. The shallots, are starting to peak out, however. Next year, I’ll plant more stuff, earlier. I’d love to have a pond, and could bury a stock tank (if I had a backhoe). I even have a pump somewhere… I have heard about having a layer of chicken wire (small openings) on a frame just under the surface – the coons can’t get their thieving little paws through it to catch the fish.
Ooh – row cover. I’ll check it out – thanks, Laurie!
I love your garden posts. I’m so inspired. Can hardly wait to get settled so I can start mine!! Love the pics Christine!
Thumbs up on the pond! I think there is some high-pitched noise generator you can get to discourage the raccoons–you can’t hear it, but they can, and they can’t stand it. But if you have a pet dog, not sure how they feel about it.