Saturday, September 23, 2017

The garden's last gasp

The end is near, and it feels a little earlier this year than last. I pulled out the summer squash plants yesterday to make room for a fall crop of collard greens. The tomatoes still have fruit, but it's either ripening or rotting, depending on where you look. The weeds have taken over. I got no eggplant this year, and the chili peppers did virtually nothing (compared to those I kept in the greenhouse which are doing well).

Tasha is ready to help with garden clean up. Or to play ball. Whatever.

So, it's time to start the clean-up. I'll keep picking tomatoes for a little while, but it won't be long before they get ripped out, too. Even if we get no more, we've had a great crop over all. This past summer was strange, with hot spells interrupted by cold spells, alternating all through the season. The last cold spell was wet, and while the weeds enjoyed it, the tomatoes did not and some rot has set in.

We'll spend the next month or so slowly cleaning up the garden, tilling and otherwise preparing for winter. When the leaves fall, we will gather them up and cover the garden with them. They help keep weeds down and then they get tilled into the soil in spring as compost.

8 comments:

  1. It certainly has been a weird year. If something produced it produced bountiously, otherwise nothing.

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    1. Did you notice that beautiful chard plant in the photo? It was a volunteer.

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  2. I have a feeling Tasha is more ready for "whatever."

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  3. A happy 7-month birthday to Tasha. She seems a very calm, cool and collected dog for one so young.

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  4. Do you and Ken like/make fried green tomatoes?
    Happy Birthday, Tasha!

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  5. Back when I gardened I thought the late autumn was a nice time, not a sad one, to put the place down for a winter's sleep nap.

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  6. Happy 7-month birthday Tasha!
    Judy
    P.S. I hope you got to play ball ;)

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  7. susan, same here.

    mitch, how'd you guess? ;)

    sheila, she is. Except for the boundless energy, running away in the vineyard, and her shrill barking.

    bettyann, not in a long time. But it's a great idea. Ken just watched the movie... does that count?

    michael, I agree. Fall can be very pleasant.

    judy, she did!

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