Frost is coming and fall is running out

With the plastic mulch, drip irrigation and covering walkways there's not any weeding or watering to do.  At the beginning & end of the season, there's always lots to do.

One of the in-law plots had cukes, potato and tomato.  The tomatoes were not yielding that much.  So I pulled it all up, coiled the drip irrigation up and rototilled any remaining weeds up.  I wasn't able to put plastic down so there were lots of weeds!  I'm hoping some weed seeds will germinate and I can rototill again before they go to seed.

In my own garden I've dug up the potato plot & I rototilled it.  I'm planning on planting garlic there, but I'm worried about having enough sun.

I pulled up all the squash, cuke, watermelon, radish, corn and beans.  Tomatoes are still up except some vines that had died.  I've left the irrigation out to try to germinate some weed seeds.  After the frost I'll pull tomatoes and till everything in. All the walkway covering is off and much of the plastic.

I haven't touched the new area to the right.  I've decided it's too close to the current plot.  I'm thinking of a new plot to the left with a nice wide walkway between the two.

There's still more to do.  I didn't get enough dry beans to eat, but certainly enough to plant.  If I want a good amount of beans, I need to plant much more with a real trellis.  Rabbits get after it if it's low, but once it's high enough, pods can form higher.

I've gotten lots of dill seed for next year.  I started squishing some tomatoes for the seed.  Speckled Roman, San Marazano, Sun Gold, Black Cherry, Yellow Bell and a nice sized small red tomato that I can't id.  I was very happy with the Speckled Roman.

Too long since the last post!

It's October.  I'd like to say I've been busy in the garden, but...  I don't weed, the watering is automatic.  Mainly, I harvest.

The cucumber beetles killed the cukes with mosaic virus I think.  The Trombocino & butternut squash got hit with it & recovered a bit.

Squash bugs went through a generation.  I hit them with organic pyrenthium/rotone a few times during the season and that seemed to help. The in-law garden didn't have bugs this year.  My neighbor didn't have them in his garden 50 yards away.

I harvested the squash last weekend.  I filled 2 milk crates with butternut and overflowed a 3rd with some butternuts and trombocino.  Probably another crate of damaged butternet.  Some frozen, some eaten, some given away.

I also dug potato.  I think I broke even with the weight I put in.  the in-law plot did better.  I think my plot didn't have enough sun.  Neither plot got watered and I think I should've with the dry summer.  Oh well, next year!

Peach Harvest

The woodchuck was able to go under the fence I put out.  Next year I'll have to do better.  I saw 1/2 the crop disappear overnight.  So I picked them.  28 peaches.  The one in the top upper right is the single one (of 2) from a 4 year old tree I planted last year.  It's a gift to get one so soon.

The one nectarine disappeared overnight too.  It was real high and I didn't think the woodchuck could get it, but the branch was sturdy.

So far, this is the best yield ever.  And they taste better then any other peaches I've ever had.

Next year I need to do something different with the fences.  Something that prevents crawling or digging under.  That I can mow around.  And take up after the season to trim or roto-till.  I'm thinking 2'-3' of wire cloth laid flat on the ground around the outside.  With landscape staples to keep it flat.  And tiewrap the fence to it.

Garden progressing

From 7/26.  The squash bugs are tolerable.  We're getting Cherry tomatos, cukes, and trombocino squash.  We finally got an eggplant too.

More harvest & pictures

The usual shot from the deck.  The corn is starting its tassels.

Squash bugs are barely in evidence.  A few eggs, a few mites and one adult I missed squishing tonight.

This is the Trombocino squash I grew instead of the Black Beauty zucchini I had last year.

I harvested this one tonight.  Ann did the breaded cutlet thing with them for dinner.

She pronounced it a success.  They taste a bit more delicate then the zucchini.  They're a bit denser with less water too.  I'm not sure they'll be as good on the grill.

I'll be planting the zucchini next year for sure.  The Trombocinos sprawl almost as bad as butternut.  I'll still plant them, but the zucchini fit in the garden better.

This watermelon is looking good.  I have 2 others about the same size and some smaller.  Plus lots of blossoms.  We love watermelon!

It's hanging from the fence between the garden & the annex.  I need to think about trellising more.

Looking to the right of the watermelon shot, you can see the weeds/grass on the ends of the rows.  The butternut should out compete it.  The watermelon should do ok.

I never said my garden was weed free; I just don't *need* to do weeding.

After the harvest I'll till it all in & put down a cover crop.  Next year maybe I'll put down clover on the margins.

There are more radishes.  I planted them densely and got to pull grown ones out.  We're not that into them raw.    Ann cooks them w/ butter + garlic and we like that.  Mostly, they're to go to seed & scare away the bad bugs.





And there is one sticking up.  Do they keep the bugs away?  I'm not going to give them credit for the squash bugs.  The in-laws plot had as many last year as I did and they have none this year.

I have *lots* of cucumber beetles, ants, crickets, spiders, japanese beetles and a few species of dragonfly.  The yellow sticky traps have lots more.

I don't think the radishes did anything.  But it was nice to have something up quick while we were waiting for everything else besides peas.

Muskmelon

Last night, I picked & cut up the muskmelon. 

And just in time it looks like.   Some bug put a smiley in it.

Unfortunately, it wasn't quite ripe :-(  I wrapped it up & put it in the fridge with hopes it'll ripen a bit.  I'm not hopeful.

There are more blossoms on the plant and it is growing well.  I'm hoping there will be another fruit. 

Harvest is trickling in

We've started getting harvest!  The muskmelon is ripe.  I've seen 4 watermelons on the way and there are lots of squashes growing.  Purple beans and yellow beans are starting to produce.

The peas have had their run.  The garlic needs to be harvested.  Dill is coming up and just starting to flower.  I'm hoping to have lots for dill pickles.

Tonight, we got 2 tomatos which my daughter promptly ate.  She had pointed them out also.  It's only fair.  I found (they love to hide) 5 cucumbers.  They might be a bit riper then I'd like.

Two nights ago I thinned my beets.  Mostly, it was the greens with tiny beets.  I like both.  My son got a carrot that I thinned also.  by thinning, I mean I plant too tightly and pull the largest ripe ones and hope that give room for the ones left behind.  It works well for the radishes.  Not so much for beets and carrots.

The trombocino squash looks like it finally has something ready to harvest.  I picked 2 at my in-law's garden.  I think my fear of squash bugs got the better of me.  I haven't seen any at their plot even though they had the same overrun I had last year.  I've seen a few, but hand picking has kept it reasonable.  I also know better then to let them go!

My tomatoes have fruit and blossoms.  The corn is growing.  The peaches are doing well.  Ann even found a nectarine or two high up on the tree.  Perhaps we'll finally have one.

The eggplant had blooms, but I'm not seeing any fruit :-(  I planted Fairy Tale based on our CSA but they're not doing as well.  I have a broccoli that's yet to fruit.  Crown?

That's about it for now.  I don't have pictures for this post, but next post, I'll have a muskmelon.