Fall Garden

My fall deck garden is thriving but I have had to fight for my plants.  The bugs, caterpillars, even wasps and spiders all tried to own it.  I picked a lot of little caterpillars off of my cabbage and broccoli plants.  Strangely enough, nothing is touching the spinach.  That might be a hint for the future.

Here are progression shots:

August 30, 2012

September 8, 2012

October 3, 2012

We have eaten many of the dwarf bok choy already but have not harvested any of the other crops yet.  Spinach and lettuce will be the first by the looks of it.

Spinach (left) and Dwarf Bok Choy (right)

Red Salad Bowl Lettuce

I am thrilled to see the snow peas growing like weeds, blossoming and already growing snow peas.

Heirloom snow peas growing on deck in containers

The largest container of broccoli plants is exceeding my expectations.  I watch anxiously for the first sign of our favorite fall veggie.

Broccoli growing over the edge of its large container

The Aichi Chinese cabbage have been a huge fight and I'm not sure I'm winning.  First aphids then one kind of caterpillar and then another.  It is cool but not cold and the insects are taking full advantage of the mild weather.  I have at least 25-30 seedlings to replace these but they are under attack as well.  I spray with a peppermint oil spray I made.  It kills most of the aphids but not the caterpillars.

Aichi Chinese Cabbage

Red cabbage are beginning to form heads.  I hope I get at least three tiny heads of red cabbage before it freezes.

Red cabbage

Finally, I continue to harvest tomatoes: cherry and San Marzano, and the occasional Moskovich.  Next year I will definitely plant some late tomatoes.  I was told that they taste better than any of the early varieties.

Tomato bed that spread out on both sides

The cucumbers are barely growing, tiny and stunted.  Even the two that I left on the vine that were over 16" long aren't ripening well for seed harvest.  I am hoping I get enough seeds to share and plant next year.  I will definitely ripen cukes on the vine earlier next year.

How is your fall garden growing?

Oh the Sun! Oh the Dirt!

It is a glorious day here in Connecticut. Early, when I arose, it was in the 50's and a bit nippy. But now! Oh, now it is perfect!!!

Last weekend I asked my 19yo and 12yo sons to fill up my new containers with soil and compost. Although they kind of skipped the compost it is what it is at this point and I am not dragging buckets full of compost up to my second story deck.

Soaking wheat berries to sprout

 The boys off to their first day of school this year, a pork roast in the slow cooker for pulled pork sandwiches tonight, wheat berries soaking in one of my really big new Ball jars, a little knitting done while watching a show on Netflix, I decided it was time to pot my fall veggie seedlings.

In the back, the medium-sized black container has my bell pepper plant along with purslane (remember I grow weeds deliberately).

Fall container garden

To the left of that is the larger black container with snow peas, Calabrese broccoli and another bell pepper plant.  The largest green container has bok choi, snow peas, and three jalapeno pepper plants.  The closest square container has four Calabrese broccoli plants.  The small green container has Aichi cabbage.  In the small pots are Calabrese broccoli.  We do love our broccoli.  Still left to plant are the four hanging baskets which will each get one variety of lettuce for baby greens throughout the fall and winter months.  And in the other large square container I will probably plant more Aichi cabbage which didn't germinate well in the flat.

I decided to grow my fall garden on my deck because I didn't want to bother with pests, diseases and deer, and my tomatoes and cukes are still providing lots of yummies every day.

In the lettuce bed I will be planting my seed garlic which should arrive in October.  I plan to put 3 inches of compost in that bed, turn it a couple of times and then just grow lots of garlic.  Lots and lots of garlic.

The bed in the front yard I am thinking about planting a green cover crop.  Still haven't decided if I have the energy.

The kale seeds do not germinate well and are very slow to grow.  I have three seedlings and one larger plant that I am hoping will go to seed so I can save the seeds for next year (and some for my seed saver collection). I will need to research ways to encourage kale seed germination.

Well, that's how this sunny day is being celebrated in Connecticut.