We've Moved
State of the Garden
I really don't have many nice things to say about this year's summer vegetable garden. Because of some personal stuff, the garden was totally neglected. I never got my tomato or pepper starts planted, never got my cucumbers growing up the trellis, didn't do any weeding (as you can see in this picture) and I really didn't even water it. So a while ago I officially declared the summer season an epic failure.
The most surprising part about this failure is that it followed my best spring season of all time. The spring garden was awesome. I had Broccoli Rabe, Swiss Chard, Bok Choy, Peas, Turnips, Beets and Blue Potatoes.
I've decided to finish the summer focusing on my fall garden. Can you believe that there's only three more weeks of summer? Where does the time go?
After a quick vacation I feel recharged and I'm ready to get back out there again. Since I had such success with the cool season crops, I'm coming back for round two. I've already got all the seeds that I need for a great fall garden so now I just need some place to plant them.
Usually, I'm too short on free space in my raised beds to get a real fall planting going. I'm used to several beds full of tomatoes and peppers and some completely green trellises loaded with cucumbers but ahem.. not this year. This year, after some weeding I'll have tons of free space.
I'll have enough room that I think I'll add a few vegetables like carrots, spinach, parsnips and lettuce. I've grown a nice Simpson lettuce in the past, I think I'll give it a shot again.
And with a good fall planting going, I'm going to try to extend it into the winter. With the help of some cold frames or mini hoop houses, lets see if I can grow some of these greens and roots through the winter. I plan on turning the epic failure of summer into a fall season to be proud off.
6 Comments:
Fall will be better :-)
And don't worry about your garde failing: A month after I planted my Grandpa Ott and Heavenly Blue morning glories, I figured out they weren't growing because I hadn't fertilized them. Doh!
Oh well, now they are climbing above the top of the trellis!
You've got enough on your plate that I wouldn't worry about it. But at least your front garden will look great. :)
Osmo,
Swiss Chard is my new favorite. I planted it for the first time this year and besides being colorful like you said, it's also delicious.
Here in Wales we have had such a wet summer that rice might be the preferred crop!
However, my mange-tout peas have been wonderful. The outdoor tomatoes have loads of fruit (but green as yet, and little enough time left to ripen, especially if the weather continues to pretend it is November) but the courgette is climbing well to escape the wetness below.
My 3 compost heaps, though, are great!