This is the first year that I have ever had a fall garden. I don't know why I have never tried one before, as I live in the deep South, and we have a growing season pretty much year round.
I planted a mixture of lettuces, mostly to cut and come again. I have one or two that look to be heading up, so that will be a nice change. In the right bed I also have collards and mustard greens visible. I recently planted some kohlrabi seeds, garlic cloves, and New Zealand spinach behind the lettuces. I have a small patch of bunching onions, and a few parsnips as well.
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| My first cutting of lettuces netted a full gallon sized bag when they were all cleaned up. |
In the middle bed I have the brassicas. Bok Choy is just loving my garden. I have several heads of it growing vigorously. I also have some baby cabbage, savoy cabbage, and broccoli plants growing. I keep this bed covered to keep the white moths out. I have smashed some of their eggs laid on the white covering.
I have two different kinds of carrots growing, a yellow and orange variety. I have never been successful growing carrots, but I usually try in the spring, which around here gets really hot really fast.
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| Here are some of the bok choy that I cut leaves off to see if they would grow back...they did! In the back ground is a purple (I think) sprouting broccoli plant. I staked it right after this picture. It's a good thing too, because we had some heavy wind and rains for a few days. |
Here is a smaller broccoli plant that was staked, and some other random brassicas that are still babies. They look much the same when they are small. Sometimes I can't tell what they are until they get a bit of growth on them.
My gardening wish came true this year!! I've been waiting patiently all year for November to get here so that I could plant asparagus crowns. I ordered 25 two year old Mary Washington crowns...they sent probably 30. Most looked to be in good shape, but a couple were dried out. I planted them all in the hopes that I can have fresh asparagus from my own garden.
To my delight, one week after planting the crowns a third had sprouted up little shoots! After last count yesterday, 18 of the 28 holes had asparagus sprouted up out of them. I've been gradually pulling in a little dirt into the holes as they grow.
I missed harvest Monday this week, but did get some mustard greens and collard greens picked. I cleaned, blanched and froze 2 bags of the mustards and 1 bag of the collards.
The weather is so much nicer to garden in the fall here! It may be my favorite time of the year.
