Monday, September 26, 2011

Fading Garden Glory

We've  have had some foggy mornings lately, which seem to fit with the waning garden and the wistfulness of fall arriving.  Here's a foggy fall garden update.
We are still harvesting  rainbow chard and  a small second planting of beets is almost ready. In the spots where the potatoes, onions and squashes used to be, Bethany and  Brendan roto-tilled and planted winter rye as a cover crop, which has now sprouted. The rye will keep down the weeds, preserve soil moisture and serve as green manure when it gets tilled in next spring.
Gordita keeps smiling.  A few of the raspberry bushes have a surprise fall crop of berries!  I hope the warm weather holds long enough for them to get ripe.
Some of the asparagus plants have  gone to seed and look  quite festive.  The asparagus beds are looking healthy and  I am optimistic we will have our first big yield next spring.
The tomato vines look pretty sad, but they are still loaded with nice green tomatoes. Every day we harvest a bushel or so of the tomatoes beginning to turn  color and they  ripen quickly inside.  Most of them get roasted and frozen for winter meals. but Bethany and Brendan also canned many jars of salsa and tomato soup.
There are still lots of all varieties of peppers growing as well - things are ripening so slowly now with the short days. I am looking forward to a meal of chiles rellenos with these poblanos.
The towering sunflowers have faded to vintage colors.
Considering how little is left, the garden still looks rather picturesque.

1 comment:

The Starved Idiot said...

it is lovely in its graceful decline.