Fall garden update

The fall garden is really starting to come into it's own.  The broccoli has finally started to make a head.  I was wondering if it would ever behave.  The heat this summer is messing with things.  I'm hoping that the heat we're having this week won't stop the broccoli progress. 

The pac choy is doing extremely well and really needs to be harvested.  In the background is some chard sizing up nicely.  I think I'll plant some more of the pac choy this week.  It grows very quickly and is very yummy as well.

This is some more broccoli that the bugs have been enoying along with some red cabbage.  This bed also contains some carrots that seem to be doing well.  I'm hoping that they'll put on some good growth in the next few weeks.

In the second bed, the beets are also doing very well.  We are big fans of roasted beets in the cooler weather.  These won't over winter well, so we'll eat what we can and harvest the rest for storage in a few weeks.

Also in the second bed are my second crop of cabbages and broccoli.  Some of the cabbage was harvested last week, the rest needs another week or two. 

This is my first year doing a real fall/winter garden, so I'm still figuring out what works and when they need to be planted.  The spinach I sowed a few weeks ago didn't do anything because of the heat, so I'll re plant that.  I'm thinking of starting the mache as well.  We're really looking forward to eating fresh from the garden this year.  It seems odd to think about harvesting in the snow.  I know it's possible though!

Mid July garden

The garden is in full swing now.  Usually I say that about 3 weeks or so from now, but I'm taking the early season and running with it!

The tomatoes are huge.  They needed extra support, so I wrapped jute around the outside of the supports to corral them in.  I'm still loving these A frame supports.

Isn't that the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?  I'm resisting picking this, as it is still just slightly under ripe.  Probably tomorrow.  It's extra exciting this year.  Hubby used to hate raw tomatoes, but after years of eating them by myself, I'll have someone to share the tomato goodness with.  Next year I have plans for cherry tomatoes since I won't be the only one eating them.

The corn is looking great.  The tassels are making the kids want it even more.  In a few more weeks we'll be eating lots of corn!

The lettuce has gone to seed.  I'm thinking that instead of saving seed this year, I'll just shake the seeds onto the ground.  This is in one of the hoop houses, so when it's ready it should come up on it's own.

Speaking of hoop houses, this is some chard that I just transplanted into one.  There is still lots to plant, but they're starting to take shape.  I'm off to the farm supply for straw today.  That should help to insulate them and reduce weeds as well.  Usually I'm a straw fanatic, but this year I didn't use much.  The last 2 years have been wet and cool and the straw has been more hindrance than help.  It figures that this year, when I don't use any, is the year I needed it the most.  Better late than never.

What really needs to be sown inside?

I've been thinking about this a lot this year.  After the unmitigated disaster that was my lettuce and cole crops, I'm rethinking how best to proceed in future years. 

What I'm realizing, is that there aren't terribly many crops that need to be seeded under lights in my zone 6 climate.  Sure, the tomatoes, peppers and eggplants must be.  How about the lettuces and cole crops.  I had initially started them inside in an attempt to get an earlier crop.

I do realize that in the case of the lettuce, I had started it far too early.  The lettuce isn't a huge issue though, it's the cole crops.  We eat a lot of them and I've had terrible luck thus far.  They come up beautifully and then proceed to die one by one.  When I realized that not very much had survived, I direct seeded more crops a few weeks ago.

So far they seem to be coming along nicely.  Currently they are getting rained on, so they'll be even happier, even with the cold weather we're having right now. 

The lettuce and chard are doing quite well also.

Enter the hoop house.  I fully plan to maintain the hoops with cold tolerant crops all winter.  In early spring there will be plenty of space vacated by veggies that we've eaten, to start whatever I like.  Since I've had lousy luck inside and seem to do better out, it would make sense to just wait and start things where they'll stay. 

If this works for me, it will mean less work babysitting seedlings inside.  Less space taken up in my tiny house and less electricity used by my grow lights.  Sounds like a win win situation to me.  What do you think? 

Hoop house

As promised, the finished hoop house.  It has the plastic on now, held on by heavy duty clips.  The ends are open to vent it, since we're having some warm weather this week. 

An inside shot of the pathetic lettuce.  I'm hoping to get the cole crops transplanted in here by the weekend.  I should only need the plastic for a few more weeks.  It will then move to another section of the same long bed to be used to warm things up for the peppers and tomatoes. 

Sunning seedlings

It's gorgeous out today.  I thought the seedlings would like to be outside in all this beauty.  These are my bok choy, cabbage, broccoli and a few flowers. 

The onions came out to join in the party as well.

This is the very sad and overgrown lettuce.  It was in really sad shape.  I ended up transplanting it into my new hoop house.  I think it will probably not make it, but that's ok.  You live and learn.  I planted it far too early.  Another set of seeds will be sown today outside in the same hoop house.  Next year I won't make the same mistake.  

The rest of the seedlings will get hardened off and transplanted in a week or so.  The onions will need to wait a bit longer.  

This is the frame of the new hoop house.  It's a hodge podge of ideas from J and I.  I got the PVC poles and he added the wood and wire supports.  These were then covered with some handy dandy duct tape to protect the plastic from sharp edges.  The plastic will go up in a few hours.  I'll take another picture then to show the final product.  I'm hoping to use this as a mini greenhouse as well, in the coming weeks.  If all works out, we'll be making a few more to use next fall.  You can see how pathetic the lettuce looks in the far end of the bed.  I do believe I'm a lettuce murderer.  

Next on the agenda will be pea planting.