How did the Fall Grow?

October Growth:

 

Radishes made a triumphant go of it in the garden.  I have never before had more success with radishes than I did this season.

Rows for mustard greens, arugula, and kale.  Mustard greens and arugula had a really great growing season but it was too warm for the kale which did not start growing well until about November.


An up close view of the mustard greens and arugula.

The collards did very well.  I believe two factors really contributed to their growth:  1) the use of a cover crop during the summer in the front half of the garden and 2) removing the nadinas which were shading out the pants too much during the winter month.

You can see the nadinas had grown very tall - at least 5 to 6 feet in most places.  They'd also started spreading, growing close to the fence line and crowding themselves.  I made it my mission to not only trim them, as I had done in years past, but to also thin them as needed.

This back corner of the garden has been historically difficult to grow some plants in due to the large amount of shade that comes from a very viney tree in our neighbors yard as well as the large bushes by the garden.  We do work every year to trim out the bushes and vines but until our neighbors clean up their own yards it is a bit of a losing battle.

 
This is a basic view of the garden on a late October day.

November:

 Lucas found some interesting cocoons in one of the trees.  He told me what it was but I've long since forgotten.

 Here is Reese looking goofy.

 And here he is waiting for to throw a frisbee.

 We had a time keeping the patch of carrots weeded.  Here they are when they were just a small collection of seedlings.  At this point the carrots, radishes, and (to an extent) the rutabagas had produced well.  However, the onions absolutely would not produce.  Next time I try to grow them I am going to use sets, which I've had more success with in general and if I use seeds I'm going to start them in seed trays and see if I can't transfer them into the garden.

December:

You can see the empty spaces where the onions I planted never came up.  In some of those rows I eventually planted more carrots (don't ask me what I am going to do with all these carrots come spring time) and I also planted a winter cover crop:  Austrian Winter pea.  I'll let you know how that does.  You might also be curious about the deal with the tomato cages.  I put those on the outer edges of the rows to help Reese know not to step on my plants and just stay on the path when we are playing frisbee.  He does pretty good once it looks like the plants are actually there but struggles otherwise.

 

I am absolutely excited about these little carrots.  I cannot wait for them to do something worthwhile.

 

You can see that I gave the nadinas a real trim.  Generally speaking they should not be trimmed this time of year but I don't really care all that much if they live or die.  (That sounds sort of hateful, doesn't it?)  I can always buy more.  Or you know, expand my garden a few extra feet 😉

You can see that the greens on the left side of the garden have really taken off!  I've made a few batches of mustard greens, collards as well as some pickled radishes and a few freezer meals made from things out of this garden.  Be on the lookout for those posts next!