Changing from summer to fall

GoDawgs · October 11, 2019

You know that perhaps fall is finally coming when the wardrobe starts changing, even just a little. Cooler mornings now mean shorts and a t-shirt with short sleeves instead of sleeveless. Afternoons are still sleeveless t's with shorts. The next change will be switching shorts to jeans or sweat pants but not yet.

So far the deer have been taking light tastings of the Red Ripper peas which is OK because we're done picking. Any pods coming now will be collected for seed. But there's netting over the blooming bush beans at night to keep the deer away from those. In the mornings I've been raising the netting up to the top of the hoops to let pollinators get at the flowers and lowering the netting back down in the evening.

This morning I prepped planting holes for setting out the second round of 6 broccoli and 4 cauliflower plants this evening. Dry, dry, dry soil! I remove two shovels full to a bucket, add two shovels full of compost, some 10-10-10 and a handful of finely crushed eggshells. Then I fill the hole with water while I mix the soil in the bucket. The water sure drains fast. After dumping the soil back in the hole and forming a saucer I fill the saucer with more water.

I can't wait to see what kind of sweet potatoes are in the compost bin which is covered with vines. The vines might be just from last year's leftovers that got tossed a while ago as they were sprouting well. But there just might be a few nice ones under there. I think I'll wait until frost approaches before I turn the compost bin and find out.

And finally, the porch greens are doing well! On the left side of the table are (front to back) brocs and cauli sets to be planted tonight, baby bok choys behind them and nicely recovered parsley that the butterflies munched up. On the right are three Little Gem Romaines, with window box lettuce Oak Leaf Blend and Farmer's Market 6-lettuce Blend behind that. We've been making salads from the lettuce. Far back right is a big pot with rosemary that I grew from cuttings.

We're so grateful for the cooler weather. Now if we could only get some rain... maybe Sunday or Monday.

October 11, 2019	#1
GoDawgs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b Posts: 1,685	You know that perhaps fall is finally coming when the wardrobe starts changing, even just a little. Cooler mornings now mean shorts and a t-shirt with short sleeves instead of sleeveless. Afternoons are still sleeveless t's with shorts. The next change will be switching shorts to jeans or sweat pants but not yet. So far the deer have been taking light tastings of the Red Ripper peas which is OK because we're done picking. Any pods coming now will be collected for seed. But there's netting over the blooming bush beans at night to keep the deer away from those. In the mornings I've been raising the netting up to the top of the hoops to let pollinators get at the flowers and lowering the netting back down in the evening. This morning I prepped planting holes for setting out the second round of 6 broccoli and 4 cauliflower plants this evening. Dry, dry, dry soil! I remove two shovels full to a bucket, add two shovels full of compost, some 10-10-10 and a handful of finely crushed eggshells. Then I fill the hole with water while I mix the soil in the bucket. The water sure drains fast. After dumping the soil back in the hole and forming a saucer I fill the saucer with more water. I can't wait to see what kind of sweet potatoes are in the compost bin which is covered with vines. The vines might be just from last year's leftovers that got tossed a while ago as they were sprouting well. But there just might be a few nice ones under there. I think I'll wait until frost approaches before I turn the compost bin and find out. And finally, the porch greens are doing well! On the left side of the table are (front to back) brocs and cauli sets to be planted tonight, baby bok choys behind them and nicely recovered parsley that the butterflies munched up. On the right are three Little Gem Romaines, with window box lettuce Oak Leaf Blend and Farmer's Market 6-lettuce Blend behind that. We've been making salads from the lettuce. Far back right is a big pot with rosemary that I grew from cuttings. We're so grateful for the cooler weather. Now if we could only get some rain... maybe Sunday or Monday.