Someone needs to tell them it's over

[tam91]

My silly garden does not seem to be paying any attention to the weather. The tomatoes are still going great guns - I hate to tell them, they aren't gonna make it. But lots of ripe cherry tomatoes out there (I must confess I've gotten bored of picking them). Several other varieties - the small tomatoes I left on the vine are growing, and a few even trying to ripen. Plus a bunch ripening in the house.
The beans are still going. New growth on the mint.
Cripes guys, give it up already!
I should just pull them out, but I'd feel mean...

[OtterJon]

Aww let em have their fun! Soon enough they will be tired and sleep..

[tam91]

I guess - I'm beginning to think I will be picking vegetables in the snow! (if only...)

[Elizabeth]

It's my fruit trees that are confused as all get out - I have blossoms on my plum and my pluot. An almond tree is sending out slews of new green leaves right now. Crazy trees.

[Ruth_10]

You know what they say: it isn't over until it's over. We're still picking beans, scallions, peppers, and tomatoes, plus the planted-for-fall-crop broccoli, kale, and carrots (still waiting on the Brussels Sprouts).

Tomato production was all mixed up this year. We had an abnormally hot July and then a somewhat cooler August, versus August being the hottest month. The result was the "main crop" of tomatoes in late July and August was pretty small due to the heat. But the plants put out new fruits in August that they normally wouldn't have and then we've had some nice warm weather (and no frost yet). Thus the bulk of my tomato crop came in late September and in October and (this surprised me) they tasted pretty good. This leads me to believe that good sun and warmth in September, during the earlier part of the fruits growth, is important for good tasting tomatoes.

I have, though, taken out all but seven of my forty tomato plants. I've canned three times as many tomatoes as we need and it really is a disgusting job to wait until after a freeze to take the plants out.

[lakelady]

Wow, still getting tomatoes? I pulled my last plant right before the snowstorm, it was too sad looking to leave it anymore. I'm pretty happy at least my kale likes snow!

[tam91]

My main crop wasn't great this year either. But they sure got enthused come fall!

[BigBrownDogHouse]

Originally Posted by tam91

My main crop wasn't great this year either. But they sure got enthused come fall!

For being so close in distance, it seems we had complete opposite crops this year.

My tomato plants got pulled over a month ago, they looked pathetic. My peppers are all now dead, even the heartiest Tabasco plants cashed it in a few days ago. Only thing popping out of the ground in the garden are some garlic tops and green onions.
I even pulled my Spearmint a month ago because that didn't look great. All flowers are gone except for a little patch of Marigolds out front that are hanging on.
....and the grapes were horrible this year!

However, I had a zillion tomatoes this Summer. My August production was unreal.

Seems like there is a frost every morning now. Not sure how much longer anything is going to hang in there.

[tam91]

I think it might have something to do with when we set the plants out perhaps? With the hot period we had, I think that was when mine were trying to set fruit. Dunno. I do not have ideal conditions here either.

Why would you pull spearmint though? It comes back every year... If you want some next year, let me know - mine "Mo" is trying to take over the world - he is a very nice Kentucky Colonal spearmint. I have a big patch, easy enough to dig up a chunk.

[BigBrownDogHouse]

Originally Posted by tam91

Why would you pull spearmint though? It comes back every year... If you want some next year, let me know -

Because as the end of the season approaches, it gets too tall and stringy.
The Spearmint I grow, I dug up from my folks house when they moved back around 97 from the southside of Chicago. It had been growing there when they bought the house in the early 60's.
It grows back year after year, I don't pull out the roots(just clip it to the ground) and even if I tried, I'd never get all of the roots to stop it.....it's out of control. It jumps my side sidewalk and also grows the other way into my four o'clocks. Sure smells good when it grows into the grass and I mow the lawn.

My mint patch certainly has to be managed. If left to go nuts, that would be the only thing I would have.

[tam91]

Oh, I see. I thought you pulled it out. Yes, I do get a few stragglers into the lawn, and it does indeed smell good!

I use it to make mint jelly, to go with lamb. In addition to the Mojitos, of course.

[BigBrownDogHouse]

Yea, I would definitely say Spearmint is one of those weeds that if you don't get every remnant of the root, the tiniest fragment will just grow the plant back.

Even when you transplant it somewhere, you don't need much of the root. Wish everything was so easy to move!

[tam91]

Bits of my "Mo" are covering the country LOL - there's some in Michigan, some in Texas, ....

What do you do with yours, other than inhale deeply whilst mowing?

[lakelady]

You can make a simple syrup of your mint and keep in the fridge. Add to cocktails or lemonade or iced tea. yum!

[BigBrownDogHouse]

Originally Posted by lakelady

You can make a simple syrup of your mint and keep in the fridge. Add to cocktails or lemonade or iced tea. yum!

I feel like an idiot. I just did some quick scans online and saw how easy it is to make Spearmint syrup. That will be on the agenda next Summer. My girls love mint!

We usually just cut it fresh for tea or I cut a bunch and place it in a room for fragrance.