Blink and it's gone

Summer 2012

It came, it was horribly hot and humid, and now it is on the way out.

Fall is in the air.  Hard to believe as hot as it still is.  Leaves are turning and starting to drop.  There is the slightest hint of cool in the early morning and late evening.

I didn't try too much this summer.  Some southern peas, lima beans, okra, peppers and sweet potatoes.  I didn't TRY with the eggplant, but I got so many I gave it up.

I am ready for salad and tomatoes from the garden.  Now would be good.  Well, maybe in a month or so???

I've started in the NE Garden taking out the summer stuff and getting ready for fall and winter.

Here is how the garden looked labor day week end.  Not particularly show quality, but considering how much attention (none) it has been getting the past month, I can't really complain.  And neither can the neighbors.  PS - that is NOT my shade canopy in the background.

I pulled out the experimental test patch of Sweet Potato first.  I'll report more on that later.  I wanted to get that bed (raised bed closest to the street) prepped and planted for fall first.   The next bed is the center rectangular raised garden.  The one that is overflowing with sweet potato vine.  Note that none of the vine was planted this year, and I didn't think I left any bits of tubers when I cleaned it out last fall.  I have this bed targeted to start work this weekend.  I'm remaking the frame, going from 6" to 12" with a sitting ledge on the two path sides.  I was planning to build out the frame for the oblong bed on the left side of the garden for this fall.  Now, I'm not so sure.  While I would love to have the usable space, and the convenience and ease of the 12" raised beds plus sitting ledges - this OINK (zero income no kids) thing has me a bit cautious.

Oh, and I am done with the grass path.  It served it's purpose in the beginning of the garden by lending some continuity to the space.  Now, I am tired of fighting the explosion of weeds and grass in the summer.  And I can't edge the darn thing.  So either hubs will transplant the bahia to the backyard or I'll cover it all up with newspaper and mulch.  Actually, I really really want hubs to transplant the bahia (and he does have plenty of time right now after all) so that I can create a french drain type contraption down the center of the path to help hold water in the soil.  

 The top two tiers of the garden have been planted.  At the very top is a Better Boy tomato.  Along the path edge is a strip of radish seed.  The middle ledge is Johnny's Seeds Happy Rich mini broccoli with turnip seeds intermixed.  The pan handle has Purple Graffiti Cauliflower and the narrow tier along the path will be planted in onion sets for green onions.

In the strip bed along the opposite side of the path I scattered seeds for mixed crop of callalloo and broccoli.  And the seeds have already sprouted!  I have plats started of mixed salad greens and more Happy Rich broccoli.  The redone rectangular raised bed will be seeded with lettuce.  And I need to get some more plats started.

While anxiously awaiting cooler weather.