Time to think about fall and winter

As mid-summer approaches, I'm taking a moment to write about each of my plants so that I'll have a record for the future. I recommend everyone do this as mid-summer is also a time where you should be assessing each bed and trying to free up a bit of space in preparation of your fall and winter gardens. It's so hard to think about these things while you're just starting to get excited about your summer garden but it is something that needs to be done or winter will be here and your garden will be empty. If you're not planning on a fall and winter garden then you should enjoy yourself but I've set out to have a year-round garden and I'd like to make-good on my word at least for one year.

The harvest has started and I have some tomatoes! Mind you, none of my precious heirloom tomatoes have produced a red fruit yet but I have quite a few green ones on some of the plants. About a month ago I was feeling distressed about my tomatoes and succumbed to purchasing an Early Girl, Better Boy, Sweet 100 and something Ace. I think it was the Better Boy has been proving better than the Early Girl. Anyway, I'm eating those now but the I know I'll be saving the best for last.

Cucurbits:
The cucumbers are producing. I've eaten one and I believe I'll have a bunch next weekend and plenty to come in the future. The cantaloupes are beautiful. I have two melons that are about 3/4 the size of a mature one - and they are starting to get the fishnet veining on the outside. I have a few baby honeydews! They are very tiny at this point but I can see their shape already taking place. By the way, they are fuzzy little suckers. On the other side, I have watermelons starting to appear. The one melon that I showed a picture of last time, isn't much bigger. I'm not sure if that is normal or not. The cantaloupes are growing so much faster. Speaking of things growing fast, the pumpkins are still out of control. They've tried to kill my corn, eggplants and sweet potatoes. I've cut them back and removed some of the destructive tendrils. However, they do have quite a few softball sized pumpkins on them so that makes me happy. Now for the last of the cucurbits, the squash forest is going great. I harvested about 10 pounds of zucchini. The crooknecks seem as though they've slowed down. I'm not sure if the "forest" is so dense that the bees can't get in to pollinate or what but that's fine - I'm not having a squash dearth as of yet. The Blue Hubbard squash is producing like crazy! I've never grown this before so I'm excited to see how they taste but it sounds like I will harvest them just before the frost and then store and use them through the winter. Butternut squash fruits are about 6 inches long and green. I'll be ripping out one row of zucchini at the end of this month to make some extra room for my fall garden.

Herbs:
Quite pathetic looking in general. The various basil varieties, stevia, lemon balm and cilantro are doing fine but everything else looks very sad. I have a couple lavender plants that are on their last legs, the dill is turning a red color and looking spindly, one of my cilantro plants has bolted but I'm letting it go to flower and I'll harvest the coriander from it, the shiso and summer savory never came up, the rosemary and sage are doing just okay. There is plenty of space in this part of the garden and I might be vicious and rip out a lot of it for the fall garden.

The corn and sunflowers are both doing great - they're both taller than me (although that doesn't take much I'm still pleased). The corn is starting to form the protective coverings for the ears and after a short inspection I've found that a few tassels will be emerging soon. As for the sunflowers, I wouldn't be surprised if a few started blooming this week.

Greens:
The chard and beets are doing fantastic. They are very lush and tasty. I've been harvesting them for a few weeks. As for the actual beets, I have no idea but I've been enjoying a few of their greens.

Sweet potatoes, eggplants, potatoes and peppers and green beans are all looking good. I've only harvested some of the sweet banana peppers and as you know, I've lost some bell peppers to sun scorch, but the cayenne, jalapeno and Big Jim peppers are pushing out little ones. The tomatillos have bunches of the cute papery lanterns hanging and swaying in the breeze. A few might be ready next weekend. I've picked handfuls of green beans and just ate them raw while chit-chatting with my parents. I found out that my mom doesn't like green beans - weird that I'm just finding this out now. She always grew them and I seem to remember quite a few of them on my dinner plate but she's the type that aims to please so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.

As of right now, I'm feeling a little anxiety about the fall/winter garden. I know I'm going to have to make some tough decisions pretty quickly and another game plan in order. Things to consider:

• Space issues in the garden - what can be ripped up and what has an extended stay
• What to plant that will extend my bees nectar and pollen sources into the fall and winter if possible
• Crop rotation
• Cover crops
• Simple things like, what will I want to grow to eat. Note to self: Remember leeks!
• Ordering seeds and plants such as asparagus - I doubt I'll ever grow asparagus from seed

I know that Brussle Sprouts, Rutabaga, Cabbages, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kohlrabi, and Potato should be planted by seed (in my area) in mid- to late-July so I need to start thinking about this very very soon. I'm sure that there are other things that I have in my mind for my winter garden that aren't on this list and need to be so it seems even more daunting. This will require a few books spread out on my dining room table and maybe some graph paper.

The nice thing about the fall and winter garden is that you can start your seeds and keep them outside in the shade. Everything grows better when the soil is warm so it will be much easier to get healthy seedlings this time of year rather than struggle with them in the winter.

 I hope there are others planning to do a year-round garden so we can go through this together. Ah, and Monday is now officially here. I'll think about this more, later today. 

Daphne