Garden: October 2022

[prairiewindmomma]

Welcome! 

[Lucy the Valiant]

I missed the Sept thread, but jumping into this one - Zone 5b, severe drought. *waves hand

Still going strong: green beans (2nd planting, recovering nitrogen after potatoes), zinnias, dahlias, marigolds, butternut squash, Iran squash, bushel basket gourd (only 1 came to fruit! but he's beautiful!), delicata squash, tomatoes (mostly cherry tomatoes), cranberries, peppers, Goji berries (new this year), elderberries (new this year), raspberries, roses. (Weird order of listing because I'm walking around the garden in my mind, haha!)

Acceptable year for corn, rhubarb, okra, potatoes. Apples. Blueberries. Rarer lilies.

Not doing great: pawpaw trees, peach tree, baby elderberry & baby cherry trees.

SO MANY PLANS already for next year. ❤️ 

 

Edited because I remembered! Also great year for Sweet Williams AND I'm learning to save seeds. I have TONS, so am considering a cut-flower garden next year. Was able to deliver many bouquets this year, which is apparently WHAT I WAS BORN TO DO. ❤️ 

Also did well: sage, oregano, basil (never, ever enough basil - next year trying purple, too), lavender thyme, sweet alyssum, peonies (I need more peonies! more, more more!), several actual lavender plants ---> trying for a lavender variety garden, lollipop verbenum (gift from friend), and FINALLY for the first time in 6 yrs, my echinacea bloomed. The $#@% rabbits eat it EVERY year, but this year I finally grew 2 of them in cages. Aaaahhh, take that, ya nasty varmints. LOL My neighbor got 20 beehives this year, and I've been SO HAPPY about that.

We tried several things in containers this year, as a "just to see", and most of them just made tiny versions of the actual fruit / vegetable (tiny eggplant, tiny butternut, etc.). Dahlia did surprisingly well, but I wonder if that's because the bucket one was closer to the hose than the in-ground ones. 

Edited October 1, 2022 by Lucy the Valiant

[Loowit]

I ended up with a lot of tomatoes this year.  There are still a few trying to ripen, but I am not sure how successful they will be now that the days are getting shorter.  The pumpkins never did much.  The plants only got a few inches tall.  They have had a lot of blooms but no pumpkins.  We got quite a few blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries.  My roses did great, and some of them still have some really lovely blooms.

After four plantings of sunflower seeds, my final attempt just after the fourth of July was successful.  They did not get near as big as they should have, but the bloomed this week, and that made me happy.  I am not expecting any seeds from them.  The birds can have any that they produce.

Next year I plant to start things indoors as seedlings and then transplant them, though I am not sure that would have helped this year.  We just had a really cold wet spring and into summer and then a really dry hot summer.  It is staying hot and dry even now.

 

[Faith-manor]

I have harvested the last of the tomatillos and cherry tomatoes. It is going to be too cold at night now for me to get anything else to ripen. So I have a tray of cherry tomatoes for the dehydrator, and some Verde sauce to make.

But, the apple tree, emulating some sort of Chronicles of Narnia deep magic, has more ripe apples. I swear, Hive, I swear on my grandmother's grave, that this tree did not have those apples two weeks ago. I swear it. And these things are big, and lovely, and even tastier than the last ones. Cue the Funeral March of the Marionette music because my dear, but-if-he-does-it-again-he-will-soon-be-divorced husband picked a five gallon pail, brought them inside with a wistful face, large puppy dog eyes, and a soft voiced, "Honey, could you dehydrate these too? It would be a shame for them to go to waste."

I did not have a stroke, but I felt like my skull might explode.

So yes, as soon as the cherry tomatoes come out, the first load of apples is going in. If he picks another bucket, I will be on her asking for the name of a good lawyer. Don't know if I will need a divorce one or criminal! 😱😯😜

I have a lot of stuff composting in the raised bed. Tomorrow I am raking up grass clippings and filling the beds. We are a couple of weeks or so from leaves dropping, but when they do, I am filling up with those. I have branches to run through the wood chipper, so I can then mulch on top which hopefully means I will have nice nutrient rich soil come spring.  I also need to move some bookshelves and make room in the eat window for my mint, sweet basil, and rosemary. I am going to try to keep them alive as houseplants. I am very spoiled by having them fresh, and the supermarket prices for even a very small amount of basil is insane now. So I really hope to grow them as houseplants this winter.

Does anyone know if you can sprout alfalfa and beans in the winter inside, you know, A cols, low light level, Michigan winter? I love alfalfa and bean sprouts on my salads but have no idea if I can cultivate them myself.

 

[Faith-manor]

2 hours ago, Loowit said:

I ended up with a lot of tomatoes this year.  There are still a few trying to ripen, but I am not sure how successful they will be now that the days are getting shorter.  The pumpkins never did much.  The plants only got a few inches tall.  They have had a lot of blooms but no pumpkins.  We got quite a few blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries.  My roses did great, and some of them still have some really lovely blooms.

After four plantings of sunflower seeds, my final attempt just after the fourth of July was successful.  They did not get near as big as they should have, but the bloomed this week, and that made me happy.  I am not expecting any seeds from them.  The birds can have any that they produce.

Next year I plant to start things indoors as seedlings and then transplant them, though I am not sure that would have helped this year.  We just had a really cold wet spring and into summer and then a really dry hot summer.  It is staying hot and dry even now.

 

Beautiful!

[prairiewindmomma]

9 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

I have harvested the last of the tomatillos and cherry tomatoes. It is going to be too cold at night now for me to get anything else to ripen. So I have a tray of cherry tomatoes for the dehydrator, and some Verde sauce to make.

But, the apple tree, emulating some sort of Chronicles of Narnia deep magic, has more ripe apples. I swear, Hive, I swear on my grandmother's grave, that this tree did not have those apples two weeks ago. I swear it. And these things are big, and lovely, and even tastier than the last ones. Cue the Funeral March of the Marionette music because my dear, but-if-he-does-it-again-he-will-soon-be-divorced husband picked a five gallon pail, brought them inside with a wistful face, large puppy dog eyes, and a soft voiced, "Honey, could you dehydrate these too? It would be a shame for them to go to waste."

I did not have a stroke, but I felt like my skull might explode.

So yes, as soon as the cherry tomatoes come out, the first load of apples is going in. If he picks another bucket, I will be on her asking for the name of a good lawyer. Don't know if I will need a divorce one or criminal! 😱😯😜

I have a lot of stuff composting in the raised bed. Tomorrow I am raking up grass clippings and filling the beds. We are a couple of weeks or so from leaves dropping, but when they do, I am filling up with those. I have branches to run through the wood chipper, so I can then mulch on top which hopefully means I will have nice nutrient rich soil come spring.  I also need to move some bookshelves and make room in the eat window for my mint, sweet basil, and rosemary. I am going to try to keep them alive as houseplants. I am very spoiled by having them fresh, and the supermarket prices for even a very small amount of basil is insane now. So I really hope to grow them as houseplants this winter.

Does anyone know if you can sprout alfalfa and beans in the winter inside, you know, A cols, low light level, Michigan winter? I love alfalfa and bean sprouts on my salads but have no idea if I can cultivate them myself.

 

I hear teaching your husband to use the apple peeler/corer is cheaper than divorce. My Dh always had the job when we had apple trees—I paid him in pies.

Yes, you should be able to sprout as long as it’s warm enough. They don’t like direct light, and it’s only 3 days until they germinate and another 3 days until they are ready to eat.

[KungFuPanda]

23 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

I have harvested the last of the tomatillos and cherry tomatoes. It is going to be too cold at night now for me to get anything else to ripen. So I have a tray of cherry tomatoes for the dehydrator, and some Verde sauce to make.

But, the apple tree, emulating some sort of Chronicles of Narnia deep magic, has more ripe apples. I swear, Hive, I swear on my grandmother's grave, that this tree did not have those apples two weeks ago. I swear it. And these things are big, and lovely, and even tastier than the last ones. Cue the Funeral March of the Marionette music because my dear, but-if-he-does-it-again-he-will-soon-be-divorced husband picked a five gallon pail, brought them inside with a wistful face, large puppy dog eyes, and a soft voiced, "Honey, could you dehydrate these too? It would be a shame for them to go to waste."

I did not have a stroke, but I felt like my skull might explode.

So yes, as soon as the cherry tomatoes come out, the first load of apples is going in. If he picks another bucket, I will be on her asking for the name of a good lawyer. Don't know if I will need a divorce one or criminal! 😱😯😜

I have a lot of stuff composting in the raised bed. Tomorrow I am raking up grass clippings and filling the beds. We are a couple of weeks or so from leaves dropping, but when they do, I am filling up with those. I have branches to run through the wood chipper, so I can then mulch on top which hopefully means I will have nice nutrient rich soil come spring.  I also need to move some bookshelves and make room in the eat window for my mint, sweet basil, and rosemary. I am going to try to keep them alive as houseplants. I am very spoiled by having them fresh, and the supermarket prices for even a very small amount of basil is insane now. So I really hope to grow them as houseplants this winter.

Does anyone know if you can sprout alfalfa and beans in the winter inside, you know, A cols, low light level, Michigan winter? I love alfalfa and bean sprouts on my salads but have no idea if I can cultivate them myself.

 

Can you con him into building a cider press and making cider with those late apples so you’re off the hook and he can not waste them?  
 

My Mamaw had a yellow transparent apple tree. We cored and froze them and had cooked apples year-round. They made a sort of chunky applesauce that contained the peels and some butter. It was a staple my whole life. I’m trying to get a tree to grow now but it’s not looking too happy. The leaves have brown spots. 

[Faith-manor]

12 minutes ago, KungFuPanda said:

Can you con him into building a cider press and making cider with those late apples so you’re off the hook and he can not waste them?  
 

My Mamaw had a yellow transparent apple tree. We cored and froze them and had cooked apples year-round. They made a sort of chunky applesauce that contained the peels and some butter. It was a staple my whole life. I’m trying to get a tree to grow now but it’s not looking too happy. The leaves have brown spots. 

I am sorry to hear about your tree.

[Melissa in Australia]

Mid spring planting happening right now

 Have planted 60 tomato plants, 3 plantings of butternut pumpkins, sweetcorn, sweet potato, and some lettuce and carrots.  Just starting to rip out brassicas from winter. 

 Will wait another week to plant capsicum seedlings, watermelon and cucumbers 

Too many flowers to name in bloom. And so many weeds. I am getting on top of them though

[Rosie_0801]

4 minutes ago, Melissa in Australia said:

I am getting on top of them though

Talk about it!!

I've eaten just about all I can manage to eat of the edible weeds, but I still have to tackle the grasses!

Have you ever met a native leek? I got one from Bunnings the other day, for no good reason...

[Melissa in Australia]

3 hours ago, Rosie_0801 said:

Talk about it!!

I've eaten just about all I can manage to eat of the edible weeds, but I still have to tackle the grasses!

Have you ever met a native leek? I got one from Bunnings the other day, for no good reason...

No I haven't. I have some sort of very old variation of leeks that are huge, and form bulbs in the summer, so are supper easy to replant. 

[Rosie_0801]

1 hour ago, Melissa in Australia said:

No I haven't. I have some sort of very old variation of leeks that are huge, and form bulbs in the summer, so are supper easy to replant. 

Bulbs like a jonquil or tulip or something would?

[Melissa in Australia]

1 minute ago, Rosie_0801 said:

Bulbs like a jonquil or tulip or something would?

yes, more like an elephant garlic.

[ikslo]

We only lost our papaya during the hurricane. I replanted some of the new growth buds to see if they’ll take, and left the stump in case that decides to regenerate. If not, no biggie. I can plant another. I had a seedling but it got root rot from all of our Sept rain and died a week before the storm. 

I also lost some of my greens I planted for the fall. Too much rain in Sept. I have some more started.

My peppers all look wonderful. Seminole pumpkins doing well and my gooseberries survived transplanting. Everything out front (where I don’t water unless really necessary) is doing well. Orange tree perking up now that the weather is cooler. It was a bit heat-stressed this summer.

Oh, and my first attempt at purple passion fruit vines from seed failed, but I have three seedlings from my second attempt. Super excited to hopefully have that next year.

[Faith-manor]

I have been busy adding apple peels and trimmings to my raised beds along with some other veggie trimmings, and the next time I mow, probably one more time before we get a frost hard enough to stunt it, I will add grass clippings. I am hoping we actually get a good wind next week before I leave for the mountain house so that it knocks enough leaves down that I can rake them up and add those on top. But here is my question, do I just leave all of that to compost on its own or should I cover my raised bed with a tarp to hold in heat? I am new to this. I should probably just look it up, but thought I would ask here. Lazy I guess! 😁

[Serenade]

On 10/2/2022 at 9:53 AM, ikslo said:

 

My peppers all look wonderful. Seminole pumpkins doing well and my gooseberries survived transplanting. Everything out front (where I don’t water unless really necessary) is doing well. Orange tree perking up now that the weather is cooler. It was a bit heat-stressed this summer.

 

I had to look up Seminole pumpkins.  I might have to try those.  I'm glad you didn't lose a lot in the storm, and I'm surprised that gooseberries grow in Florida!

[prairiewindmomma]

We're still having July like weather here. There's absolutely no reason it should be 85F this afternoon.  Nor have the fall rains returned.  The quality and length of sunlight exposure, though, is still very much fall, so we're seeing some tapering off in the garden.

I need to go pull up my remaining zucchini and green bean plants. They are done.

My cover crop/nitrogen fixer/overwinter green manure blend of fava beans, rye, and other stuff is well up and going.

The tomatoes are covered in green fruits that do not ripen. It's infuriating.

My succession crops of kale, turnips, and cabbages are all coming along.  I should be planting out my next round this fall. I'm putting out seedlings about every 10 days that all start in my AeroGarden. (That thing has been amazing, btw, at starting seeds.)

I'd love to direct seed some lettuce, but it is still too hot most days. I'm waiting until our highs are in the 60s.

My berry bushes and grapevines are all happy. My kiwi vine was my only loss. 

I'm having a problem finding fall fruit trees from a local nursery. I'm going to wait until spring and hope for more availability. I think a lot of what would normally be available got swooped up by the commercial places as we are all trying to recover from last year's heat wave.  Once my two fruit trees are in, I'll have pretty much planted every square inch of dirt I have.  I plan on trying to layer in some stuff around their base food forest style, but it's going to be tight since I'm only doing dwarfs or heavily pruned semi-dwarfs (because I need to not throw shade on my solar panels).

[ikslo]

3 hours ago, Serenade said:

I had to look up Seminole pumpkins.  I might have to try those.  I'm glad you didn't lose a lot in the storm, and I'm surprised that gooseberries grow in Florida!

I don’t know that they do for sure! I’ve read they can be grown in 9b, but I started mine from grocery fruit, the timing of which doesn’t align with the sow/transplant guidelines. I’m trying though. I planted some in the ground and have a few in pots. It’s trial and error right now.

Edited October 6, 2022 by ikslo

[SHP]

I think we have finally dug deep enough to kill all the weeds that wouldn't be pulled, said "thanks for the drink" when sprayed, and have the healthiest roots I have seen. Probably not. 

Ready to plant! 

[cjzimmer1]

2 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

We're still having July like weather here. There's absolutely no reason it should be 85F this afternoon.  

 

I'm jealous!  I blew out all my drip lines today because it's suppose to freeze tomorrow.

[cjzimmer1]

The squirrels have been brutal this year and have consumed about 4 out of every 5 of my peppers and tomatoes.  So I've been building a cage for my garden.  It's taken much more effort than I anticipated so I didn't get it done before the tomatoes died off.  This morning I finished the end panel and had just a small segment of another wall left (that sits by the neighbors fence) and it would be done. Took a break to run my daughter to work and left the doors open since their isn't much in there anymore.  Came home to find a squirrel IN my cage.  Ran across the yard with the dogs, quickly closed the doors with 5 of the six dogs inside.  One less squirrel in the world.  I built the cage to keep them out but this works too.

My spaghetti squash has been amazing this year.  I picked at least a dozen from the one plant (last year I got 2).  Too bad no one else here but me likes it.  Fall raspberries are coming but not very plentiful.  I think I'm going to have to give them a good prune to rejuvenate them for next year. Tomatoes are done.  The pepper plant still look great but sadly very little on them due to the squirrels.  It's suppose to freeze tomorrow night so that will be the end of them.  I'll pull my parsnips after I'm sure we have a good freeze.  Otherwise it's time to start cleanup.  I'm going to try to grow some things indoor this year but have to figure out what grow lights I want first.

[SHP]

Went and picked up garden Phlox this evening and got it into the ground. :)

[Faith-manor]

1 hour ago, cjzimmer1 said:

The squirrels have been brutal this year and have consumed about 4 out of every 5 of my peppers and tomatoes.  So I've been building a cage for my garden.  It's taken much more effort than I anticipated so I didn't get it done before the tomatoes died off.  This morning I finished the end panel and had just a small segment of another wall left (that sits by the neighbors fence) and it would be done. Took a break to run my daughter to work and left the doors open since their isn't much in there anymore.  Came home to find a squirrel IN my cage.  Ran across the yard with the dogs, quickly closed the doors with 5 of the six dogs inside.  One less squirrel in the world.  I built the cage to keep them out but this works too.

My spaghetti squash has been amazing this year.  I picked at least a dozen from the one plant (last year I got 2).  Too bad no one else here but me likes it.  Fall raspberries are coming but not very plentiful.  I think I'm going to have to give them a good prune to rejuvenate them for next year. Tomatoes are done.  The pepper plant still look great but sadly very little on them due to the squirrels.  It's suppose to freeze tomorrow night so that will be the end of them.  I'll pull my parsnips after I'm sure we have a good freeze.  Otherwise it's time to start cleanup.  I'm going to try to grow some things indoor this year but have to figure out what grow lights I want first.

Squirrels are a much of a pain in the arse as ground hogs.

[cjzimmer1]

11 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

Squirrels are a much of a pain in the arse as ground hogs.

I agree!.  The only consolation with wood chucks is they are big enough to shoot.  Squirrels are bit harder to do that with.

[Serenade]

5 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

 

The tomatoes are covered in green fruits that do not ripen. It's infuriating.

My succession crops of kale, turnips, and cabbages are all coming along.  I should be planting out my next round this fall. I'm putting out seedlings about every 10 days that all start in my AeroGarden. (That thing has been amazing, btw, at starting seeds.)

I had a period of time this summer when my tomatoes did not ripen.  I read that heat and drought can cause this.  The fruit can be technically ripe but it doesn't turn color.  When some of mine finally did turn color, they immediately rotted.  But we had extreme heat and draught this summer where I live in NC.

And that is good to know about the AeroGarden.  I have looked at those for years, and maybe now is the time to put one on my Christmas list.

Edited October 7, 2022 by Serenade

[Serenade]

2 hours ago, cjzimmer1 said:

The squirrels have been brutal this year and have consumed about 4 out of every 5 of my peppers and tomatoes.  So I've been building a cage for my garden.  It's taken much more effort than I anticipated so I didn't get it done before the tomatoes died off.  This morning I finished the end panel and had just a small segment of another wall left (that sits by the neighbors fence) and it would be done. Took a break to run my daughter to work and left the doors open since their isn't much in there anymore.  Came home to find a squirrel IN my cage.  Ran across the yard with the dogs, quickly closed the doors with 5 of the six dogs inside.  One less squirrel in the world.  I built the cage to keep them out but this works too.

 

I love this squirrel story!  We have such trouble with them, too.  They even eat Swiss chard!!  I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it myself. 

[Serenade]

We have a squirrelinator.  It really works.  We have caught multiple squirrels at one time.   But we never get them all.  There is always another.

https://www.amazon.com/Rugged-Ranch-Products-100063928-Squirrelinator/dp/B0046VJ8RU/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3IOG986BRQLNZ&keywords=squirrelinator&qid=1665108297&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIyLjQ4IiwicXNhIjoiMS44MCIsInFzcCI6IjEuNjgifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=catchmor+squirrelinator%2Caps%2C170&sr=8-2&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.006c50ae-5d4c-4777-9bc0-4513d670b6bc

[SHP]

A combination of my husband having covid and delays in mail have come close to grounding the fall gardening to a halt. I only managed to plant and label 100 tulip bulbs and transfer the rest of the lilies today.

I haven't been idol though. I have been putting together my 2023 plant wish list. I have been focusing on the area that is mostly full shade with a narrow band down the middle and another to the south that is full sun.

I keep reflecting on my MIL's complaint about not being able to grow anything because her yard is so shady. I cannot relate at all to that assertion. In fact, I am having the opposite problem, I do not have enough space for all the shade loving plants that I want. I have taken to planting hostas and heuchera under the deck. 

 

The full sun area is going to be slower going. I am hoping to get some in trade but the trees I want are not easy to find and I am limited in what kinds of trees I can have by how the property is set up. Oh and I do not want to wait several years as a twig grows. I want the trees to be a few years old. 

[cjzimmer1]

I had a second squirrel get into the cage this weekend and it met the same fate as the previous one.  Such good doggies I have!  My daughter was telling me how it was trying to hide in the upper corner and my biggest dog (who is only about 19 pounds), jumped up 3 feet to get on the compost bin and then took a flying leap and grabbed it's tail pulling it to the ground where all the dogs did the deed in just a few seconds.  While I'm sure there are more squirrels around, I'm happy to report for the first time this whole season, the remaining tomatoes and peppers haven't had any new chew marks in several days so I'm hoping we at least got the worst offenders. 

We have about 3 days of beautiful weather until it shifts again so I've been digging up a 50 foot long strip near the neighbors fence and putting edging in.  Next will come a couple of layers of cardboard and then mulch (whenever the tree service that delivers free mulch) has trees getting cut in my area.  So hopefully the area will be all ready for next spring when I start putting in an assortment of spring, summer and fall perennials so I can enjoy them from my sunroom while watching the dogs romp in the back yard.  We had to watch them very closely this week because several very large birds of prey have been in the area and 4 times last week while we were out with dogs, they started circle the yard and got down to probably 40 feet off the ground before we noticed and starting yelling and waiving our arms and hustling the dogs inside.  My dogs range in size from 6 pounds to 19 pounds so all are potential snack size for birds that big.  Thankfully we haven't seen the for 2 days now so hoping they've moved on. The fall back plan is to use the squirrel trap (um I mean the garden cage) as their potty area since I don't have to worry about anything swooping from above on them there.  It's been such a difficult year.

[SHP]

2 minutes ago, cjzimmer1 said:

We have about 3 days of beautiful weather until it shifts again so I've been digging up a 50 foot long strip near the neighbors fence and putting edging in.  Next will come a couple of layers of cardboard and then mulch (whenever the tree service that delivers free mulch) has trees getting cut in my area.  

If you are using Chip Drop be aware that it can take months. I was on the list for 3 or 4 months and I know people who have been on it for a year. I would advise against preparing the area until they are dumping it in your driveway.

[ikslo]

I had just finished watering my garden after work (obligatory garden mention) and was sitting down on a chair on the lanai, when something plopped into the pool. Curious, I hauled myself up to look. It was the leg of a bird, with a few feathers still attached. Weird things happen in Florida. Of course I had to skim it out. I shook it out into the mulch. I mean, I guess it’ll be good fertilizer? 
 

That’s it. That’s my garden post for the day. 😁

[cjzimmer1]

4 minutes ago, SHP said:

If you are using Chip Drop be aware that it can take months. I was on the list for 3 or 4 months and I know people who have been on it for a year. I would advise against preparing the area until they are dumping it in your driveway.

Nope, I had heard how slow Chip Drop was.  One of the local tree companies offers the same service independently, much faster and they notify you in advance so you will be prepared for them to come.

[Rosie_0801]

I have five, maybe six, flower spires on my chocolate lilies!!!

[SHP]

9 hours ago, Rosie_0801 said:

I have five, maybe six, flower spires on my chocolate lilies!!!

I would love to see pictures when they reach their full glory

[Miss Tick]

Just canned 4 quarts of tomatoes.i think I have another 3 or 4 quarts worth in the counter. The garden under performed this year, but I don't mind a bit.

I would like to take a year off of gardening, but not step away permanently yet. I haven't got on the perfect scheme for how to do that. Plus, maybe next year will be different!! 😆

[SHP]

15 hours ago, cjzimmer1 said:

Nope, I had heard how slow Chip Drop was.  One of the local tree companies offers the same service independently, much faster and they notify you in advance so you will be prepared for them to come.

Despite having a rather large still to move, I am a bit jealous.

[Rosie_0801]

59 minutes ago, SHP said:

I would love to see pictures when they reach their full glory

They're quite small, only about as big as your thumb nail so not really very glorious unless you're sniffing them.
https://tuckerbush.com.au/chocolate-lily-arthropodium-strictum/
If you sniff them, they smell like chocolate syrup early in the season, and vanilla nearer the end.

[Ann.without.an.e]

I’ve always loved to garden. I allowed someone else to use my space the last 3 seasons so my use was limited and I finally have my space back.
I have my fall garden in and we’re enjoying the greens right now. 
I have mustard greens, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, kale, lettuce, collards, golden beets, carrots, turnips, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage. Don’t mind the asparagus that is dying off in the pics. We will cut it back in the next month or so. I’m about to put some garlic in the ground in the next few weeks too. So excited!!!! I have my happy place back 🥰

 

 

Edited October 11, 2022 by Ann.without.an.e

[popmom]

On 10/1/2022 at 9:17 PM, Faith-manor said:

I have harvested the last of the tomatillos and cherry tomatoes. It is going to be too cold at night now for me to get anything else to ripen. So I have a tray of cherry tomatoes for the dehydrator, and some Verde sauce to make.

But, the apple tree, emulating some sort of Chronicles of Narnia deep magic, has more ripe apples. I swear, Hive, I swear on my grandmother's grave, that this tree did not have those apples two weeks ago. I swear it. And these things are big, and lovely, and even tastier than the last ones. Cue the Funeral March of the Marionette music because my dear, but-if-he-does-it-again-he-will-soon-be-divorced husband picked a five gallon pail, brought them inside with a wistful face, large puppy dog eyes, and a soft voiced, "Honey, could you dehydrate these too? It would be a shame for them to go to waste."

I did not have a stroke, but I felt like my skull might explode.

So yes, as soon as the cherry tomatoes come out, the first load of apples is going in. If he picks another bucket, I will be on her asking for the name of a good lawyer. Don't know if I will need a divorce one or criminal! 😱😯😜

I have a lot of stuff composting in the raised bed. Tomorrow I am raking up grass clippings and filling the beds. We are a couple of weeks or so from leaves dropping, but when they do, I am filling up with those. I have branches to run through the wood chipper, so I can then mulch on top which hopefully means I will have nice nutrient rich soil come spring.  I also need to move some bookshelves and make room in the eat window for my mint, sweet basil, and rosemary. I am going to try to keep them alive as houseplants. I am very spoiled by having them fresh, and the supermarket prices for even a very small amount of basil is insane now. So I really hope to grow them as houseplants this winter.

Does anyone know if you can sprout alfalfa and beans in the winter inside, you know, A cols, low light level, Michigan winter? I love alfalfa and bean sprouts on my salads but have no idea if I can cultivate them myself.

 

I want a wood chipper so bad! What kind do you have? 

[Ann.without.an.e]

17 hours ago, SHP said:

If you are using Chip Drop be aware that it can take months. I was on the list for 3 or 4 months and I know people who have been on it for a year. I would advise against preparing the area until they are dumping it in your driveway.

 

17 hours ago, cjzimmer1 said:

Nope, I had heard how slow Chip Drop was.  One of the local tree companies offers the same service independently, much faster and they notify you in advance so you will be prepared for them to come.

 

They were super fast for us. We’ve only used them the one time though so not enough experience to count lol.

[TechWife]

My husband is having a major surgery later this week. I doubt I’ll be able to keep up with anything for the rest of the year. At some point after the first frost I’ll have to pull out dead annuals, but other than that I think I’m done until March/last frost.

[Faith-manor]

2 hours ago, popmom said:

I want a wood chipper so bad! What kind do you have? 

An off brand, not sure the name. It came from a home improvement place that is mostly in the Great Lakes Region, Menards.

[popmom]

4 hours ago, Faith-manor said:

An off brand, not sure the name. It came from a home improvement place that is mostly in the Great Lakes Region, Menards.

Thanks. I wish I could find a good electric/battery option. We have all EGO mower, blower, etc, but they don't make a chipper/shredder that I know of. I don't think I'm strong enough to deal with a pull start ignition.

I don't know about alfalfa, but bean sprouts are easy. I do it accidentally a couple of times a year soaking my beans seeds before planting lol. I don't mean for them to sprout--I just get distracted and leave them on the counter too long before I plant them. I have done micro greens with a simple grow light that is mounted to the underside of a kitchen cabinet. I know y'all don't get much natural light, but a cheap grow light should be enough for sprouts.

I'm also planning to bring my herbs inside for winter. I'm spoiled, too.

[popmom]

I'm late as usual getting my fall garden going. We have pretty mild winters, so I can overwinter slow carrots and stuff. I keep frost blankets handy for my lettuce and greens. The turnips can take a hard freeze. 

I still have pole beans producing, one tomato still setting fruit, and poblanos. I pulled up all my okra last week. Oh--I have a watermelon. I am ridiculously excited about this watermelon. We get so much rain, they rot on the vine. It's been so dry here the past couple of months, I think this one is going to make it! 😉 

I am experimenting with growing bougainvillea from cuttings. I have two varieties. I planted 4 cuttings from each. One variety--I only lost one. The other variety--3 died. I think the one is going to make it though. It's really exciting to see new growth on them. I've never tried anything like this before.

Edited October 12, 2022 by popmom

[SHP]

Does anyone have a good size herb container garden? I am using an ounce of dried rosemary and an ounce of dried thyme a week just in my bread, plus a not small amount of other herbs as well.

I am fine treating them as annuals as long as I get enough to make it worth while. 

I have vertical space that is currently ugly and could use some plants. It is a 3.5ft high section around 40ft long that I plan to hang planters for a vertical wall garden. 

[SHP]

I started seeds indoors for several Arisaema plants. Last week I noticed two Arisaema ciliatum sprouted and today I was beyond excited to see a Arisaema tortuosum finally peeking out. 

:)

 

[Faith-manor]

4 hours ago, SHP said:

Does anyone have a good size herb container garden? I am using an ounce of dried rosemary and an ounce of dried thyme a week just in my bread, plus a not small amount of other herbs as well.

I am fine treating them as annuals as long as I get enough to make it worth while. 

I have vertical space that is currently ugly and could use some plants. It is a 3.5ft high section around 40ft long that I plan to hang planters for a vertical wall garden. 

I do not. But I am building one next summer. I had them in pots on the back steps this past summer, however, the pots really weren't big enough so they did not grow as well as they should have. For the record, I swear basil is the "rich, spoiled rotten brat, 'I'm melting if anyone looks at me funny', plant of the herb world.

So with my scrap lumber I am building a 4ft long x 3ft wide x 2ft deep raised bed, and putting it on 2ft tall legs so when we are on our anniversary trip next summer and my mom has to come down and weed the bed, or fuss with it any way, she does not have to bend over. I am putting a lawn chair behind it, and a 2.5 gallon bucket of water on it with a lid that has holes drilled in it, and 3/8" ropes coming out of each hole with their ends buried near each plant. It is a water wicking method I am going to try which is supposed to greatly conserve water while keeping the plants drinking well. I am then mulching a lot to prevent evaporation. I will let you know if this works. My sweet basil appears to have a lot hate relationship with water in that it will die without water, and is dependent upon water, but recoils at the mere horror of water droplets touching it.  And yet, we love Italian food, and I cannot go back to not having fresh basil, so this b#tchy little plant will continue to be pampered in every possible way while I pretend that I have not had the murderous thoughts of pulling the snarky little jerk up and throwing it to an acquaintances pig thus ending its nasty little botanical life. 

I will report back next summer to let you know if I am getting good results from the experiment or sinking into a deeper, herbal sociopathic state. 😁

I will also be putting in garlic, scallions, rosemary, and oregano. I am going to try chives in a pot. We love chives on potatoes.

The dimensions in metric, 120 cm x 90cm x 60cm, 9.46 liters, and 9.5mm.

[SHP]

A hard freeze has been predicted next week for my area. We may or my not get it but I am still freaking out. I only have 400 of my 1100 Tulip bulbs planted. The ground is ready, the hardest part is moving mulch. 

[SHP]

200 more in the ground! 

The remaining 500 are in a different area and I hope will be easier.

[itsheresomewhere]

The greenhouse is set up for winter and ready to be loaded today.  Wireless Temperature gauges still work from last year so I am happy. 
 

The garden did well this year even with the drought.  Lots of stuff canned for winter now.  We had so many apple blossoms and baby apples until a raccoon decided they looked tasty.  
 

I have been selling some of my flowers I grew and my black petunias were a huge hit.   Every single one sold.  
 

Now to prep/clean up the gardens for winter. I have 500 new bulbs to plant I bought in February apparently.   I didn’t think I bought that many but that is what showed up. Tulips, double tulips, new varieties and irises.  And then I have to work on the house plants. I received a new orchid and it needs the be in the perfect spot.