How Does My Garden Grow

In essence, the fall garden is an exercise in denial of the season.  These last few days of chilly rain have been exactly what the veggies wanted.

As long as I can see these beautiful green spinaches, I can stave off the idea of winter.  These guys have been quite lovely in salads.  Nearby kohl rabi seemed to be wanting something more than encouraging words. What did they want, blood?  So, I gave everything leafy some blood meal.

Turning away from the turning tree leaves, I can still feel like a gardener. Although most welcome, the rains have left the soil too wet to work.  The last time I tried to turn over the soil in the old strawberry bed, the shovel would only go into the ground about an inch.  Now, it will be a race to see if the soil dries out enough to work before it freezes solid.  I am eager to turn under these choice cow pies.

The turnips have great leafy tops and have taken up more space than I gave them.  It was easy to thin them because they are not my favorite vegetable. The Merveille de Quatre Saisons lettuces, although not growing as quickly as some did in springtime, have held their own through a couple of hard frosts, bless their hearts.

Recently, I hauled up the remaining seven cement cylinders from the intermittent stream bed.  They were stuck fast in the dirt until the rains came.  When the soil can be worked, I'll continue this bed.  It will be fabulous.

The asparagus patch is in its fall plumage. Pretty soon, I'll cut it down and cover the bed with more manure.

We gardeners do not like to even hear about November being only ten days away.  Months of bleak withdrawal from our passion doesn't bear thinking about.  Meanwhile, I'm cutting firewood with my little chain saw.