Fall Gardening

What happened to summer, I will never know. I have pictures with dates to help me know what I did for next spring and summer. So now I have a few fall garden crops in the ground. I went very simple because of a hectic schedule....broccoli and brussel sprouts. While I love cabbages, beets, lettuces, etc. I just didn't have the oomph to do more. It was all I could do to get those in and that was after killing 24 plants in three days. It was still very hot and dry here in the south in September when I planted a first round of 18 broccoli and 6 brussel sprouts starts. I didn't mulch or put straw around them. I watered good the night I planted them, came back two days later - all dead! Waaaahhhh! I give up!

Then my garden neighbor's husband bought 18 broccoli plants when she only wanted 3 - so she gave them to me. I planted them. They are growing now. But it cooled off and rained too. That always helps. I also put wheat straw around the plants to help keep the moisture in and weeds off.

This picture was from Sept 24, 2010 but you get the idea. The plants are probably 5x the size now. I should check on them. We have been having good rain and sun so they will be fine.

I learned something interesting - don't use wheat straw in the spring. They will go to seed and then grow. Good to know! But in the fall it is alright.

I let one of my plots just sit for now and through the winter. It is a good plot so I don't want to wear it out. Just kidding. I just don't have the energy. So I will amend it with my compost over the winter. Then my second plot that was horrible with weeds, the garden board decided to experiment and cover with black plastic. Did I tell you that that plot is infested with fire ants!? Another reason to cover it - kill those suckers!! They bite my toes and ankles. It hurts. They bit my son. He won't come back to the garden.