I can't believe it's time to even think about the fall garden, but here it is, nearing the end of July and time indeed to give fall a thought. Fall gardening is fairly new to me. When I was growing up, we had one garden in the summer time and that was pretty much it. No early spring crops, no late fall crops, just the typical 3 sisters garden variety. Sweet corn. Summer squash or zucchini. Beans. Plus some onions and tomatoes. But nothing beyond summertime.
The past couple years I've worked to expand beyond summer and I'm pretty excited to see how our fall/winter garden works out this year. Tonight, in an empty raised bed we planted sugar snap peas and radishes. In a second bed, beets and onion seeds (for an experiment next year). And in the trampoline "hoop house", lots of kale and spinach. If I can find some turnip seeds, we may sow a small patch of turnips and try to cellar them overwinter.
I'm so hopeful for this fall garden. If it works out as hoped, we should have fresh beets to ferment into pickles which will last well into winter. Fresh kale and spinach to wilt with bacon and serve with a vinagrette. Sugar snap peas to satisfy Isaac as there were no fresh peas this spring. And if the onion seed experiment works out, we'll have our own homegrown onion plants to plant this spring instead of buying expensive bundles from the farm store.
Fall gardening is so good.
Are you planning a fall garden?
6 comments:
Definitely! In AZ, we can pretty much garden year round, but summer is probably the worst. The heat just drains everything - mostly me. I hate going out to water in the summer. I just planted pumpkins (first time and I'm about a month late but still hoping for pumpkins by Halloween) with a ton of stuff coming up to plant in August and September. Last year we had lettuces and kale, beets and carrots going all winter with covering only required for about a week when we had a couple of hard freezes (we do get them here though I'm sure it's nothing like in Ohio). Now that I have a successful Fall/Winter under my belt I want to grow EVERYTHING this fall.
Isn't it exciting? I never imagined I'd get so excited about gardening. We definitely have some harsh winters, but hopefully that grow tunnel will make it so we can grow *something* all winter. The way my kids love kale, that would be a real hit this winter.
PS-Keep me updated on your pumpkins. Hope it works out for you!
Hi there stranger! We have been planning a fall garden too. I was bummed we did not get onions in due to everything going on and the hubby brought it to my attention we had onions that sprang up with baby onion balls on the tops. Did some research and decided to plant them to see if they turn into bigger onions this fall. Never did that before. Going to plant more cabbage, especially after reading your post. I planted 12 heads, so thinking more is needed. Want to try to make kraut. Wishing I could find more tator seeds for a second batch, but everyone is sold out here. :( I want to experiment with canning them. May put in beets, but still have some left from last year. Sorry to read about your ma and glad the homestead is doing great.
yes, we are planning a fall garden, I really liked your last post on the heat and what you were doing in regards to food etc.
Last year, I took my brussel sprouts and that last of the beets out of the garden in Nov, still getting greens in the hoops houses til Jan, but have yet to find a way between Jan to First Part of March to keep anything going, it just gets SO cold here.
Still compared to how I was raised, which was a one season garden, I start in the house and more thing to the hoop house by march, and to extend the other way till till Xmas is quite amazing!
Hey Shelly-I was just thinking about you yesterday! Glad things are going well for you. (Expect an email from me so we can catch up!)
My mom is hanging in there, if we can get her past this cold. I'm trying to see things long term....that everything thing they learn from my mom will make Mara's battle easier (if indeed this is genetic and if indeed she goes through the same battle.)
Farmgal-would you believe last winter we had a single kale plant live straight through winter and keep producing, despite ice, snow and subzero weather??? I'm hoping that with the aid of a hoop house we may have fresh greens all winter long...even if they are more scant than in summertime.
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