With only about a month to go before the first frost, here’s how my fall garden is coming along.  Now remember, I did not plant anything at the right time (i.e. late July to mid-August).  I didn’t have the space in my garden due to tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, green beans, and squash being all over the place, so I waited for a few things to peter out before I uprooted them.  Hence, I planted my fall crops at the end of August and beginning of September. 

AND, I had the challenge of bunnies and/or mice coming in and eating seeds the day after I put them in the ground so I had to come up with a solution.  Not sure how you pronounce it (klotch? cloach? whatevs), but I went the route of water bottle cloches and that seems to have worked.  To outsmart these little garden critters, I cut the bottoms off of some plastic water bottles (not mine of course, cuz plastic water bottles are so six years ago) and twisted them in to the soil and then dropped some seeds in and then sprinkled a little more dirt on top.  Worked like a charm! 

So here is how things are looking towards the end of October, maybe 45ish days in. I’ll be honest, I’m concerned there isn’t enough time to see a harvest before it gets really cold so I may be constructing a quick low tunnel (cliff hanger…)

Peas and sugar snap peas (far right)
Golden and ruby beets (bottom middle)
Broccoli and cauliflower (top middle)
Russian and regular kale (not pictured)

And my test run of brussels sprouts (left above).  I bought six seedlings to start and three plants were devoured by cabbage worms.  It was so sad. I came out every morning to squish the worms I could see and spray the plants with soapy, cayenne pepper water for about ten days and I still lost the battle.  But I’m dumbfounded why only three of the plants were attacked.  Anyone?

I did a little cover crop section of buckwheat that is so pretty in pink but I need to chop down. You may have also noticed that there are wood chips everywhere. I signed up for chip drop and we have tons of wood chips to use in the garden, flower beds, around trees, and in the chicken coop. So exciting!