The first frost of the fall has hit and our tomato plants are drooping sadly, a clear sign that we need to start thinking about preparing our garden for winter. We learned some valuable lessons this year, particularly regarding the nastiness that comes with an over-population of potato bugs due to a wet spring.
The cantaloupe turned out just as small and unappealing as ever, the corn ended up a little better than last year, but nothing really to write home about. Our tomatoes and asparagus did surprisingly well, as did our patty pan squash. The eight ball zucchini was a fun addition, but we learned that just like regular zucchini varieties, you’ve got to watch those suckers or you’ll end up with soccer balls, but I guess that’s why they invented zucchini bread, right?
The crookneck squash appeared to be a little too close to our regular zucchini plant and we had a bit of strange cross pollination on some of the fruits. They looked positively sickly and unappetizing.
We got a surprising number of blackberries on the one cane that has toughed it out from our original planting from starts we got from my grandpa two years ago. I decided to give him a chance to spread out a bit and buried the top of his cane in the soil a few feet away from the base, in hopes that the top will take root and form its own cane next year. My grandpa said that’s how he got his thornless blackberries to spread, so I’m hopeful.
I let our gangly pear tree fruit out this year. I actually thought that the fruit would bend and snap his skinny limbs but he did surprisingly well. The pears grew substantially more than I expected and are the tastiest ones I’ve ever sunk my teeth into! I’ve had homegrown pears before, but this tree really outdid himself. Thumbs up to you Mr. Pear, I congratulate you on a job well done!
Another addition to our crop this year was the small bunches of sugary grapes that the little one loved to pinch from the garden at any possible opportunity. It still surprises me at just how much she loves having a garden in the backyard. I can always depend on her to help get me out of a funk after a long day at work. We simply walk outside and take a stroll through the various bushes out there in the back and she shares her excitement, refilling my energy bar if even just a bit.
Let’s not forget the older kids, though! They were much more helpful this year and they learned some valuable gardening lessons with their various projects. The watermelon growing contest was a wash because they failed to water their plants regularly and it seemed that the ground they planted in lacked the nutrients to support large growth. Perhaps with winter knocking at our windows, I will allow them to plan for the year to come and let them stake out their spots in the garden where they can lay down fall leaves and grass cuttings to enrich the soil for their next efforts.
The potatoes were a real eye opener this year and we intent to increase our plantings next year. The buttery flavor of homegrown Yukon Gold taters simply cannot be matched by anything I’ve ever bought from the store.
Another success, and learning process, was the beans. We learned that a few months after the initial planting, that we should plant another round of beans, rather than waiting for the existing ones to produce more. After the initial growth period we saw a drastic decline in production, whereas the seeds we planted at that point took off and produced a new batch that added to our summer stews and soups where the older plants sat looking sad and expectant, waiting for their imminent death at the onset of the cold months to come.
In years past I would break out the tiller and fold and chop the foliage into the soil, but this year I have decided to move the plant matter to the compost pile and spread out a heavy layer of leaves, grass clippings from the few mowings left before snow, and perhaps a bale or two of straw if I start feeling fancy. I’ve also got a few bags of horse manure I scooped up from my mom’s corrals earlier this summer, which would also be a good addition to the mix.
That’s one thing we’ve really had to work against, poor soil left by the developers after they scraped away the topsoil. The area we live in has a lot of clay under the surface and it’s been rough to try and work with that kind of ground. The plants don’t like it much, and neither do we. But, the good thing about the world we live in is the replenishment cycle of death and decay, which helps to feed future growth. At this point, it’s just a matter of helping to provide material that will break down to form the kind of soil that we need.
So how about you? Have you started thinking of how you will prepare your garden for winter yet? If not, grab a nice mug of hot cocoa and get to it! The cold months are upon us!
