Under the light of day I did find some things wrong with my garden, but none that I could have avoided even if I were here. My pumpkin vine is dead. The leaves are all brown and shriveled. The poor pumpkin is only half ripe. I kept holding out hope that it would have time when I first saw it, but I knew it was not likely. I'll leave it in the ground for a while longer, but how can it ripen without any leaves to make energy?
The bed that I've been renovating for my garlic and onions have developed holes. I suspect voles, but I suppose it could be chipmunks too. The holes are large enough for a chipmunk to squeeze in. I think even if the rodents are using that area I'll be ok. Most of them aren't into the allium family. Usually you are told to plant them around the garden to repel rodents. So they probably won't be taking bites out of them. But you never know. That one chipmunk did insist on tasting my chili peppers. . . once.
Though the tomatoes are still going, especially the Sungolds, the rest of the summer crops are about done. I started pulling up the Kentucky Wonder beans today. I'll finish it up tomorrow. They were planted to shade the lettuce, which was great in the summer, but now it is slowing the growth of the lettuce down by too much. There is so little sun here in September anyway. They need to get ripped out.
The eggplants look pretty, but they have no fruit left on them. Now that the nights are so cold, I don't think anymore will set. So tomorrow I'll pull them out too.
That's to bad about the pumpkin vine. My vines are covered in mildew but they are still hanging on to life. I have read conflicting information about whether pumpkins will turn if picked to early or in your case death of the vine. I'd bet it will turn still, the green is chlorophyll and if it is not alive any more it should turn.
ReplyDeleteI would have loved to have seen the look on that chipmunk after it took a bite of your chili peppers! Our sungolds too are still going strong. Last night it got pretty chilly here. I need to go out and inspect the damage--still have lots of peppers on the plants. So sorry about your pumpkin. The jury is still out on wether we'll get our potimarron squash to maturity or not--bottom leaves on vines are full of holes and turning brown/gray. But the 2 squashes continue to grow.
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