I just started my major fall clean up yesterday. It always happens around the first frost. The bed on the left I did yesterday. The bed on the right I'll do today. The bed I took down was the bean bed so it took some time. I harvested all the beans left including any that were at the shelling beans stage. And I took down the trellis. I also got the sunflowers down and a few other odds and ends cleaned up. I put on my cat protectors (tomato cages), but forgot that I was going to use some bird netting instead. It keeps the cats out better and looks nicer. Sadly it is too late for a cover crop. I ought to get my crops out a couple weeks earlier. Then it would have plenty of time to get started before the ground freezes.
This is another set of beds that need to be cleaned up. The closest one actually has a scattering of cover crop. Where ever I took out plants I put in a cover crop at that time. But if you look closely you will see a flower on the zucchini.
Yup I've got several of them blooming right now. So the plant isn't dead, just most of the leaves. And if you look to the right you can see some mache coming up. I just tossed some old seed in to see if it any would germinate. I didn't have new seed. It turns out that both varieties germinated. So I'll get to see if Golden Corn Salad (from Michelle years ago) is hardy here. It is more tender than the regular variety. Of course I put it in the wrong spot. I really didn't think they would grow. So I'll have to transplant some next spring if I want to collect seed.
The last chore was to take off the row cover on the carrots. I'll have to harvest the majority of them and take down the last of the beans next week as this is where my garlic is getting planted. I'm hoping with a bit more light they might size up a little more. Hopefully the carrot flies were taken down by the frost. I'll be sad if I'm wrong about that. But the carrot bed just isn't getting light anymore. It loses its sun before noon and the days are short. So I want to give it as much of a chance as possible.
wow you are very busy! Nice to see some green still surviving though!
ReplyDeleteThis is my favorite time of year to be out in the garden. It may just be for cleaning up, but I just love the weather.
ReplyDeleteWow, you have a lot of carrots to harvest. Also, what kind of pvc pipes did you use under the row cover and how to you have them staked? I want to try that next year for cabbages and broccoli. What do you need cover crop for? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHmm not sure which kind of pvc. But if you go to a hardware store it is the 10' sections of straight white pipe. It is very sturdy and holds up well to the weight of the fabric in wind. To keep them up I have sections of 2' rebar which I pound into the ground at least halfway. I like it because it is easy to move from one section to the other and I can make the covered area as small or as large as I want. I use rebar to hold the edges down too. Those are mostly 4' sections but the ends have a combination of 2' rebar and bricks as rebar by itself isn't quite heavy enough to keep the fabric from blowing away in the bad winds. Many people bury the edges, but I find that way too hard to get into and out of when I need to harvest or weed.
DeleteOh and a cover crop is just to turn under in the spring. A cover crop holds onto the nutrients in the soil over the winter. Without one they are more prone to wash away.
DeleteI think you had a beautiful day to do garden clean-up today! I've had to stay indoors getting ready for company and it's killing me not to be outside working. You have quite the tough zucchini plant there, blooming on a chilly autumn day, it made me smile!
ReplyDeleteA task I need to get done soon! So far I have only brought in outdoor plants and got the compost in shape.
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