What worked in your garden? What will you repeat? Add? Time to start collecting seeds from those plants that are ready.
Greetings fellow gardeners,
Chilly nights are still with us, but the warmer days help with Fall preparations. At present I am preparing a portion of my back property to transfer from grassy garden to meadow. It is proving to be quite the project. I am taking it one shovelful at a time.
As summer turns into Fall I like to take stock of the season. Did that tomato do what I expected it to do? Did that lettuce bolt too quickly? How many cabbage worms can one cabbage have! Asking questions helps us learn.
I have taken seeds from the tomatoes that I like, making sure of course that the tomatoes themselves are ripe and ready. I was given seeds for Black Krim and Pink Ponderosa tomatoes, so my tomato quota is filled. Unless something super-cool comes along of course.
The marigolds are taking their time to set seeds, but the calendulas are ready. I can put them all in the same envelope as a mixture or separate them by colour. Calendulas are easy to propagate and I recommend that you add them to your vegetable garden. They attract pollinators and you can make a beneficial oil from the flowers. The first batch of oil I made is almost ready.
Calendula seeds
I didn’t plant nasturtiums this year and I regret that. Next year I will buy new seeds and get those nasturtiums in there. I love them in salads and the flowers make a colourful vinegar. They are super susceptible to frost, so would probably be done by now. The frost has started biting my vines and the large leaves of the zucchini are starting to droop. This gives me an opportunity to assess my choices. I have one place in my garden that is sheltered, and I planted zucchini and cucumbers there in a frame I repurposed from my woodpile. I ran strings across the top for the cucumbers to crawl up and the zucchini was underneath. Because the plantings were protected I have yet to have frost damage. A great learning opportunity. I do a lot of observing at this time of year and try to take some notes. This helps me to plan next year’s garden.
My begonia is not happy with the cool nights and so I am going to bring it in. Begonias make wonderful houseplants. If you want to bring in some plants be very careful. All sorts of insects and diseases can hide on plants that we bring inside. I take the plants out of their pots and rinse them and their roots with sprays of warm water. If I am worried that I might have missed something I spray the plant with insecticidal soap which I rinse off after 15 minutes. When I see that the plant is ready, I pot it up with clean indoor potting soil. Begonias have been used as houseplants since Victorian times. Rex Begonias had pride of place in dark Victorian parlors. My begonia will be happy getting out of the frost. If you want to make a beautiful edible arrangement for the shade, make a planter with lettuce and begonias. Begonia flowers are edible! They are sweet and kind of lemony and each colour tastes a little different. Be sure that no chemicals have been used on the plants. And remember, nurseries are not happy with you wandering around tasting begonia flowers; I know this to be true.
I am taking advantage of the weather and am working in my garden. Taking out weeds will make your life easier in the spring. It is a bit early for fall clean up but never too early to weed. Listen to the weather, observe your garden, and have a great week.
Judith. (Email: lapisdragonarts@gmail.com)
All Veggie Bites are available at the SGHS website: https://sites.google.com/site/sghortsoc/
Jerusalem Artichokes - Helianthus tuberosus
(Sunroot, Sunchoke, Earth Apple)
It is a beautiful day, so I decided to finish harvesting my Jerusalem Artichokes. These plants grow from tubers or seeds and can be very vigorous in their growth.
Jerusalem Artichoke Flower
I started pulling the tall stiff stems with the smiling yellow flowers. Pulling them helps to work up the soil.
The roots of the Jerusalem Artichoke often have small tubers on them. I don’t bother with those as they are too small.
Jerusalem Artichoke root
After you have pulled the plant get your shovel into the soil where it had grown and turn it over. The tubers are hiding in there.
Getting ready to dig up tubers
As you dig around you will find the tubers. Mine are closer to wild plants but if I feed and water them the tubers would be much bigger. These tubers are going to make a tasty treat!!
Jerusalem Artichoke tubers
There is an excellent recipe for Jerusalem Artichokes at https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/231247/roasted-jerusalem-artichokes-or-sunchokes/)
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