Winter planting

It was cold, but sunny today. I planted 6 cloves of garlic in the herb bed.

Holly-days

Got a little crafty today. Made this swag out of Christmas tree branches, boxwood, nandina and holly from around the yard.
How I did it:
• 7 longer cuttings from the tree pointing downward and 5 shorter cuttings pointing upward, over lapping about 3-4 inches
• Tie together tightly with wire
• After that, slip in shorter cuttings of evergreen plants, including some with red berries. Besides these, you could also use ivy, mahonia-which mine are flowering right now, pine, cypress or yew.
• Finally, tie on a shiny bow (check Youtube for great bow-tying videos) and hang on a door or garden gate.

And Now We Sleep

It is the day before Thanksgiving and it is apparent that these acres have had some freezing temps. At home, I have plants that are still green and flowering. Even the tomatoes have fruit on them. So, I've come to say goodbye to my little plot until I see it again in March. Sleep well, my new Friend, I look forward to our adventures next year.

It is Done

Actually the work has been done for a while now. Mostly when I go out to Shelby Farms now I just piddle around pulling up the dead stuff and planning for next year. Today I took out 3 bags of leaves and dumped them with hopes that they will composte over the winter and add nutrients to the soil in the spring when they come out to plow.

I did not walk away empty handed. The butter bean plants still had some pods that I salvaged before throwing the plants on the heap of crap by the road. The green beans are challenged by the cooler weather, but are producing some tiny pods. I got all I could today. Those plus the butter beans probably together will equal 5 mouthful of food--enough for a half serving for a regular person or for all 3 of my boys on any given day. I started picking jalepeno peppers, but quickly ran out of room in my hands. So out came the plant, still covered in dozens of little peppers. I left it on the patio and will try to figure out what to do with them tomorrow. The rest of the haul were: one reg. sized and three tiny beets; two small purple onions; a half dozen of regular looking scallions; and one six inch carrot. So, an odd assortment of food in very small quantities for me to figure out what to do with them. (An incomplete sentence, I know.)

Last produce

The peppers were the last to start producing, but are still flowering out at the garden. I doubt there will be many more harvests out there. Here are banana peppers, jalepenos, and bell peppers.

What worked

Lady peas
Purple hull peas
Corn
Banana peppers
Cucumbers-but next year we'll plant salad cukes
Roma tomatoes--but not so many plants
Arkansas traveler tomatoes--I'd have more of them
Radishes
Carrots--at the right time
Bell peppers--but start them early indoors; they grow do slow.
Tomatillos--a pleasant surprise.

Peas, Out

They are finally done. No more lady peas. Picked about 2dz pods today. It was a good run.

The zinnia seeds I planted a month ago are gorgeous! Should see a bunch of blooms next week. Beets are up, so are a few onions and fewer carrots, but they're always pokey. Basil is going to flower.