Winter Garden

I planted spinach and chard from seeds about a week ago, under cover for one day (black plastic) because it was cold, then under corn stalks/leaves for a week. Today I peeked, and the seedlings are up. I left them uncovered during the day today for sunshine but rolled some fence wire out across the top so the stalks/leaves can cover for warmth at night but not touch. Not sure this will work. There are slugs in the corn stalks/leaves. I picked out the ones I could find and tossed them to the chickens, but there are, of course, many more. I probably should have started this process about a month ago.

Day Two Garden Cleanup

Lit the coals for the hibachi and cut up the peppers, then got back to work cleaning the garden up. It's a burn day today, according the the county hotline, but I have nothing dry enough to burn from the garden yet! Stacked the corn and sunflower core stalks in hopes they will dry for another burn day. Piles of zinnia and marigold in the compost, with a handful of seeds selected out to dry for next year. Three sea gulls flew overhead. There are storms on the coast which will be rolling inland soon.

Roasting Peppers

Late harvest; surprises, too!

Peekhole out from the grape arbor towards the willow trees; some blackberries in a sheltered spot not yet gone to the birds or mold; a surprise bloom on the rhody by the back walkway.peppers and a couple of delicata were hidden in the lushness plus two tomatoes on the last vine; some blackberries in a sheltered spot not yet gone to the birds or mold; a surprise bloom on the rhody by the back walkway.

Fall Garden Cleanup (Started)

The garden is done producing for this year. I like to cut down the sunflowers and corn stalks and haul the dead and dying flowers to the compost pile so there's not so much muck to look at from my living room and kitchen windows. Pulling out the soaker hoses and draining them for storage is another task. The chickens get some of the sluggy, soggy plant (oh, they like the slugs, alright!).

End of the Season Flowers

The sunflowers are pretty much spent now, but small birds (I tried to catch one on camera but they are faster than I am) still nip in and out for the remaining seeds. Over the past couple of weeks there were flocks of finches and little gray birds, too, but now, just quick visits by pairs or solo birdies. I have harvested many heads for the chickens, who peck the seeds out vigorously in their yard.




A great display of gold in the back garden bed!

Planted last night: spinach and garlic. Protecting the bed from the cold, the cats, and other critters as the seeds germinate.

Peppers, chard, squash, eggplant

Purple, green, yellow & Thai red peppers have survived the first nip of frost, because these are in a spot sheltered by the sunflowers, I am pretty sure. There is a little chard tucked in under the eggplant. Such a lovely plant, eggplant! It's fruit all harvested now (I ate some last night for dinner). The delicate squash is new for me. The pumpkins are being transformed into pies and muffins and soups and frozen puree for later in the winter months.

Grapes

Yes, the grapes are ready in this valley. I don't make wine, but I enjoy it and use whatever connections I can to get a store in each year. Pinot and big red blends are my choices. I do make grape jelly from my own concords, from an old vine on my place here. I alter the recipe by using olive oil instead of butter to control the foam, and I use low sugar pectin. Yum.